Networked PVR system
First Claim
1. A system for providing audio and/or video content to a subscriber in an on-demand environment, the system comprising:
- at least one content store operable to store a plurality of sets of content, each of the plurality of sets of content comprising audio and/or video content;
a networked personal video recorder system in communication with the at least one content store and with a subscriber connectivity device, the networked personal video recorder system being configured to provide one or more of the plurality of sets of content to the subscriber connectivity device upon receiving a request from the subscriber connectivity device, the networked personal video recorder system comprising;
(a) one or more processors;
(b) a real-time on-demand server component comprising a first set of instructions executable by at least one of the one or more processors, the first set of instructions comprising;
(i) instructions to monitor at least one source of real-time content;
(ii) instructions to identify a set of real-time content that should be provided to a subscriber;
(iii) instructions to obtain the identified set of real-time content; and
(iv) instructions to provide the identified set of real-time content through a content-on-demand environment, such that the identified set of real-time content is available in real-time to the subscriber;
(c) a personal broadcast channel component comprising a second set of instructions executable by at least one of the one or more processors, the second set of instructions comprising;
(i) instructions to provide a computer interface to allow the subscriber to select two or more of the plurality of sets of content to be delivered, the two or more of the plurality of sets of content comprising a first set of content and a second set of content;
(ii) instructions to allow the subscriber to define an order in which the plurality of sets of content should be delivered;
(iii) instructions to create a personal broadcast channel definition, the personal broadcast channel definition defining an ordered set of the plurality of sets of content selected by the subscriber, according to the order defined by the subscriber;
(iv) instructions to read the personal broadcast channel definition;
(v) instructions to obtain from the content store the first and/or second sets of content; and
(vi) instructions to deliver the two or more of the plurality of sets of content to a subscriber connectivity device; and
(d) a content format conversion component comprising a third set of instructions executable by at least one of the one or more processors, the third set of instructions comprising;
(i) instructions to provide a format definition for at least one device, the format definition being configured to describe a capability of the device to provide content to a user;
(ii) instructions to identify a set of content to be provided to the subscriber;
(iii) instructions to identify a device to receive the identified set of content; and
(iv) instructions to automatically convert, based on a format definition for the identified device, the set of identified content from a first format to a second format, wherein the second format is compatible with the identified device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Various embodiments of the invention provide novel solutions for providing content (including without limitation audio content and video content) to subscribers. In an aspect of some embodiments, content can be provided in an on-demand manner, allowing subscribers to select what content to receive and/or when to receive such content. In another aspect, embodiments can provide real-time content in such an on-demand environment, allowing a user to experience both the convenience of on-demand content and the timeliness of real-time content, perhaps integrated into a single stream of content. Merely by way of example, some embodiments provide personal broadcast channels, which can allow a user to define an ordered set of on-demand and/or real-time content to be delivered. Other embodiments provide automatic conversion services and/or networked content storage.
132 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system for providing audio and/or video content to a subscriber in an on-demand environment, the system comprising:
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at least one content store operable to store a plurality of sets of content, each of the plurality of sets of content comprising audio and/or video content;
a networked personal video recorder system in communication with the at least one content store and with a subscriber connectivity device, the networked personal video recorder system being configured to provide one or more of the plurality of sets of content to the subscriber connectivity device upon receiving a request from the subscriber connectivity device, the networked personal video recorder system comprising;
(a) one or more processors;
(b) a real-time on-demand server component comprising a first set of instructions executable by at least one of the one or more processors, the first set of instructions comprising;
(i) instructions to monitor at least one source of real-time content;
(ii) instructions to identify a set of real-time content that should be provided to a subscriber;
(iii) instructions to obtain the identified set of real-time content; and
(iv) instructions to provide the identified set of real-time content through a content-on-demand environment, such that the identified set of real-time content is available in real-time to the subscriber;
(c) a personal broadcast channel component comprising a second set of instructions executable by at least one of the one or more processors, the second set of instructions comprising;
(i) instructions to provide a computer interface to allow the subscriber to select two or more of the plurality of sets of content to be delivered, the two or more of the plurality of sets of content comprising a first set of content and a second set of content;
(ii) instructions to allow the subscriber to define an order in which the plurality of sets of content should be delivered;
(iii) instructions to create a personal broadcast channel definition, the personal broadcast channel definition defining an ordered set of the plurality of sets of content selected by the subscriber, according to the order defined by the subscriber;
(iv) instructions to read the personal broadcast channel definition;
(v) instructions to obtain from the content store the first and/or second sets of content; and
(vi) instructions to deliver the two or more of the plurality of sets of content to a subscriber connectivity device; and
(d) a content format conversion component comprising a third set of instructions executable by at least one of the one or more processors, the third set of instructions comprising;
(i) instructions to provide a format definition for at least one device, the format definition being configured to describe a capability of the device to provide content to a user;
(ii) instructions to identify a set of content to be provided to the subscriber;
(iii) instructions to identify a device to receive the identified set of content; and
(iv) instructions to automatically convert, based on a format definition for the identified device, the set of identified content from a first format to a second format, wherein the second format is compatible with the identified device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A system for providing content to a subscriber in an on-demand environment, the system comprising:
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a networked content storage system configured to store a plurality of sets of content at one or more locations within a network;
a networked personal video recorder system in communication with networked content storage system and with a subscriber connectivity device, the networked personal video recorder being configured to provide one or more of the plurality of sets of content to the subscriber connectivity device upon receiving a request from the subscriber connectivity device, the networked personal video recorder system comprising;
(a) a personal broadcast channel component configured to allow a subscriber to define at least one personal broadcast channel defining an ordered set of content to be provided to the subscriber connectivity device, the ordered set of content comprising the one or more of the plurality of sets of content; and
(b) a content format conversion component configured to convert at least one of the one or more of the plurality of sets of content from a first format to a second format, the second format being compatible with a subscriber device to which the at least one of the one or more of the plurality of sets of content is to be provided. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A system for providing content to a subscriber in an on-demand environment, the system comprising:
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means for storing a plurality of sets of content at one or more locations within a network;
means for making real-time content available in the on-demand environment;
means for allowing a subscriber to define at least one personal broadcast channel defining an ordered set of content to be provided to the subscriber connectivity device, the ordered set of content comprising the one or more of the plurality of sets of content; and
means for converting at least one of the one or more of the plurality of sets of content from a first format to a second format, the second format being compatible with a subscriber device to which the at least one of the one or more of the plurality of sets of content is to be provided.
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20. A method of providing content to a subscriber in an on-demand environment, the system comprising:
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storing a plurality of sets of content at one or more locations within a network;
making real-time content available in the on-demand environment;
allowing a subscriber to define at least one personal broadcast channel defining an ordered set of content to be provided to the subscriber connectivity device, the ordered set of content comprising the one or more of the plurality of sets of content; and
converting at least one of the one or more of the plurality of sets of content from a first format to a second format, the second format being compatible with a subscriber device to which the at least one of the one or more of the plurality of sets of content is to be provided.
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Specification