Network digital video recorder and method

• US 20060218620A1
• Filed: 03/03/2005
• Published: 09/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: SBC Knowledge Ventures LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: SBC Knowledge Ventures LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Patron, David, Nadarajah, Dinesh, Gorti, Sreenivasa Rao, Grannan, Michael F.
• Application Number:
  US11/071,892
• Publication Number:
  US 20060218620A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/151
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2541 Rights Management protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10; 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 21/25875 involving end-user authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; arrangements for secret or secure communication including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• 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 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/632 using a connection between clients on a wide area network, e.g. setting up a peer-to-peer communication via Internet for retrieving video segments from the hard-disk of other client devices broadcast-related systems characterised by transmission among terminal devices H04H60/80; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/835 Generation of protective data, e.g. certificates protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A network digital video recorder has a number of set top boxes each having an individual digital video recorder. A peer-to-peer network connects the set top boxes. A digital rights management client operates on the set top boxes. An electronic rights server is coupled to the peer-to-peer network.

Claims

1. A network digital video recorder, comprising:

a plurality of set top boxes each having an individual digital video recorder;

a peer-to-peer network coupling the plurality of set top boxes; and

a digital rights management client operating on each of the plurality of set top boxes.

2. The network digital video recorder of claim 1, further including an electronic rights server coupled to the peer-to-peer network.

3. The network digital video recorder of claim 2, further including a switched network coupling the electronic rights server to the peer-to-peer network.

4. The network digital video recorder of claim 1, further including a content index server coupled to the peer-to-peer network.

5. The network digital video recorder of claim 1, wherein the plurality of set top boxes are coupled to a DSLAM (Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexer).

6. The network digital video recorder of claim 5, wherein the set top boxes are coupled to a cable television network.

7. The network digital video recorder of claim 6, wherein the set top box has an input for receiving and storing a personal video.

8. A method of operating a network digital video recorder, comprising the steps of:

a) selecting a past program by a user at a first node;

b) determining if the user is entitled to view the past program;

c) when the user is entitled to view the past program, determining if a node of a peer-to-peer network contains the past program.

9. The method of claim 8, further including the step of:

d) when the node of the peer-to-peer network contains the past program, downloading a copy of the past program to the first node.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein step (a) further includes the step of:

a1) selecting the past program on a set top box coupled to a cable television network.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein step (b) further includes the step of:

b1) activating a client program to determine if the user is entitled to view the past program.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein step (c) further includes the step of:

c1) transmitting a query over the peer-to-peer network for the past program.

13. The method of claim 8 wherein step (c) further includes the step of:

c1) transmitting a query to an index server.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein step (a) further includes the step of:

a1) coupling a first node through a digital subscriber line access multiplexer to the peer-to-peer network.

15. A network digital video recorder, comprising:

a plurality of set top boxes each having an individual digital video recorder;

a peer-to-peer network coupling each of the plurality of set top boxes;

an index server coupled to the peer-to-peer network, the index server tracking a location of a plurality of selections.

16. The network digital video recorder of claim 15, further including a digital rights manager coupled to the peer-to-peer network.

17. The network digital video recorder of claim 16, wherein the digital rights manager includes a client on each of the plurality of set top boxes.

18. The network digital video recorder of claim 16, wherein the digital rights manager includes an electronic program guide index server.

19. The network digital video recorder of claim 15, wherein the plurality of set top boxes each have an uplink port.

20. The network digital video recorder of claim 15, wherein each of the set top boxes are coupled through a digital subscriber line access multiplexer to the peer-to-peer network.