Providing Remote Access to Multimedia Content

• US 20100049824A1
• Filed: 08/22/2008
• Published: 02/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hu, Weidong
• Granted Patent: US 8,266,249 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2801 Broadband local area networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2898 Subscriber equipments DSL modems H04M11/062; cable modems H04L12/2801
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/102 Gateways arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways, H04L12/66
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• 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 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6175 involving transmission via Internet broadcast-related systems characterised by the transmission system being the Internet H04H60/82

Abstract

Remote access to multimedia content is provided to hardware devices that have been predesignated as approved. For example, a customer premises equipment (CPE) device such as a set-top box may transmit digital television content to a mobile telephone. The multimedia content may be simulcast to multiple remote hardware devices by the CPE device.

Claims

1. A customer premises equipment (CPE) device for providing a remote hardware device with remote access to multimedia content, the CPE device comprising:

a first input enabled for receiving a hardware identifier that is associated with the remote hardware device that, when received, pre-designates the remote hardware device as approved;

a second input enabled for receiving a request from the remote hardware device to remotely receive the multimedia content;

a processor enabled for verifying that the remote hardware device has been pre-designated as approved, wherein the processor is further enabled for encoding the multimedia content for transmission to the remote hardware device upon verification that the remote hardware device has been pre-designated as approved, wherein the processor is enabled to not encode the multimedia content for transmission to the remote hardware device if the remote hardware device is not verified as having been pre-designated as approved;

a receiver for receiving the multimedia content from a multimedia content provider network; and

a transmitter enabled for transmitting the encoded multimedia content to the remote hardware device.

2. The CPE device of claim 1, wherein the transmission of the encoded multimedia content occurs substantially in real time as it is streamed to the CPE device.

3. The CPE device of claim 1, wherein the transmission of the encoded multimedia content occurs substantially in real time as the multimedia content is displayed on the remote hardware device.

4. The CPE device of claim 1, wherein the transmitter is further enabled for simulcasting the encoded multimedia content to a plurality of remote hardware devices that have each been pre-designated as approved.

5. The CPE device of claim 1, wherein the transmitter supports real time transport protocol.

6. The CPE device of claim 1, wherein the transmitter supports real data transport protocol.

7. The CPE device of claim 1, wherein transmitting the encoded multimedia content includes downloading the multimedia content to a storage media locally coupled to the remote hardware device for later playing on the remote hardware device.

8. The CPE device of claim 7, wherein the CPE device further comprises:

a storage for recording the multimedia content, wherein the recorded multimedia content is available for later transmission to the remote hardware device.

9. The CPE device of claim 8, wherein the second input is further enabled for receiving input from the remote hardware device to pause, stop, fast forward, or rewind the multimedia content.

10. The CPE device of claim 9, wherein the transmitter is further enabled for transmitting data for a graphical user interface to the remote hardware device;

and wherein the second input is further enabled for receiving input made to the graphical user interface at the remote hardware device for controlling a flow of the transmission of the encoded multimedia content.

11. The CPE device of claim 10, wherein the input received at the second input includes Hyper Text Markup Language (HTML) commands.

12. The CPE device of claim 10, wherein the input received at the second input includes Extensible Markup Language (XML) commands.

13. The CPE device of claim 10, wherein the hardware identifier indicates a globally unique value associated with the remote hardware device.

14. The CPE device of claim 13, wherein the globally unique value represents an International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number of the hardware device.

15. A computer program product stored on at least one computer readable media, the computer program product enabled for providing a hardware device with remote access to multimedia content, the computer program product comprising instructions for:

receiving a globally unique identifier of the hardware device; and

responsive to verifying the globally unique identifier as pre-designated;

receiving a content request from the hardware device;

encoding multimedia content received from a provider network for transmission to the hardware device; and

transmitting the encoded multimedia content to the hardware device.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising instructions for:

transmitting data for a graphical user interface to the hardware device, wherein the graphical user interface enables remote control of transmission of the encoded multimedia content.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, further comprising instructions for:

responding to received input from the hardware device by controlling the transmission of the encoded multimedia content.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the received input from the hardware device includes a Hyper Text Markup Language (HTML) input.

19. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the received input from the hardware device includes an Extensible Markup Language (XML) document.

20. A method of providing a remote hardware device with remote access to multimedia content, the method comprising:

detecting a globally unique hardware identifier associated with the remote hardware device;

receiving a request from the remote hardware device to remotely receive the multimedia content;

verifying that the globally unique hardware identifier corresponds to an approved hardware device;

receiving the multimedia content from a multimedia content provider network;

encoding the multimedia content for transmission to the remote hardware device upon verification that the hardware device has been approved and not encoding the multimedia content for transmission if the remote hardware device has not been approved;

receiving an input from the remote hardware device to control the transmission of the multimedia content; and

transmitting the encoded multimedia content to the remote hardware device in response to the input received from the remote hardware device.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the input from the remote hardware device includes a Hyper Text Markup Language (HTML) command.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the input from the remote hardware device includes an Extensible Markup Language (XML) document.