METHOD AND SYSTEM OF SHARING CONTENT FROM A MEMORY OF A FIRST RECEIVING UNIT WITH A SECOND RECEIVING UNIT THROUGH A NETWORK

• US 20090254599A1
• Filed: 04/02/2008
• Published: 10/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Casavant, Scott D., Lee, Sean S.
• Application Number:
  US12/060,916
• Publication Number:
  US 20090254599A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/201
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4135 external recorder interface circuits between an apparatus for recording television signals and a television receiver H04N5/775
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44231 Monitoring of peripheral device or external card, e.g. to detect processing problems in a handheld device or the failure of an external recording device configuring of peripheral devices in general G06F9/4411; reporting information sensed by appliance or service execution status of appliance services in a home automation network H04L12/2823; monitoring the status of connected device in data switched networks H04L43/0817
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4424 Monitoring of the internal components or processes of the client device, e.g. CPU or memory load, processing speed, timer, counter or percentage of the hard disk space used error monitoring in general G06F11/30; arrangements for monitoring conditions of receiving stations in broadcast systems H04H60/32; diagnosis, testing or measuring for television receivers H04N17/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6143 involving transmission via a satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/781 on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/907 using static stores, e.g. storage tubes or semiconductor memories H04N5/91 takes precedence

Abstract

A method and system for providing content includes a network having a plurality of receiving units. The system further includes a first receiving unit of the plurality of receiving units that has a first memory storing content therein. The first receiving unit forms a first content list of content stored within the first memory. A second receiving unit receives the first content list from the first receiving unit through the network. The second receiving unit generates a content selection from the first content list and communicates the content selection to the first receiving unit through the network. The first receiving unit communicates content corresponding to the content selection to the second receiving unit through the network.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

forming a network having a plurality of receiving units including a first receiving unit and a second receiving unit;

storing content in a first memory of the first receiving unit;

forming a first content list of content stored within the memory;

communicating the first content list to the second receiving unit;

generating a content selection from the first content list at the second receiving unit;

communicating the content selection to the first receiving unit from the second receiving unit through the network; and

communicating content corresponding to the content selection from the first receiving unit to the second receiving unit through the network.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising storing the content in a second memory of the second receiving unit.

3. A method as recited in claim 2 wherein storing content in a first memory comprises storing content in a first digital video recorder and wherein storing the content in a second memory of the second receiving unit comprises storing the content in a second digital video recorder.

4. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising displaying the content on a display associated with the second receiving unit.

5. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein prior to storing content in a first memory, receiving content from a satellite at the first receiving unit.

6. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein prior to storing content in a first memory, receiving content from a terrestrial source at the first receiving unit.

7. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein prior to storing content in a first memory, receiving content from a source on the internet.

8. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein forming a network includes forming the network having the plurality of receiving units disposed within one building.

9. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein forming a network includes automatically probing and determining the plurality of receiving units that may be communicated to.

10. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein forming a network includes determining capabilities of the plurality of receiving units that may be communicated to.

11. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein forming a network having a plurality of receiving units including a first receiving unit and a second receiving unit comprises forming a network having the first receiving unit being a stationary receiving unit and the second receiving unit being a mobile receiving unit.

12. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein forming a network having a plurality of receiving units including a first receiving unit and a second receiving unit comprises forming a network having the first receiving unit being a mobile receiving unit and the second receiving unit being a stationary receiving unit.

13. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein forming a network includes forming a wireless network.

14. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein forming a network includes forming a wired network.

15. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein forming a network includes forming the network with a plurality of receiving units in communication with a server.

16. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein forming a network having a plurality of receiving units comprises forming the network having the plurality of receiving units being satellite receiving units.

17. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the first memory of the first receiving unit comprises a digital video recorder.

18. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising communicating content to a receiving unit through a satellite network and storing the content at the service provider.

19. A system comprising:

a network having a plurality of receiving units;

a first receiving unit of the plurality of receiving units having a first memory storing content therein, said first receiving unit forming a first content list of content stored within the first memory;

a second receiving unit receiving the first content list from the first receiving unit through the network, said second receiving unit generating a content selection from the first content list and communicating the content selection to the first receiving unit through the network; and

said first receiving unit communicating content corresponding to the content selection to the second receiving unit through the network.

20. A system as recited in claim 19 wherein a second memory of the second receiving unit stores the content.

21. A system as recited in claim 20 wherein the first memory comprises a first digital video recorder and wherein the second memory comprises a second digital video recorder.

22. A system as recited in claim 19 further comprising displaying the content on a display associated with the second receiving unit.

23. A system as recited in claim 19 further comprising a satellite communicating the content to the first receiving unit.

24. A system as recited in claim 19 further comprising a terrestrial source communicating the content to the first receiving unit.

25. A system as recited in claim 19 wherein the network is disposed within one building.

26. A system as recited in claim 19 wherein the first receiving unit comprises a stationary receiving unit and the second receiving unit comprises a mobile receiving unit.

27. A system as recited in claim 19 wherein the first receiving unit comprises a mobile receiving unit and the second receiving unit comprises a stationary receiving unit.

28. A system as recited in claim 19 wherein the network comprises a wireless network.

29. A system as recited in claim 19 wherein the network comprises a wired network.

30. A system as recited in claim 19 wherein the network comprises a plurality of receiving units in communication with a server.

31. A system as recited in claim 19 wherein the plurality of receiving units comprises satellite receiving units.