Method and apparatus for purchasing content from a terminal within a vehicle

• US 20080106376A1
• Filed: 03/07/2007
• Published: 05/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lee, Sean S.
• Application Number:
  US11/715,185
• Publication Number:
  US 20080106376A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.91
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks

Abstract

A system 10 for distributing content includes a content provider 12 that provides content through various devices including a satellite 26 or a terrestrial-based system 38. The content provider 12 provides content to a content distribution system 70 within a vehicle 60. The method associated with the system includes generating a request for a list of content from a seat terminal, providing a list of content to a seat terminal, selecting a selection from the list of content, streaming content corresponding to the selection to the seat terminal, selecting a purchase option from the terminal, communicating content to a portable device through the terminal, and storing the content within the portable device.

Claims

1. A method of operating a system comprising:

generating a request for a list of content from a seat terminal;

providing a list of content to a seat terminal;

selecting a selection from the list of content;

streaming content corresponding to the selection to the seat terminal;

selecting a purchase option from the terminal;

communicating content to a portable device through the terminal; and

storing the content within the portable device.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the terminal is a seat back terminal in a vehicle.

3. A method as recited in claim 2 wherein the vehicle comprises an airplane.

4. A method as recited in claim 2 wherein the vehicle comprises a train.

5. A method as recited in claim 2 wherein the vehicle comprises a bus.

6. A method as recited in claim 2 wherein the vehicle comprises a ship.

7. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the terminal is disposed within a vehicle.

8. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein loading the content comprises coupling a portable device to the terminal.

9. A method as recited in claim 8 wherein coupling comprises coupling through a USB connection.

10. A method as recited in claim 8 wherein coupling comprises coupling through a IEEE 1394 Firewire connection.

11. A method as recited in claim 8 wherein coupling comprises coupling through a wireless connection.

12. A method as recited in claim 11 wherein coupling through a wireless connection comprises coupling through a 802.11a/b/g/n connection.

13. A method as recited in claim 11 wherein coupling through a wireless connection comprises coupling through a Bluetooth connection.

14. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising associating digital rights with the content prior to storing the content.

15. A method as recited in claim 14 wherein the digital rights limits a playback amount.

16. A method as recited in claim 14 wherein the digital rights limits includes a playback expiration date.

17. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein communicating content comprises communicating unviewed content.

18. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein communication of data and commands is performed using a packetized transport protocol.

19. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein generating a request is performed using an Internet Protocol.

20. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein providing a list of content is performed using an Internet Protocol.

21. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein streaming content comprises packetizing the first content.

22. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein streaming content comprises communicating the content using an Internet protocol.

23. A content distribution system for storing content comprising:

a storage device;

a server in communication with the storage device communicating content using an Internet protocol; and

a first terminal in communication with the server having an interface port, said first terminal comprising a first control device, said first terminal generating a request for a list of content from a seat terminal, selecting a selection from the list of content, selecting a purchase option and communicating content to a portable device and communicating the content to the portable device through the interface port.

24. A system as recited in claim 23 wherein the terminal is disposed within a vehicle.

25. A system as recited in claim 24 wherein the vehicle comprises an airplane.

26. A system as recited in claim 24 wherein the vehicle comprises a train.

27. A system as recited in claim 24 wherein the vehicle comprises a bus.

28. A system as recited in claim 24 wherein the vehicle comprises a ship.

29. A system as recited in claim 23 wherein the terminal is disposed within a seat back of a vehicle.

30. A system as recited in claim 23 wherein the interface port comprises a USB port.

31. A system as recited in claim 23 wherein the interface port comprises a wireless connection.

32. A system as recited in claim 31 wherein the wireless connection comprises a Bluetooth connection.

33. A system as recited in claim 23 further comprising associating digital rights with the content prior to storing the content.

34. A system as recited in claim 33 wherein the digital rights limits a playback amount.

35. A system as recited in claim 33 wherein the digital rights limits includes a playback expiration date.