Method and apparatus for network content download and recording

• US 20060218604A1
• Filed: 03/14/2005
• Published: 09/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Time Warner Cable Inc. (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Inventors: Callahan, John, Carlucci, John B., Riedl, Steven, Josephs, Hugh
• Granted Patent: US 8,028,322 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/91
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2005/91328 the copy protection signal being a copy management signal, e.g. a copy generation management signal [CGMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2005/91335 the copy protection signal being a watermark
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4627 Rights management associated to the content security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6168 involving cable transmission, e.g. using a cable modem
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8358 involving watermark protecting executable software by watermarking G06F21/16; image watermarking in general G06T1/0021; watermarks inserted in still images for transmission purposes H04N1/32144; inserting watermarks during video coding H04N19/467
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/913 for scrambling ; for copy protection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for providing content to users of a network that can be selectively recorded via the user'"'"'s equipment. In an exemplary embodiment, the network comprises a hybrid fiber coax (HFC) network, and on-demand (OD) sessions are used to provide high-speed download of the requested content to the users. The user'"'"'s equipment (e.g., set-top box) is equipped with a high-density recording device which can both record the content onto a selected medium (e.g., DVD) and optionally provide copyright protection via one or more means such as limiting the number of copies that can be made, and/or digital watermarking. The network operator can also restrict the establishment of the on-demand sessions and/or release of the content to subscribers based on parameters including prior purchase of the content by the user, and the timing of the release of the same content via other distribution channels such as rental and retail.

Claims

1. A method of providing content delivery over a network using at least existing network infrastructure, comprising:

causing said content to be transmitted from a server entity associated with said infrastructure to consumer premises equipment (CPE) operatively coupled to said network;

receiving and storing said transmitted content at said CPE; and

recording at least portions of said content onto a fixed medium using said CPE.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said act of causing comprises:

selecting said content for purchase via a user interface of said CPE; and

transmitting a command from said CPE to cause said sever entity to initiate said download.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said server entity comprises an on-demand server, and said act of transmitting a command comprises transmitting a command which causes creation of a session between said server entity and said CPE, said session being used to transmit said content.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said act of recording comprises performing a multi-layer recording of said at least portion onto an optical medium.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising inserting copyright protection data into at least portions of said content before said content is transmitted over said network.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising inserting copyright protection data into at least portions of said content after said content is received at said CPE.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein said network comprises a cable network having a plurality of security features, said security features being used for protecting at least portions of said content during transmission over said network.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said protecting of said at least portions comprises providing both integrity and confidentiality protection.

9. The method of claim 3, further comprising processing said content into an MPEG packet stream before transmitting.

10. The method of claim 4, wherein said act of recording comprises recording onto a medium that has at least one of (i) a limited number of plays, and (ii) a limited useable lifetime.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said method further comprises preventing said recording from occurring more than a predetermined number of times.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting, from a plurality of available recording processes, the type of recording process to be used for recording said at least portion of said content; and

utilizing said selected process to perform said act of recording;

wherein said act of selecting is based at least in part on metadata related to said content and transmitted to said CPE.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

creating a descriptive metadata structure relating to said content, said metadata structure comprising extensible markup language (XML) metadata;

establishing a substantially dedicated session and in-band downstream transmission pathway from said server to said CPE based on a request received from software operating on said CPE; and

transmitting the descriptive structure and content over said dedicated pathway within a multiplexed transport stream and as part of said session.

14. The method of claim 3, wherein said content comprises new release content, and said creation of said session is restricted to a temporal coordinate corresponding generally to the release of said content via another distribution channel.

15. A method of providing new release content via a network, comprising:

delivering said content to a first network entity;

transmitting said content over said network to a second network entity via a session established between said first entity and said second entity; and

enabling the recording at least a portion of said content at said second entity;

wherein said session is established only after a user of said second entity purchases said content.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said act of transmitting comprises transmitting said content using a high-speed data download capability;

and.

wherein said high-speed data download capability is provided using a VOD infrastructure of said network.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein said act of transmitting over said network comprises transmitting over a network having at least portions which are physically secure.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein said act of transmitting over said network comprises transmitting over a network utilizing application layer security.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein said act of transmitting over said network comprises transmitting over a network providing at least confidentiality and integrity protection for said content.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising inserting copyright protection data into at least portions of said content before said content is transmitted.

