PERSONAL CONTENT SERVER APPARATUS AND METHODS
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Personal content server apparatus and associated methods that allow a user (e.g., cable or satellite network subscriber) to access content, such as a video program, from a location outside the subscriber'"'"'s network. In one embodiment, a personal content server streams the content to the subscriber over a network connection from the local e.g., (subscription) network to a remote network upon authorization by a content manager process. Various access, business or operational rules are applied depending on the content and delivery mode; e.g., to live video broadcast, video-on-demand (VOD), or archived content from the subscriber'"'"'s digital video recorder (DVR) or networked PVR. Secondary content (e.g., promotions, advertisements, etc.) can also be selectively replaced if desired in order to make the remotely delivered content more appropriate to the remote user'"'"'s context.
115 Citations
84 Claims
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1-49. -49. (canceled)
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50. A method of delivering content over a network, comprising:
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enabling a user to register with a content source, said user registration occurring substantially at a server entity of said network, and said user registration comprising said server entity storing user identification information; receiving a request from said user for access to content, said request comprising at least said user identification information; determining at said server entity whether said user is entitled to access said content based at least in part on said user identification information; and when it is determined that said user is entitled to access said content, providing access to said content. - View Dependent Claims (51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64)
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65. An apparatus for providing content to at least one client device via at least first content delivery network, said apparatus comprising:
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a receiver configured to receive; an input from a user of said at least one client device, said input comprising user identification information; and a request from said user, said request comprising information identifying said at least one client device and information identifying requested content; a processor configured to run at least one computer program thereon, said at least one computer program comprising a plurality of instructions which are configured to; determine whether said at least one client device is entitled to access said requested content in a second content delivery network; associate at least one of said user identification information or said information identifying said at least one client device with a user account in a database; and when it is determined that said at least one client device is entitled to access said requested content in said second content delivery network, cause access to be provided to said requested content to said at least one client device via at least said first content delivery network; and an entity adapted to provide access to said requested content to said at least one client device over at least said first content delivery network. - View Dependent Claims (66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71)
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72. A computer readable apparatus having at least one computer program thereon, said computer program configured to:
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receive user registration information from a user; receive from said user a request for content, said request identifying said content; transmit at least a portion of said user registration information and said information identifying said content to a remote entity; receive from said remote entity a determination of whether said user is entitled to access said content in an operator managed content delivery network; and when it is determined that said user is entitled to access said requested content in said operator managed content delivery network, provide access to said requested content to said user. - View Dependent Claims (73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78)
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79. A method of delivering content over a network, comprising:
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receiving a request from a subscriber to purchase content, said request comprising information at least identifying said subscriber; enabling said subscriber to purchase said content; creating a record of said purchase, said record comprising said content and an encrypted version of said information, said record being stored in a first database; communicating between said first database and a second database, said second database comprising a plurality of encrypted records correlating one or more devices to one or more subscriber accounts, said first and second databases further being in communication with a third database correlating said information to at least one of said subscriber accounts; receiving a request to access said content said request to access comprising information identifying at least one of;
(i) a requesting device, (ii) said subscriber, and/or (iii) said subscriber account;determining, based at least in part on said communicating, whether said subscriber associated with said purchase record of said content is correlated to said request to access; and when it is determined that said subscriber associated with said purchase record is associated with said request to access, sending said content thereto. - View Dependent Claims (80)
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81. An apparatus for providing access to content to at least one client device, said apparatus comprising:
a receiver configured to receive a user request for content, said request comprising user identification information and information identifying a requesting client device; and a processor configured to run at least one computer program thereon, said at least one computer program comprising a plurality of instructions which are configured to; determine whether said client device is entitled to access said content in a content delivery network; associate at least one of said user identification information and/or said information identifying said client device with a user account in a database; and if it is determined that said client device is entitled to access said content in said content delivery network, cause access to be provided to said content to said client device. - View Dependent Claims (82, 83, 84)
Specification