DIGITAL DELIVERY SYSTEM AND USER INTERFACE FOR ENABLING THE DIGITAL DELIVERY OF MEDIA CONTENT

• US 20120102573A1
• Filed: 04/20/2011
• Published: 04/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fox Entertainment Group, Inc. (The Walt Disney Company)
• Original Assignee: Fox Entertainment Group, Inc. (The Walt Disney Company)
• Inventors: Spooner, Elaine M., Koscheka, John D., Bessolo, Michael S., Simpson, Mark L., Yuan, Jean L., Russell, J. Craig D., Bettes, Christopher M., McCarthy, Greg, Kundula, Srinivas, Mantena, Venkata Nagaraju
• Granted Patent: US 8,584,256 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/60 Protecting data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0257 User requested
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]

Abstract

A system, method, and computer readable storage medium provides the ability to deliver media content. A repository stores media content and marketing assets for the media content. A server computer provides a website accessible on the Internet worldwide to client computers. The website provides the ability to search a public site catalog/library of media content that is publicly available. The website further provides marketing assets for licensed media content from the library to authorized client users (that have a license to media content) in a secure manner. The website further provides preview screening access and download access to licensed media content (e.g., titles of audio-visual media content) to the authorized client users.

Claims

1. A system for delivering media content in a computer system comprising:

(a) a repository configured to store media content and marketing assets for the media content;

(b) a server computer communicatively coupled to the repository and enabled to provide access to the media content and marketing assets via a website accessible on the Internet worldwide to one or more client computers, wherein the website is configured to;

(i) enable the one or more client computers to search a public site catalog comprised of a library of media content that is publicly available;

(ii) provide marketing assets for licensed media content from the library to one or more authorized client users on the one or more client computers in a secure manner, wherein the one or more authorized client users have a license to the licensed media content; and

(iii) providing preview screening access and download access to licensed media content to the one or more authorized client users, wherein the licensed media content is comprised of one or more titles of audio-visual media content.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the marketing assets comprise production level intellectual property and concept for a media content title.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the website is further configured to provide advanced search capabilities to search for media content; and

the advanced search capabilities comprises capability to search by keyword, product category, genre, run time, and theme.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the website is further configured to:

accept a specified set of search attributes for the search for media content;

save the specified set of search attributes;

select the saved specified set, wherein in response to the selecting, results of the saved set of search attributes are dynamically updated based on any changes in the library of media content and any changes in the license to the licensed media content.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the website is further configured to display one or more posters corresponding to each title of media content available to the one or more client computers, wherein each title of media content represents a series, season, or episode;

in response to requesting season details relating to a series, the website is configured to display season information for the series;

in response to requesting episode details relating to a season, the website is configured to display episode information for the season;

in response to requesting series details relating to a season, the website is configured to display series information for the season; and

in response to requesting season details relating to an episode, the website is configured to display season information for the episode.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the website is further configured to provide a title cart comprising a list of titles that the authorized client user has elected to utilize.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the website is further configured to provide an asset cart comprising marketing and media assets for licensed media content that the authorized client user has elected to utilize.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the licensed media content is grouped by a licensed title and comprises different video formats.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the website is further configured to:

display a poster of the licensed title;

when a cursor hovers over the poster, a pop-up window is displayed with the different video formats and licensed media content for selection by the one or more authorized client users.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising receiving default user preferences for configuring a display of the website from the authorized client user.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the preview screening access comprises a season pass selected by the authorized client user, wherein the authorized client user can screen, via streaming video, licensed media content for an entire season of a specific title.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein when the one or more authorized client users are logged in, the website is configured to modify the viewing and search of the public site catalog to the one or more authorized client users such that the public site catalog is color-coded to indicate whether media content in the private catalog is licensed or non-licensed by the one or more authorized client users.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the website is further configured to display a title detail summary screen comprised of a grid indicating media content titles and an availability of marketing assets, screening capabilities, broadcast quality video download capabilities, and media content information for each media content title in the grid.

14. The system of claim 1, further comprising a media player configured to provide multi-platform global accessibility of digital rights management (DRM) protected, full length video for online streaming.

15. A computer implemented method for delivering media content, comprising:

(a) storing media content and marketing assets for the media content in a repository;

(b) providing access to the media content and marketing assets via a website accessible on the Internet worldwide to one or more client computers, wherein the website is configured to;

(i) enable the one or more client computers to search a public site catalog comprised of a library of media content that is publicly available;

(ii) provide marketing assets for licensed media content from the library to one or more authorized client users on the one or more client computers in a secure manner, wherein the one or more authorized client users have a license to the licensed media content; and

