System and Method of Providing Media Content

• US 20120011534A1
• Filed: 09/19/2011
• Published: 01/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mukerji, Ankur, Scott, Charles
• Granted Patent: US 10,326,747 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/25
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles

Abstract

A method includes receiving, from a set-top box device, data that indicates selected media content from a list of available media content. The method includes locating one or more content sources for the selected media content. The method includes selecting a particular content source from the one or more content sources. The method includes locating an access rules source for the selected media content. The method includes instructing the particular content source to send the selected media content to the set-top box device. The method also includes instructing the access rules source to send an access rule associated with the selected media content to the set-top box device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, from a set-top box device, data that indicates selected media content from a list of available media content;

locating one or more content sources for the selected media content;

selecting a particular content source from the one or more content sources;

locating an access rules source for the selected media content;

instructing the particular content source to send the selected media content to the set-top box device; and

instructing the access rules source to send an access rule associated with the selected media content to the set-top box device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending the list of available media content to the set-top box device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising charging a subscriber account associated with the set-top box device for download of the selected media content.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising applying a credit to a subscriber account associated with the particular content source when the particular content source is another set-top box device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving from the set-top box device a charge authorization associated with the selected media content; and

providing to the set-top box a second access rule in response to the charge authorization.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the access rules source comprises at least one of an access rules database, an access rules server, and another set-top box device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the particular content source and the access rules source are the same device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the access rule associated with the selected media content limits access to the selected media content at the set-top box device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the particular content source when there are two or more content sources able to send the selected media content to the set-top box device comprises choosing the particular content source based on one or more of available bandwidth, network capacity, load balancing, logical proximity of the particular content source to the set-top box device, and physical proximity of the particular content source to the set-top box device.

10. A system comprising:

a processor;

a memory accessible to the processor, wherein the memory includes instructions executable by the processor to;

receive data that indicates selected media content;

locate a content source that has the selected media content;

locate an access rules source that has one or more access rules for the selected media content;

send the selected media content to a set-top box device; and

send at least one of the access rules for the selected media content to the set-top box device.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the instructions executable by the processor to send the selected media content to the set-top box device comprise instructions to request the content source to send the selected media content to the set-top box device.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the instructions executable by the processor to send the selected media content to the set-top box device comprise first instructions to send a limited portion of the selected media content to the set-top box and second instructions to send an entirety of the selected media content after a charge authorization associated with the media content is received.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the memory includes instructions to store data associated with usage of the system to the memory.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions, that when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

receive data that indicates selected media content;

retrieve the selected media content from a content source;

retrieve one or more access rules for the selected media content from an access rule source;

apply a selected access rule to the media content to produce a limited portion of the selected media content;

send the limited portion of the selected media content to a set-top box device; and

send the selected media content in its entirety to the set-top box device in response to a charge authorization associated with the selected media content.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, further comprising instructions, that when executed by the processor, cause the processor to send a second access rule for the selected media content to the set-top box device.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the content source is at least one of another set-top box device and a content server of a content provider associated with the set-top box device.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the limited portion of the selected media content includes a selectable indicator to send the charge authorization associated with the selected media content.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein a viewer of the selected media content is able to request the charge authorization associated with the selected media content via a telephone call to a number associated with a content provider and via access to a web site associated with the content provider.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the second access rule permits unlimited access to the selected media content within a pre-defined period of time.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the second access rule permits access to the selected media content a predetermined number of times before making the selected media content inaccessible.