METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR PREMISES CONTENT DISTRIBUTION

• US 20100312826A1
• Filed: 06/08/2009
• Published: 12/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Inventors: Sarosi, George W., Cholas, Chris
• Granted Patent: US 9,866,609 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/765 intermediate

Abstract

Apparatus and methods for transfer and management of protected content in a network. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises server and renderer devices including, for example, consumer premise equipment (CPE) having a content handler application adapted to run thereon. The content handler directs requests for content, directs searches of a device'"'"'s storage, and directs transfers of content into the device as well as within the device. The content handler may, in another embodiment, be adapted to include a scheduler entity which maintains a schedule of upcoming content, and is adapted to maintain and manage requests for the upcoming content by reserving tuner resources. The content handler may be further adapted to implement authentication and authorization procedures.

Claims

1. A content server device for use in a premises network, comprising:

a storage medium, said storage medium adapted to store content; and

a digital processor comprising at least one computer program configured receive and process at least one request for content, said computer program adapted to;

direct a search of said storage medium for said requested content; and

direct a transfer of said requested content.

2. The content server device of claim 1, wherein said at least one request for content comprises a request from a user of a requesting customer premises equipment (CPE) and wherein said act of directing a transfer of said requested content comprises directing a transfer of said requested content to said requesting CPE.

3. The content server device of claim 1, wherein said at least one request for content comprises a request from a user of said content server device.

4. The content server device of claim 1, her comprising authentication apparatus, said authentication apparatus adapted to facilitate authentication of a requesting entity and authorization of said requested content.

5. The content server device of claim 1, further comprising a receiving apparatus, said receiving apparatus adapted to receive a plurality of content from one or more content servers on said network, said at least one request comprising a request for content from among said plurality of content.

6. The content server device of claim 5, wherein said receiving apparatus comprises at least one RF tuner.

7. The content server device of claim 6, wherein said computer program is further adapted to maintain a schedule of upcoming content and reserve said at least one tuner for storage of content which will be received from said at least one tuner.

8. The content server device of claim 5, further comprising a display apparatus and wherein said act of directing a transfer of said requested content comprises directing a transfer of said content to said display apparatus.

9. A method of managing content within a content server device, comprising:

directing browsing of said content by a user;

processing a request for said content; and

directing a transfer of said at least portion of said content.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said act of directing browsing comprises browsing of content presently available to said content server device which is stored on said content server device or stored on a headend entity to which said content server device has access.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein said act of directing browsing comprises browsing a schedule of content which will be available at some future time to said content server device, said act of directing a transfer of at least a portion of said content comprising waiting until said future content becomes available.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein said act of directing a transfer comprises directing a transfer of said content to a storage apparatus or to a display apparatus.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising verifying that said requesting device comprises adequate security provisions for protecting said requested content before said transferring is commenced.

14. A content requesting device configured for data communication with a content server device over a premises network, said device comprising:

a receiving apparatus, said receiving apparatus adapted to receive content from said server device; and

a digital processor comprising at least one computer program, said computer program adapted to;

direct a request for content from said server device;

direct a search of a storage medium associated with said server device for said requested content; and

direct a transfer of said requested content.

15. The content requesting device of claim 14, further comprising a storage medium adapted to store said requested content and wherein said act of directing a transfer of said requested content comprises directing a transfer to said storage medium.

16. The content requesting device of claim 14, further comprising a display apparatus adapted to display said requested content and wherein said act of directing a transfer of said requested content comprises directing a transfer to said display apparatus.

17. The content requesting device of claim 14, further comprising scanning apparatus, said scanning apparatus configured to locate one or more content server devices on said network.

18. The content requesting device of claim 14, further comprising a software security architecture adapted to protect at least portions of said content after it is transferred to said rendering apparatus.

19. The content requesting device of claim 14, wherein said stored content comprises a plurality of media files each having a respective substantially unique title.

20. A method of transferring content between two devices associated with a network, comprising:

storing said content at a first of said two devices;

directing browsing of stored content by a requesting device;

receiving a request for transmission of at least a portion of said content; and

directing a transfer of said at least portion of said content to said requesting device while maintaining said content protection.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein said act of directing browsing of stored content by a requesting device and said act of directing a transfer of said at least portion of said content to said requesting device are accomplished by a computer program running on at least one of said two devices.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said method further comprises authenticating said requesting device, and wherein said act of authenticating is accomplished by said computer program running on at least one of said two devices.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein said stored content comprises a plurality of media files each having a respective substantially unique title, and wherein said act of browsing comprises searching said titles.

24. The method of claim 20, further comprising verifying that said requesting device comprises adequate security provisions for protecting said requested content before said transferring is commenced.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein said first and second devices comprise an authorized service domain (ASD) for maintaining protection of said content.

26. The method of claim 20, further comprising placing said first and second devices in data communication with one another via a substantially standardized communications interface.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein said communications interface comprises a Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) interface, and said first device completes said authentication using a substantially standardized security architecture.

28. A method of sharing protected content within an ad hoc network, comprising:

establishing ad hoc a communication channel between first and second entities, at least said first and second entities forming said network when said channel is established;

selectively allowing at least one of said entities to browse content of the other of said entity, said browsing directed at least in part by a computer program adapted to run on at least one of said entities;

receiving at one of said entities a request for at least portion of said content from the other said entity; and

selectively transferring at least a portion of said content from at least one of said entities to the other of said entities, said transferring directed at least in part by said computer program adapted to run on at least one of said entities.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein said browsed content comprises content stored on said browsed entity.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein said browsing comprises viewing a schedule of said future content, and wherein said browsed content comprises content which will be available to said browsed entity at some time in the future.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein said method further comprises said browsed entity notifying said other entity when said content available to said browsed entity at some time in the future becomes available.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein said act of transferring at least a portion of said content comprises transferring at least a portion of said content to a storage medium or a display apparatus.

33. The method of claim 30, further comprising authenticating at least one of:

(i) said first entity to said second entity, or (ii) said second entity to said first entity, wherein said act of authenticating is accomplished by said computer program adapted to run on at least one of said entities.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein said act of transferring at least a portion of said content is based, at least in part, on said act of authenticating.

35. The method of claim 30, wherein said act of establishing comprises causing said first and second entities to be placed in data communication via at least a plug-and-play data interface.

36. The method of claim 30, wherein said act of establishing comprises causing said first and second entities to be placed in data communication via a wireless interface wherein one of said first and second entities assumes a first role and said second entity assumes a second role with respect to said communication channel.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein said first role comprises a master station, and said second role comprises a slave station.

38. The method of claim 36, wherein said first role comprises an access point (AP), and said second role comprises a station (STA), said AP providing data connectivity to at least one other entity other than said STA.