Distributed media-aggregation systems and methods to operate the same

• US 20080034276A1
• Filed: 08/04/2006
• Published: 02/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DIRECTV, LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ficco, Michael H.
• Granted Patent: US 9,225,761 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/201
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/765 intermediate
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/53 using third party service providers
• 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

Abstract

Distributed media-aggregation systems and methods to operate the same are disclosed. A disclosed example method comprises selecting a first media segment at a first media device, wherein the first media segment is provided by a first content provider and the first media device is associated with a subscriber, selecting a second media segment provided by a second content provider; obtaining the second media segment from a second media device, and combining the first and second media segments at the first media device to form a media stream.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

selecting a first media segment at a first media device, wherein the first media segment is provided by a first content provider and the first media device is associated with a subscriber;

selecting a second media segment provided by a second content provider;

obtaining the second media segment from a second media device; and

combining the first and second media segments at the first media device to form a media stream.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising playing the media stream at the first media device.

3. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the subscriber is a first subscriber, and the second media device is associated with at least one of the first subscriber or a second subscriber.

4. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the first media segment is a portion of a piece of media, and metadata associated with the piece of media contains a value that represents a property of the first media segment.

5. A method as defined in claim 4, wherein the property of the first media segment is at least one of a location within the piece of media, a duration, or a segment title.

6. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the first media segment represents a first portion of a piece of media, and the second media segment represents an alternative portion of the piece of media.

7. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the second media segment is received via the first content provider.

8. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the first media segment is selected by a user of the first media device from a list of available pieces of media.

9. A method as defined in claim 8, wherein the list of available pieces of media lists pieces of media that the user is authorized to playback.

10. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the first media segment is selected from a list of at least one of commercials or advertisements.

11. A method as defined in claim 10, wherein the first media segment is selected;

by at least one of the first media device or the second content provider.

12. A method as defined in claim 10, wherein the first media segments is selected based upon at least one of a user input or a user profile.

13. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising transcoding at least one of the first and the second media segments prior to combining the first and the second media segments.

14. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the first and the second media segments are associated with a piece of media, and further comprising:

obtaining the first media segment from a third media device;

obtaining a third media segment from a fourth media device;

combining the first, second and third media segments at the first media device.

15. A method as defined in claim 14, wherein at least two of the first, the second, the third or the fourth media devices are a same media device.

16. A method as defined in claim 14, further comprising inserting the second media segment between the first and third media segments when combining the first, the second and the third media segments at the first media device.

17. A method as defined in claim 16, wherein the second media segment is at least one of an advertisement or commercial.

18. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

gathering at least two media slices from at least two media devices based upon a pseudorandom seed; and

combining the at least two media slices to form the first media segment.

19. A method as defined in claim 18, further comprising obtaining an encrypted version of the pseudorandom seed from metadata associated with the first media segment.

20. A method as defined in claim 18, wherein the first media segment is only stored in volatile memory.

21. A method as defined in claim 18, further comprising decrypting the at least two media slices before they are combined.

22. A method as defined in claim 18, wherein gathering the at least two media slices from the at least two media devices based upon the pseudorandom seed comprises:

computing a first hash based on a name of the first media stream;

computing a second hash based on the first hash and the pseudorandom seed;

modifying the second hash based upon a count of the at least two media devices; and

determining the location of at least one of the at least two media slices based upon a portion of the modified second hash.

23. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the second content provider is the same as the first content provider.

24. A first media device comprising:

an input device to receive a selection from a user to playback a first media segment provided by a first content provider at the first media device;

a distributed media module to obtain from a second media device a second media segment provided by a second content provider, and to combine the first and second media segments at the first media device to form a media stream.

25. A first media device as defined in claim 24, further comprising a media display module to play back the media stream.

26. A first media device as defined in claim 24, further comprising a volatile storage to buffer the media stream.

27. A first media device as defined in claim 24, further comprising a decrypter to decrypt the media slices.

28. A first media device as defined in claim 24, further comprising a transcoder to transcode at least one of the first or the second media segments before the media segments are combined.

29. A first media device as defined in claim 24, wherein the second media segment is selected from a list of at least one of commercials or advertisements.

30. A first media device as defined in claim 24, wherein the second media segment is selected by at least one of the first media device or the second content provider.

31. A first media device as defined in claim 24, wherein the second media segments is selected based upon at least one of a user input or a user profile.

32. A first media device as defined in claim 24, wherein the second media segment is received via the first content provider.

33. A first media device as defined in claim 24, wherein the first media segment represents a first portion of a piece of media, and the second media segment represents an alternative portion of the piece of media.

34. An article of manufacture storing machine accessible instructions which, when executed, cause a machine to:

select a first media segment at a first media device, wherein the first media segment is provided by a first content provider and the first media device is associated with a subscriber;

select a second media segment provided by a second content provider;

obtain the second media segment from a second media device; and

combine the first and second media segments at the first media device to form a media stream.

35. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 34, wherein the machine accessible instructions, when executed, cause the machine to play the media stream at the first media device.

36. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 34, wherein the subscriber is a first subscriber, and the second media device is associated with at least one of the first subscriber or a second subscriber.

37. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 34, wherein the first media segment is a portion of a piece of media, and metadata associated with the piece of media contains a value that represents a property of the first media segment.

38. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 34, wherein the first media segment represents a first portion of a piece of media, and the second media segment represents an alternative portion of the piece of media.

39. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 34, wherein the machine accessible instructions, when executed, cause the machine to receive the second media segment via the first content provider.

40. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 34, wherein the machine accessible instructions, when executed, cause the machine to present a list of available pieces of media.

41. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 34, wherein the machine accessible instructions, when executed, cause the machine to select the first media segment from a list of at least one of commercials or advertisements.

42. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 41, wherein the machine accessible instructions, when executed, cause the machine to select the first media segments based upon at least one of a user input or a user profile.

43. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 34, wherein the machine accessible instructions, when executed, cause the machine to transcode at least one of the first and the second media segments prior to combining the first and the second media segments.

44. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 34, wherein the first and the second media segments are associated with a piece of media, and wherein the machine accessible instructions, when executed, cause the machine to:

obtain the first media segment from a third media device;

obtain a third media segment from a fourth media device;

combine the first, second and third media segments at the first media device.

45. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 34, wherein the machine accessible instructions, when executed, cause the machine to insert the second media segment between the first and third media segments when combining the first, the second and the third media segments at the first media device.

46. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 34, wherein the machine accessible instructions, when executed, cause the machine to:

gather at least two media slices from at least two media devices based upon a pseudorandom seed; and

combine the at least two media slices to form the first media segment.

47. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 46, wherein the machine accessible instructions, when executed, cause the machine to obtain an encrypted version of the pseudorandom seed from metadata associated with the first media segment.

48. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 46, wherein the machine accessible instructions, when executed, cause the machine to store the first media segment in volatile memory.

49. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 46, wherein the machine accessible instructions, when executed, cause the machine to decrypt the at least two media slices before they are combined.

50. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 46, wherein the machine accessible instructions, when executed, cause the machine to gather the at least two media slices from the at least two media devices based upon the pseudorandom seed by:

computing a first hash based on a name of the first media stream;

computing a second hash based on the first hash and the pseudorandom seed;

modifying the second hash based upon a count of the at least two media devices; and

determining the location of at least one of the at least two media slices based upon a portion of the modified second hash.