21. The method of claim 15, further comprising inserting copyright protection data into at least portions of said content as part of said act of enabling recording.

22. Network apparatus adapted to obtain and record content, the apparatus comprising:

a processor;

a storage device in data communication with said processor;

a network interface in data communication with said processor, said network interface being adapted to at least receive said content from said network via a session; and

a recording device in data communication with at least one of said processor and storage device, said recording device being adapted to record at least portions of said content received via said interface onto a recording medium.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein said network apparatus comprises consumer premises equipment (CPE), and said recording device comprises a device adapted for dual-layer optical recording.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein said recording device is further adapted for a second recording process, said recording device being configured to select between said second process and said dual-layer recording.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein said selection between said second process and said dual-layer recording is based at least in part on data contained within said content when transmitted;

and

wherein said apparatus is adapted to dynamically determine the appropriate one of said dual-layer or second process based on evaluation of said content during or after receipt thereof by said apparatus.

26. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising at least one computer program running on said apparatus, said program adapted to:

(i) download said content from said network; and

(ii) facilitate the recording of said content onto said medium.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein said at least one computer program comprises both application layer and middleware components.

28. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein said at least one computer program is further adapted to provide copyright protection for said content being recorded onto said medium;

and

wherein said copyright protection comprises at least one of i) digital watermarking; and

ii) control of the number of copies of said content that can be recorded.

29. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein said at least one computer program is further adapted to establish a session between said apparatus and another network entity, said session allowing for high-speed download of said content.

30. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein said network apparatus comprises consumer premises equipment (CPE), and said recording device comprises a device adapted for single-layer optical recording of data encoded according to a high-density coder-decoder (codec).

31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein said high density codec comprises an MPEG-4 codec.

32. A method of doing business, comprising:

making protected content available for download to a plurality of subscribers of a network;

selectively transmitting said content to at least one of said plurality of subscribers only when at least one precondition has been met; and

enabling said at least one subscriber to record said content onto a high-density storage medium, said subscriber retaining ownership of said recorded medium.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein said protected content comprises new release content, and said at least one precondition comprises at least agreement by said at least one subscriber to purchase said content.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein said act of selectively transmitting comprises transmitting said content in an on-demand fashion over the high-speed data infrastructure of a cable network, at least portions of said infrastructure having physical security.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein said act of enabling said at least one subscriber to record comprises enabling the consumer premises equipment (CPE) of said at least one subscriber to record an optical medium using a high-density recording process.

36. The method of claim 33, wherein said act of enabling comprises including copyright protection data within said protected content.

37. The method of claim 33, wherein said act of making protected content available comprises making said content available substantially concurrent with the availability of said content via a retail or rental distribution channel.

38. A method of providing content over a content-based network, comprising:

making content available only for media purchase and viewing, or media purchase only, during a first time period; and

making said content available for media purchase and viewing, or media purchase only, or viewing only, during a second and subsequent time period.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein said media purchase comprises recording said content onto a recordable medium at a user'"'"'s premises.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the price charged for said media purchase during either of said first or second time periods is higher than the price charged for said viewing only.

41. The method of claim 39, wherein the beginning of said first time period corresponds substantially with a release date of said content via at least one of a rental or retail distribution channel.

42. A method of providing content over a network, comprising:

providing a first form of said content over a first distribution channel of said network;

providing a second form of said content over a second distribution channel of said network;

wherein said first form of said content is viewed; and

wherein said second form of said content is recorded.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein said network comprises a cable network, and said first and second channels comprise first and second in-band channels.

44. The method of claim 42, wherein said network comprises a cable network, and said first and second channels comprise an in-band channel and out-of-band channel.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein at least one of said first content and said second content comprises content encoded using to a high-density codec.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein said high-density codec comprises an MPEG-4 codec.

47. The method of claim 42, wherein said acts of providing said first and second forms of said content are linked via a purchase transaction such that the purchase of said second form is a condition precedent for both said acts of providing.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein said second form of said content comprises content adapted for recording on a medium, and said first form of said content comprises content adapted for viewing;

and

wherein said adaptation of said second form of content comprises encoding said content using to a high-density codec.