System and method for acquiring broadcast program content

• US 20080184318A1
• Filed: 01/31/2007
• Published: 07/31/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nigel Horbury
• Original Assignee: Nigel Horbury
• Inventors: Horbury, Nigel
• Application Number:
  US11/700,293
• Publication Number:
  US 20080184318A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/87
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6143 involving transmission via a satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6156 specially adapted to the upstream path of the transmission network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6581 Reference data, e.g. a movie identifier for ordering a movie or a product identifier in a home shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

The present invention provides a system and method for acquiring broadcast program content transmitted by a satellite network and received at a device capable of providing an audio or video output in response to receiving the satellite transmission. The user issues the request while the desired program content is being output and the program content reference data and the user reference data are being transmitted through a satellite network or through an independent data transmission network. The substantially identical copy of the requested program content is delivered to the user by way of the download or by way of the data storage device.

Claims

1. A method of acquiring broadcast program content, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) transmitting by a first means said program content and a first reference data characterizing said program content to a user;

(b) receiving by said user said program content and said first reference data transmitted in step (a);

(c) requesting by said user said program content being received in step (b);

(d) receiving at one of said first means and a second means said first reference data characterizing said program content requested by said user in step (c);

(e) receiving at said one of said first means and said second means a second reference data characterizing said user when said program content is requested in step (c); and

(f) delivering to said user by way of said one of said first means and said second means a substantially identical copy of said program content requested by said user in step (c).

2. The method, according to claim 1, wherein said method includes receiving reference data by at least one of a satellite transmission means, a wide area network, an Internet based network and a cable based network means.

3. The method, according to claim 1, wherein said method includes receiving said program content as an at least one of an audio and a video transmission.

4. The method, according to claim 1, wherein said method includes the step of receiving said program content by said user at a device capable of playing said program content in at least one of an audio and a visual fashion.

5. The method, according to claim 1, wherein said method includes the step of requesting said program content by said user by way of a device capable of playing said program content in at least one of an audio and a visual fashion.

6. The method, according to claim 1, wherein said method further includes the step of storing a request by said user within said one of said first means and said second means for a predetermined period of time prior to delivering said copy of said program content in step (f).

7. The method, according to claim 6, wherein said method further includes the step of reminding said user about requested program content prior to delivering said copy of said at least a portion of said program content in step (f).

8. The method, according to claim 1, wherein said method includes the step of delivering a copy of said program content requested by said user in step (c) to said user in step (f) by way of a data storage device.

9. The method, according to claim 8, wherein said method includes the step of using a data storage device selected from one of a compact disk, digital video disk and flash memory means.

10. The method, according to claim 9, wherein said method includes the step of using a flash memory means selected from one of a memory card, PC card, multimedia card, memory stick and flash card.

11. The method, according to claim 1, wherein said method includes delivering said copy of said program content requested by said user in step (c) to said user in step (f) by way of a download using Internet transmission means.

12. A system for acquiring broadcast program content, said system comprising:

(a) a first means for transmitting said program content and a first reference data characterizing said program content to a user;

(b) a second means for receiving said program content and said first reference data and for outputting said program content in at least one of a video and audio fashion;

(c) a third means for receiving a user input while said program content is being received and being output by said second means; and

(d) a fourth means for delivering a substantially identical copy of said program content to said user in response to receiving said user input.

13. The system, according to claim 12, wherein each of said first means and said second means is one of a satellite transmission network, a wide area network, an Internet based network and a cable based network.

14. The system, according to claim 12, wherein said third means is capable of transmitting said user input to said fourth means independently from said first means.

15. The system, according to claim 12, wherein said third means is disposed integral with said second means.

16. The system, according to claim 12, wherein said third means is coupled to said second means and is capable of transmitting said first reference data and a second reference data characterizing said user.

17. The system, according to claim 12, wherein said substantially identical copy of said program content is delivered to at least one of said second means and said third means and whereby each of said second means and said third means is capable of storing said substantially identical copy of said program content.

18. The system, according to claim 12, wherein said substantially identical copy of said program content is stored on a removable data storage device.