Media Delivery System Supporting Set-Tops With and Without Local Storage

• US 20090158375A1
• Filed: 02/20/2009
• Published: 06/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Scientific-Atlanta LLC (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Scientific-Atlanta LLC (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: JERDING, DEAN F., RODRIGUEZ, ARTURO A.
• Application Number:
  US12/389,594
• Publication Number:
  US 20090158375A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/115
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/218 Source of audio or video content , e.g. local disk arrays details of retrieval in video databases G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23805 Controlling the feeding rate to the network, e.g. by controlling the video pump
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/254 Management at additional data server, e.g. shopping server, rights management server arrangements for maintenance or administration in data networks H04L41/00; network services using third party service providers H04L67/53
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4722 for requesting additional data associated with the content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• 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 21/8166 involving executable data, e.g. software arrangements for executing specific programs G06F9/44; broadcasting computer programmes in broadcast systems H04H20/91; involving the movement of software or configuration parameters H04L67/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8173 End-user applications, e.g. Web browser, game
• 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 21/8453 by locking or enabling a set of features, e.g. optional functionalities in an executable program
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/45 Picture in picture , e.g. displaying simultaneously another television channel in a region of the screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Systems and methods of transparent access to stored media content at a headened by digital home communication terminals (DHCT) are disclosed. One such system comprises a first DHCT, a second DHCT, and a headend. The first DHCT includes a local file system. The second DHCT does not include a local file system. The headend is in communication with the first and the second DHCT and is configured to provide the locally stored media content to both the first and the second DHCT.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a first digital home communication terminal (DHCT) which includes a local file system;

a second DHCT which does not include a local file system;

a headend in communication with the first and the second DHCT and configured to provide the locally stored media content to both the first and the second DHCT.

2. A system comprising:

a first digital home communication terminal (DHCT) which includes a local file system;

a second DHCT which does not include a local file system;

a headend in communication with the first and the second DHCT, the headend including locally stored media content, the headend configured to provide the locally stored media content to both the first and the second DHCT in a manner which is transparent to the DHCTs.

3. The system of 2, wherein each of the DHCTs is configured to provide the received media content to a display.

4. The system of 2, wherein the first and the second DHCT each include a virtual file system which interoperates with the headend to access the locally stored media content in a transparent manner.

5. The system of 2, wherein the headend provisions the first and the second DHCT with local virtual storage such that each of the DHCTs accesses the local stored media content in a transparent manner.

6. The system of 2, wherein the headend is configured to use a broadcast file system to provide the locally stored media content in a manner which is transparent to the DHCTs.