Personal content server apparatus and methods
First Claim
1. A personal content distribution system, comprising:
- a first network for distribution of content to a first device at a first location;
a personal content server operatively communicating with said first network; and
a second network in data communication with said content server and adapted to receive a request to access particular content from a second device at a second location remote from said first location;
wherein said personal content server is operative to;
identify the existence of a relationship between at least one of;
(i) said first device and said second device; and
(ii) said first location and said second location; and
based at least in part on said identification, providing access to said particular content to said second device.
7 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Personal content server apparatus and associated methods that allow a user (e.g., cable or satellite network subscriber) to access content, such as a video program, from a location outside the subscriber'"'"'s network. In one embodiment, a personal content server streams the content to the subscriber over a network connection from the local e.g., (subscription) network to a remote network upon authorization by a content manager process. Various access, business or operational rules are applied depending on the content and delivery mode; e.g., to live video broadcast, video-on-demand (VOD), or archived content from the subscriber'"'"'s digital video recorder (DVR) or networked PVR. Secondary content (e.g., promotions, advertisements, etc.) can also be selectively replaced if desired in order to make the remotely delivered content more appropriate to the remote user'"'"'s context.
-
Citations
49 Claims
-
1. A personal content distribution system, comprising:
-
a first network for distribution of content to a first device at a first location; a personal content server operatively communicating with said first network; and a second network in data communication with said content server and adapted to receive a request to access particular content from a second device at a second location remote from said first location; wherein said personal content server is operative to; identify the existence of a relationship between at least one of;
(i) said first device and said second device; and
(ii) said first location and said second location; andbased at least in part on said identification, providing access to said particular content to said second device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
-
16. A method of delivering copyrighted content over a network, comprising:
-
receiving a user-originated request via a first network from a first device for copying of copyrighted content; copying said copyrighted content, based at least in part on said request, to produce a local copy of said copyrighted content; receiving a request for delivery of said copyrighted content over a second network to a second device; and causing delivery of said content to said second device using said local copy of said content. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
-
-
20. A method of delivering content over a network, comprising:
-
receiving a request for access to content via a first network from a first device; determining whether said content has previously been or is contemporaneously being delivered over a second network to a second device; and where said act of determining indicates that said content has been or is being delivered over said second network, causing said content to be delivered to said first device. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
-
-
29. A client device architecture adapted for delivery of content over a network, comprising:
-
a server disposed substantially within a content-based network and adapted to serve content requests from client devices; a content source in data communication with said server for providing content thereto; and a management process in operative communication with said server, said management process being adapted to evaluate content access requests from one or more client devices associated with a remote network in data communication with said content-based network; wherein said evaluation of said content requests comprises; at least identifying prior or contemporaneous subscriber selections of said content made via said content-based network; and based at least in part on said identifying, selectively serving said content access requests from said client devices in order to deliver said content thereto.
-
-
30. A method of delivering content over a network, comprising:
-
receiving a request for access to content via a first network from a first device; determining the state of a tuner associated with a second device coupled to a content delivery network; and based at least in part on said state, causing said content to be delivered to said first device. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34)
-
-
35. A method optimizing bandwidth usage within a cable television network, the method comprising:
-
providing first content at a first node of said network; distributing said first content from said first node to a second node in response to a request for delivery originated from said second node; receiving a request for delivery for said first content from a third node, said third node not being part of said cable television network; and causing, when at least one criteria is met, delivery of said first content to said third node from said first node without having to transmit said first content from said second node to said third node. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
-
-
41. A method of delivering content using a cable television network, the method comprising:
-
providing first content at a first node of said network; distributing said first content from said first node to a first trusted domain in response to an authenticated request for delivery originated from said trusted domain; receiving a request for delivery for said first content from a second node, said second node not being part of said cable television network; causing a second trusted domain to be established within said second node; and when said second domain has been established, delivering said first content to said second node from said first node.
-
-
42. Server apparatus adapted for use in a content-based network, comprising:
-
a storage device; a processor in data communication with said storage device and adapted to run at least one computer program thereon, at least a portion of said at least one program being stored in said storage device; a first network interface in data communication with said content-based network; a second network interface in data communication with a remote network; and a data interface in data communication with a content source; wherein said at least one computer program is adapted to; receive a request for access to content from a remote client device in data communication with said remote network via said second network interface; evaluate said request against data relating to a subscriber'"'"'s operating history or status; and based at least in part on said evaluation, determine whether or not to grant said requested access to said content to said remote client device. - View Dependent Claims (43)
-
-
44. A method of remotely distributing high-bandwidth content over both a primary network and secondary network in data communication therewith, comprising:
-
providing said content over said primary network to at least one of a plurality of subscribers; receiving a request from a remote device coupled to said secondary network for access to said high-bandwidth content; and delivering said high-bandwidth content to said secondary network from a location within said primary network that can support such delivery. - View Dependent Claims (45)
-
-
46. A method of associating a user with one or more content choices over a network while maintaining the privacy thereof, the method comprising:
-
generating a first variable from first data using a first cryptographic algorithm, said first variable being useful for associating a user with a device; generating a second variable from second data using a second cryptographic algorithm, said second variable being useful for associating a user with a content choice; and relating said first and second variables so as to permit relation of said first data and said second data. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48, 49)
-
Specification