Method and system for retrieving content in network system

• US 20060179048A1
• Filed: 01/27/2005
• Published: 08/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Doumuki, Tohru
• Granted Patent: US 7,822,866 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2805 Home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2812 describing content present in a home automation network, e.g. audio video content retrieval from the Internet G06F16/95
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/282 based on user interaction within the home receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/418 External card to be used in combination with the client device, e.g. for conditional access
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4623 Processing of entitlement messages, e.g. ECM [Entitlement Control Message] or EMM [Entitlement Management Message] arrangements for conditional access to broadcast information or to broadcast-related services H04H60/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4825 using a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlists

Abstract

A home entertainment network includes at least one client device connected to a server over a network, and the client has an interface to removable media. Each piece of removable media has a unique ID, which can be pre-recorded beforehand or assigned by a server. A user selects content from a library in the server(s) and associates it with the ID of a piece of media through the server or client, with the server storing the media ID as well as information to identify the associated content. Unlike a conventional removable media system, however, no content data is on the media. To play back the content, a user simply engages the media with a client device, which retrieves the media ID, sends it to the server, and receives in exchange from the server the associated content.

Claims

1. A network comprising:

at least one client device; and

at least one server storing audio/visual content and communicating with the client device over at least one network link, wherein

the client device includes at least one interface engageable with a removable data storage medium bearing a unique media ID associated with content in the server, the content being selectable for play on the client device when a user engages the medium with the interface to cause the client device to send the media ID to the server, the server in response correlating content to the media ID for playing of the content by the client device.

2. The network of claim 1, wherein a display associated with the server displays a list of content associated with the removable data storage medium for selection of content by a user.

3. The network of claim 1, comprising at least one indicator light on the client device indicating status of access to A/V content on the server and/or status of access to the removable data storage medium.

4. The network of claim 1, wherein the removable data storage medium includes at least one encryption key useful for decrypting content received from the server.

5. The network of claim 1, wherein the removable data storage medium is engageable with the server to write the media ID onto the removable data storage medium.

6. The network of claim 1, wherein the removable data storage medium is a semiconductor memory card.

7. The network of claim 1, wherein the removable data storage medium stores substantially no audio/video content.

8. A home entertainment system, comprising:

at least one server;

at least one client device capable of playing entertainment content; and

at least one portable medium removably engageable with the client device but substantially not bearing entertainment video content, the client device reading at least a media ID on the portable medium and sending the ID to the server over a network link for correlation of the ID to content.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the server correlates the ID to content and sends the content over the link to the client device for playing of the content.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein prior to sending the content to the client device, the server generates a display listing content correlated to the media ID for selection of content by a user.

11. The system of claim 9, comprising at least one indicator light on the client device indicating status of access to A/V content on the server and/or status of access to the portable medium.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the portable medium includes at least one encryption key useful for decrypting content received from the server.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the portable medium is engageable with the server to write the media ID onto the portable medium.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the portable medium is a semiconductor memory card.

15. A method for making audio/video (A/V) content available to a client device distanced from the A/V content by at least one network link, comprising:

engaging a removable data storage device with a removable data storage device interface in the client device;

reading information on the removable data storage device, the information not being A/V content;

sending the information over the link to a source of A/V content; and

using the information, providing A/V content to the client device over the link.

16. The method of claim 15, comprising displaying a list of content associated with the removable data storage medium for selection of content by a user.

17. The method of claim 15, comprising illuminating at least one indicator light on the client device to indicate status of access to A/V content on the source and/or status of access to the removable data storage device.

18. The method of claim 15, comprising storing on the removable data storage medium at least one encryption key useful for decrypting content.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the removable data storage medium is a semiconductor memory card.