(iii) providing preview screening access and download access to licensed media content to the one or more authorized client users, wherein the licensed media content is comprised of one or more titles of audio-visual media content.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the marketing assets comprise production level intellectual property and concept for a media content title.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein:

the website is further configured to provide advanced search capabilities to search for media content; and

the advanced search capabilities comprises capability to search by keyword, product category, genre, run time, and theme.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the website is further configured to:

accept a specified set of search attributes for the search for media content;

save the specified set of search attributes;

select the saved specified set, wherein in response to the selecting, results of the saved set of search attributes are dynamically updated based on any changes in the library of media content and any changes in the license to the licensed media content.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein:

the website is further configured to display one or more posters corresponding to each title of media content available to the one or more client computers, wherein each title of media content represents a series, season, or episode;

in response to requesting season details relating to a series, the website is configured to display season information for the series;

in response to requesting episode details relating to a season, the website is configured to display episode information for the season;

in response to requesting series details relating to a season, the website is configured to display series information for the season; and

in response to requesting season details relating to an episode, the website is configured to display season information for the episode.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the website is further configured to provide a title cart comprising a list of titles that the authorized client user has elected to utilize.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein the website is further configured to provide an asset cart comprising marketing and media assets for licensed media content that the authorized client user has elected to utilize.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein the licensed media content is grouped by a licensed title and comprises different video formats.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the website is further configured to:

display a poster of the licensed title;

when a cursor hovers over the poster, a pop-up window is displayed with the different video formats and licensed media content for selection by the one or more authorized client users.

24. The method of claim 15, wherein the website is further configured to receive default user preferences for configuring a display of the website from the authorized client user.

25. The method of claim 15, wherein the preview screening access comprises a season pass selected by the authorized client user, wherein the authorized client user can screen, via streaming video, licensed media content for an entire season of a specific title.

26. The method of claim 15, wherein when the one or more authorized client users are logged in, the website is configured to modify the viewing and search of the public site catalog to the one or more authorized client users such that the public site catalog is color-coded to indicate whether media content in the private catalog is licensed or non-licensed by the one or more authorized client users.

27. The method of claim 15, wherein the website is further configured to display a title detail summary screen comprised of a grid indicating media content titles and an availability of marketing assets, screening capabilities, broadcast quality video download capabilities, and media content information for each media content title in the grid.

28. The method of claim 15, further comprising a media player configured to provide multi-platform global accessibility of digital rights management (DRM) protected, full length video for online streaming.

29. A computer readable storage medium encoded with computer program instructions which when accessed by a computer causes the computer to load the program instructions to a memory therein creating a special purpose data structure causing the computer to operate as a specially programmed computer, executing a method of delivering media content, comprising:

(a) storing, in a repository, media content and marketing assets for the media content;

(b) providing, in the specially programmed computer, access to the media content and marketing assets via a website accessible on the Internet worldwide to one or more client computers, wherein the website is configured to;

(i) enable the one or more client computers to search a public site catalog comprised of a library of media content that is publicly available;

(ii) provide marketing assets for licensed media content from the library to one or more authorized client users on the one or more client computers in a secure manner, wherein the one or more authorized client users have a license to the licensed media content; and

(iii) providing preview screening access and download access to licensed media content to the one or more authorized client users, wherein the licensed media content is comprised of one or more titles of audio-visual media content.

30. The computer readable storage medium of claim 29, wherein the marketing assets comprise production level intellectual property and concept for a media content title.

31. The computer readable storage medium of claim 29, wherein:

the website is further configured to provide advanced search capabilities to search for media content; and

the advanced search capabilities comprises capability to search by keyword, product category, genre, run time, and theme.

32. The computer readable storage medium of claim 29, wherein the website is further configured to:

accept a specified set of search attributes for the search for media content;

save the specified set of search attributes;

select the saved specified set, wherein in response to the selecting, results of the saved set of search attributes are dynamically updated based on any changes in the library of media content and any changes in the license to the licensed media content.

33. The computer readable storage medium of claim 29, wherein:

the website is further configured to display one or more posters corresponding to each title of media content available to the one or more client computers, wherein each title of media content represents a series, season, or episode;

in response to requesting season details relating to a series, the website is configured to display season information for the series;

in response to requesting episode details relating to a season, the website is configured to display episode information for the season;

in response to requesting series details relating to a season, the website is configured to display series information for the season; and

in response to requesting season details relating to an episode, the website is configured to display season information for the episode.

34. The computer readable storage medium of claim 29, wherein the website is further configured to provide a title cart comprising a list of titles that the authorized client user has elected to utilize.

35. The computer readable storage medium of claim 29, wherein the website is further configured to provide an asset cart comprising marketing and media assets for licensed media content that the authorized client user has elected to utilize.

36. The computer readable storage medium of claim 29, wherein the licensed media content is grouped by a licensed title and comprises different video formats.

37. The computer readable storage medium of claim 36, wherein the website is further configured to:

display a poster of the licensed title;

when a cursor hovers over the poster, a pop-up window is displayed with the different video formats and licensed media content for selection by the one or more authorized client users.

38. The computer readable storage medium of claim 29, wherein the website is further configured to receive default user preferences for configuring a display of the website from the authorized client user.

39. The computer readable storage medium of claim 29, wherein the preview screening access comprises a season pass selected by the authorized client user, wherein the authorized client user can screen, via streaming video, licensed media content for an entire season of a specific title.

