Mechanism for distributing content data

• US 20070174873A1
• Filed: 10/19/2006
• Published: 07/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Resource Consortium Limited, LLC
• Original Assignee: Digital Deck, Inc.
• Inventors: Griggs, Theodore
• Granted Patent: US 8,166,511 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2543 Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25841 involving the geographical location of the client retrieval from the Internet by querying based on geographical locations G06F16/9537; arrangements for identifying locations of receiving stations in broadcast systems H04H60/51; location of the user terminal in data switching networks H04L67/52; services making use of the location of users or terminals in wireless networks H04W4/02; locating users or terminals in wireless networks H04W64/00
• 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 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26283 for associating distribution time parameters to content, e.g. to generate electronic program guide data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4524 involving the geographical location of the client retrieval from the Internet by querying based on geographical locations G06F16/9537; systems specially adapted for using geographical information in broadcast systems H04H60/70; protocols in which the network application is adapted for the location of the user terminal in communication control or processing H04L67/52; services making use of the location of users or terminals in wireless networks H04W4/02; locating users or terminals in wireless networks H04W64/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/472 End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4753 for user identification, e.g. by entering a PIN or password cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4755 for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

The current invention provides a system for distributing content data to user locations. The content data preferably includes digital video data that is available on demand from a requesting location. A system server stores user accounts and generated customized program schedules for the user account based on user criteria which includes user preferences. Authorized users access their accounts to modify user criteria and to select program transmissions. Preferably, a computer and a television set receive program transmissions from a system network, wherein the computer provides a logical interface between the television set and content data transmitted over the system network.

Claims

1. A method for distributing programming selection to a receiver, wherein the receiver is communicatively coupled to a network, wherein the receiver is configurable to receive programming transmission from at least one content provider, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving, from a user, user preference data;

providing a programming schedule for the user in accordance with the received user preference data, said programming schedule listing a plurality of programming selections that are available for selection;

receiving, from the user, a remote log-in request to access a user account, said log-in request from the user being received over the Internet via a separate device;

granting the user access to the user account via the Internet;

transmitting, to the separate device, display data for displaying the programming schedule;

receiving, from the separate device, a selection signal for selecting a programming selection; and

configuring the receiver to receive the selected programming selection.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said receiver includes a storage medium, said method further comprising the step of configuring the receiver to record the selected programming transmission.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiver is configured to receive the selected programming selection at a designated time, the designated time corresponding to a time when the programming selection is made available by a content provider.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

receiving, from the user, a browse request to browse through a plurality of additional programming selections; and

transmitting, to the separate device, display data for displaying a plurality of additional programming selections for selection.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of routing the selected programming transmission from a content provider to the receiver.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of routing the selected programming transmission to another receiver.

7. A method for distributing programming selection to one of a plurality of receivers, wherein the receivers are communicatively coupled to a network, wherein the receivers are configurable to receive programming transmission from at least one content provider, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving, from a user, user preference data;

providing a programming schedule for the user in accordance with the received user preference data, said programming schedule listing a plurality of programming selections that are available for selection;

receiving, from the user, a remote log-in request to access a user account, said log-in request from the user being received over the Internet via a separate device;

granting the user access to the user account via the Internet;

transmitting, to the separate device, display data for displaying the programming schedule;

receiving, from the separate device, a selection signal for selecting a programming selection;

receiving, from the separate device, a designation signal for designating one of the plurality of receivers, and

configuring the designated receiver to receive the selected programming selection.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said designated receiver includes a storage medium, said method further comprising the step of configuring the designated receiver to record the selected programming transmission.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the designated receiver is configured to receive the selected programming selection at a designated time, the designated time corresponding to a time when the programming selection is made available by a content provider.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising the steps of:

receiving, from the user, a browse request to browse through a plurality of additional programming selections; and

transmitting, to the separate device, display data for displaying a plurality of additional programming selections for selection.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of routing the selected programming transmission from a content provider to the designated receiver.

12. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of routing the selected programming transmission to another one of the plurality of receivers.

13. A system for distributing programming selection to a receiver, said system comprising:

a receiver communicatively coupled to a network, said receiver is configurable to receive programming transmission from at least one content provider; and

a server communicative coupled to the network, said server comprising;

means for providing a programming schedule in response to receiving user preference data from a user, said programming schedule listing a plurality of programming selections that are available for selection,

means for receiving, from the user, a remote log-in request to access a user account, said log-in request from the user being received over the Internet via a separate device,

means for granting the user access to the user account via the Internet,

means for transmitting, to the separate device, display data for displaying the programming schedule,

means for receiving, from the separate device, a selection signal for selecting a programming selection, and

means for configuring the receiver to receive the selected programming selection.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein said receiver includes a storage medium, and wherein said system server further comprises means for configuring the receiver to record the selected programming transmission.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein said means for configuring the receiver configures the receiver to receive the selected programming selection at a designated time, the designated time corresponding to a time when the programming selection is made available by a content provider.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the server further comprises:

means for receiving, from the user, a browse request to browse through a plurality of additional programming selections, and

means for transmitting, to the separate device, display data for displaying a plurality of additional programming selections for selection.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein said server further comprises means for routing the selected programming transmission from a content provider to the receiver.

18. The system of claim 13, further comprising another receiver, wherein said server further comprises means for routing the selected programming transmission to another receiver.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein said receiver and said other receiver are operatively coupled via a private network.

20. A server for use in a system with a receiver for distributing programming selection to a receiver, said receiver communicatively coupled to a network and receiver is configurable to receive programming transmission from at least one content provider, said server comprising:

means for providing a programming schedule in response to receiving user preference data from a user, said programming schedule listing a plurality of programming selections that are available for selection;

means for receiving, from the user, a remote log-in request to access a user account, said log-in request from the user being received over the Internet via a separate device,

means for granting the user access to the user account via the Internet;

means for transmitting, to the separate device, display data for displaying the programming schedule;

means for receiving, from the separate device, a selection signal for selecting a programming selection; and

means for configuring the receiver to receive the selected programming selection.

21. The server of claim 20, wherein said receiver includes a storage medium, and wherein said system server further comprises means for configuring the receiver to record the selected programming transmission.

22. The server of claim 20, wherein said means for configuring the receiver configures the receiver to receive the selected programming selection at a designated time, the designated time corresponding to a time when the programming selection is made available by a content provider.

23. The server of claim 20, further comprising:

means for receiving, from the user, a browse request to browse through a plurality of additional programming selections, and

means for transmitting, to the separate device, display data for displaying a plurality of additional programming selections for selection.

24. The server of claim 20, further comprising means for routing the selected programming transmission from a content provider to the receiver.

25. The server of claim 20, further comprising means for routing the selected programming transmission to another receiver.

26. The server of claim 25, wherein said receiver and said other receiver are operatively coupled via a private network.

27. A receiver for use in a system for receiving programming selection, said receiver communicatively coupled to a network and is configurable to receive programming transmission from at least one content provider, said receiver comprising:

means for providing a programming schedule in response to receiving user preference data from a user, said programming schedule listing a plurality of programming selections that are available for selection;

means for receiving, from the user, a remote log-in access request, said log-in access request from the user being received over the Internet via a separate device,

means for granting Internet access to the user;

means for receiving, from the separate device via the Internet, a selection signal for selecting a programming selection; and

means for receiving the selected programming selection.

28. The receiver of claim 27, further comprising a storage medium for recording the received programming selection.

29. The receiver of claim 27, wherein said receiver is a personal computer.