Multimedia control center

• US 20070266416A1
• Filed: 03/21/2007
• Published: 11/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: InfoValue Computing, Inc.
• Original Assignee: InfoValue Computing, Inc.
• Inventors: Flanagan, Aubrey, Chen, Huey-Shiang (Sharon), Cheng, Monsong, Muhkerjee, Bodhi
• Granted Patent: US 8,037,155 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/115
• 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 21/4135 external recorder interface circuits between an apparatus for recording television signals and a television receiver H04N5/775
• 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 21/43615 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 21/472 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 21/835 Generation of protective data, e.g. certificates protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10

Abstract

A video library is formed within a personal video depot (PVD). The PVD has capability to accept purchased video'"'"'s and DVD'"'"'s as well as personal video'"'"'s captured on camcorders. The purchased video'"'"'s and DVD'"'"'s are rights verified and assigned to a user having an authenticated ID. The PVD has capability to play a selected video on a TV as well as acquire additional video titles from the server connected to the depot through a network. A menu is displayed on a TV from which a remote control is used to make selections that affect the purchase of video titles and operation of the PVD.

Claims

1. A personal video library system, comprising:

a) a personal video depot (PVD) wherein said PVD comprises

i) a nonvolatile storage;

ii) a rights verification and assignment;

iii) an identification (ID) authentication of a user;

iv) a service port coupling to a server through a network; and

v) a TV interface;

b) wherein said user of the PVD registered with said server selects a title of a video from a menu of the server to be downloaded from the server to the PVD through the network interface port;

c) whereupon authentication of the user ID, the rights verification and assignment performed on the video and stored in the nonvolatile storage with the video;

d) after which the user selects said video to be displayed on a TV screen, coupled to the TV interface, from amongst a listing of previously stored video titles within said nonvolatile storage; and

e) subsequent viewing of each video stored in said PVD with the rights verification and assignment requires said ID authentication of the user.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said PVD further comprises:

a) a first digital input to ingest video data from a purchased digital video disc (DVD);

b) a second digital input to ingest video data from digital video camera; and

c) an analog input to ingest video data form an analog video camera.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said ingested video data from said purchased digital video disc has rights verification and assignment performed by said PVD and said rights verification and assignment is stored along with the video content of the purchased video disc.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said nonvolatile storage is a non-volatile storage medium comprising a disk drive or a flash memory.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said rights verification and assignment provides the user the rights to capture new video content and play the new video stored in the PVD.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said ID authentication of the user utilizes a smart card with the user identity or a pin number entered on a remote controller.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said network is the internet or equivalent communication network.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the TV interface comprises a graphical user interface operated by a remote control unit.

9. A method for acquiring a video title from a server, comprising:

a) authenticating a user of a personal video depot (PVD);

b) contacting a server with which said user is registered;

c) selecting a desired video from a list of video titles;

d) verifying the user and an account of the user;

e) downloading the desired video to the PVD;

f) performing a rights verification and assignment on the desired video; and

g) storing the desired video and the rights verification and assignment in a non-volatile storage of the PVD.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein authenticating the user is through the use of a mechanism comprising use of a smart card or a personal identification number.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein contacting the server is through a network connection between the server and the PVD.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein verifying the user and the account of the user allows the server to apply proper charges including charges for any rights verification and assignment performed on a purchased DVD that is ingested into the PVD by the user.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the downloading of the desired video is by a network coupling the server to the PVD.

14. The method of claim 9, performing rights verification and assignment verifies that the user has the right to use the video stored in the PVD.

15. A personal video depot for acquiring video files to be played on a display screen, comprising:

a) a means for verifying an identity of a user of a personal video depot (PVD);

b) a means for selecting from a menu of video titles for purchase, located on a server coupled to the PVD;

c) a means for downloading a desired video from said server; and

d) a means for performing a rights verification and assignment on said selected video and storing the rights verification and assignment along with the selected video onto a storage device of the PVD.

16. The personal video depot of claim 15, wherein the means for verifying the identity of the user comprises the use of a smart card, personal identification number or similar devices and operations.

17. The personal video depot of claim 15, wherein for selecting from a menu of video titles is by selecting the desired video title displayed on a screen coupled to the PVD using a remote device couple to the PVD.

18. The personal video depot of claim 15, wherein the means for downloading the desired video is through a network coupling the server to the PVD.

19. The personal video depot of claim 15, wherein the means for performing rights verification and authorization comprises:

a) providing verification of the rights of the user to use and view the video stored in the PVD, and

b) providing verification of the rights of the user to use and view a directly purchased DVD ingested into the PVD.

20. A method for using a personal video depot, comprising:

a) purchasing a video from a server storing the video into a personal video depot (PVD);

b) purchasing a DVD and ingesting the DVD into the PVD;

c) authenticating a user of the PVD;

d) playing the video downloaded from the server or the DVD ingested into the PVD;

e) copying the video to a first DVD with or without a fee;

f) copying the video to a second DVD for a fee that may be different from the fee for the first copy; and

g) copying the ingested DVD to a second DVD for a fee.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein purchasing the video from a server requires a network connection between the server and the PVD and verification of the identification of the user.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein storing the video into the PVD requires a rights verification and assignment to be stored with the video acquired from the server.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein storing the ingested DVD into the PVD requires a rights verification and assignment to be stored with the ingested DVD.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein authentication of the user is through use of a smart card, personal identification number or similar mechanisms.

25. The method of claim 20, playing the downloaded video or the ingested copy of the DVD requires the user identification authentication.

26. The method of claim 20, wherein copying the downloaded video onto a DVD is without fee for the first copy and requires a fee for second and each subsequent copy.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein copying the ingested DVD to a second or subsequent DVD'"'"'s requires a fee.