40. The computer readable storage medium of claim 29, wherein when the one or more authorized client users are logged in, the website is configured to modify the viewing and search of the public site catalog to the one or more authorized client users such that the public site catalog is color-coded to indicate whether media content in the private catalog is licensed or non-licensed by the one or more authorized client users.

41. The computer readable storage medium of claim 29, wherein the website is further configured to display a title detail summary screen comprised of a grid indicating media content titles and an availability of marketing assets, screening capabilities, broadcast quality video download capabilities, and media content information for each media content title in the grid.

42. The computer readable storage medium of claim 29, further comprising a media player configured to provide multi-platform global accessibility of digital rights management (DRM) protected, full length video for online streaming.

43. A system for providing multi-platform accessibility of media content in a global computer network comprising:

(a) selecting, in a client computer, the media content to play;

(b) based on a format of media content, loading, in the client computer, a media content player;

(c) if the media content does not comprise digital rights managements (DRM) protected content, loading and playing, via a web server computer, the media content in the media content player;

(d) if the media content comprises DRM protected content;

(i) requesting, via application programming interface (API) calls to the a server process, a license to play the media content;

(ii) receiving, from the server process, the license to play the media content, wherein the server process is configured to obtained the license by;

(1) a web server computer creating/updating an authorized client user by communicating with a DRM server;

(2) the web server computer creating a session between the web server computer and the DRM server;

(3) the web server computer enabling authorization to play the media content by communicating with the DRM server;

(4) the DRM server transmitting the license to the client computer; and

(iii) based on the license, loading and playing, in the media content player, the media content.

44. The system of claim 43, further comprising storing the license received from the server process at the client computer.

45. The system of claim 43, wherein:

if a client connection is beyond a connection speed threshold, receiving the media content at the client computer, from the server process, via streaming across the client connection; and

if the client connection is lower than the connection speed threshold, receiving the media content at the client, from the server process, via progressive download.

46. The system of claim 43, wherein the media content is received from one or more servers that have cached the media content in a content delivery network.

47. A computer implemented method for providing multi-platform accessibility of media content in a global computer network comprising:

(a) selecting, in a client computer, the media content to play;

(b) based on a format of media content, loading, in the client computer, a media content player;

(c) if the media content does not comprise digital rights managements (DRM) protected content, loading and playing, via a web server computer, the media content in the media content player;

(d) if the media content comprises DRM protected content;

(i) requesting, via application programming interface (API) calls to the a server process, a license to play the media content;

(ii) receiving, from the server process, the license to play the media content, wherein the server process is configured to obtained the license by;

(1) a web server computer creating/updating an authorized client user by communicating with a DRM server;

(2) the web server computer creating a session between the web server computer and the DRM server;

(3) the web server computer enabling authorization to play the media content by communicating with the DRM server;

(4) the DRM server transmitting the license to the client computer; and

(iii) based on the license, loading and playing, in the media content player, the media content.

48. The method of claim 47, further comprising storing the license received from the server process at the client computer.

49. The method of claim 47, wherein:

if a client connection is beyond a connection speed threshold, receiving the media content at the client computer, from the server process, via streaming across the client connection; and

if the client connection is lower than the connection speed threshold, receiving the media content at the client, from the server process, via progressive download.

50. The method of claim 47, wherein the media content is received from one or more servers that have cached the media content in a content delivery network.

51. A computer readable storage medium encoded with computer program instructions which when accessed by a client computer causes the client computer to load the program instructions to a memory therein creating a special purpose data structure causing the client computer to operate as a specially programmed computer, executing a method of providing multi-platform accessibility of media content in a global computer network comprising:

(a) selecting, in the client computer, the media content to play;

(b) based on a format of media content, loading, in the client computer, a media content player;

(c) if the media content does not comprise digital rights managements (DRM) protected content, loading and playing, in the client computer, via a web server computer, the media content in the media content player;

(d) if the media content comprises DRM protected content;

(i) requesting, via application programming interface (API) calls to the a server process, a license to play the media content;

(ii) receiving, in the client computer from the server process, the license to play the media content, wherein the server process is configured to obtained the license by;

(1) a web server computer creating/updating an authorized client user by communicating with a DRM server;

(2) the web server computer creating a session between the web server computer and the DRM server;

(3) the web server computer enabling authorization to play the media content by communicating with the DRM server;

(4) the DRM server transmitting the license to the client computer; and

(iii) based on the license, loading and playing, in the media content player, the media content.

52. The computer readable storage medium of claim 51, further comprising storing, in the client computer, the license received from the server process at the client computer.

53. The computer readable storage medium of claim 51, wherein:

if a client connection is beyond a connection speed threshold, receiving the media content at the client computer, from the server process, via streaming across the client connection; and

if the client connection is lower than the connection speed threshold, receiving the media content at the client, from the server process, via progressive download.

54. The computer readable storage medium of claim 51, wherein the media content is received from one or more servers that have cached the media content in a content delivery network.