Method and apparatus for recordable media content distribution

• US 6,760,918 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2001
• Issued: 07/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Scientific-Atlanta Incorporated (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rodriguez, Arturo A., Hammett, Geoffrey G., Beebe, Randolph R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Srivastava, Vivek
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vu, Ngoc
• Application Number:
  US09/896,331
• Publication Number:
  US 20030005453A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,103 Days
• Field of Search: 725/86, 725/89, 725/100, 725/151, 725/131, 725/134, 725/142, 725/139, 386/1, 386/45, 386/83, 386/125-126
• US Class Current: 725/134
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4753 for user identification, e.g. by entering a PIN or password cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/60 Network structure or processes for video distribution between server and client or between remote clients; Control signalling between clients, server and network components; Transmission of management data between server and client , e.g. sending from server to client commands for recording incoming content stream; Communication details between server and client
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A media system which includes logic configured to provide a user interface that provides a user with a plurality of media content selections available at various times, and a portable client media drive configured to receive over a secured transmission medium the media content selected by the user.

Claims

1. A media system comprising:

logic configured to provide a user interface that provides a user with a plurality of media content selections available at various times;

a portable drive for a portable medium, wherein the portable drive is configured to receive over a secured transmission medium the media content selected by the user; and

a hard disk drive and memory including a first part of the memory and a second part of the memory, wherein the logic is further configured to receive the selected media content into the first part of the memory and transfer it to the hard disk drive, wherein the logic is further configured to transfer the selected media content from the hard disk drive to the second part of the memory, wherein the logic is further configured to transfer the selected media content from the second part of the memory to the portable drive.

2. The media system of claim 1, further comprising a subscriber network television system in electrical communication with the portable drive and a television.

3. The media system of claim 2, wherein the subscriber network television system is a digital broadband delivery system.

4. The media system of claim 2, wherein the subscriber network television system is a cable television system.

5. The media system of claim 1, wherein the logic is further configured to receive and transfer the media content selected by the user through memory transfers.

6. The media system of claim 1, wherein the logic is further configured to receive the selected media content into memory and transfer the selected media content to the portable drive.

7. The media system of claim 1, wherein the user interface is provided by a remote server.

8. The media system of claim 1, further comprising a processor and a memory that includes the logic, wherein the processor is configured with the logic to provide the user interface.

9. The media system of claim 1, further comprising a secure processor to access secured media content over the secured transmission medium.

10. The media system of claim 1, wherein the portable drive comprises a plurality of portable media.

11. The media system of claim 1, wherein the portable drive comprises a carousel media drive for simultaneously containing a plurality of portable media.

12. The media system of claim 1, wherein the portable drive comprises a magazine drive for simultaneously containing a plurality of portable media.

13. The media system of claim 1, further comprising a television display showing the user interface.

14. A method for recording media content, comprising the steps of:

providing a user interface to select from a plurality of media content selections available at different times;

receiving from a remote device the selected media content over a secured transmission medium; and

receiving the selected media content into a first part of memory, then transferring the selected media content from the first part of memory to a hard disk drive, then transferring the selected media content from the hard disk drive to a second part of memory, then transferring the selected media content to the at least one portable medium

recording the selected media content onto the at least one portable medium, wherein the at least one portable medium is located in a portable drive.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of receiving the selected media content over a secured subscriber network television system coupled to the portable drive and a television.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the subscriber network television system is a digital broadband delivery system.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the subscriber network television system is a cable television system.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of decrypting encrypted selected media content.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of providing the user interface from a remote server.

20. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of providing the user interface from a local client device.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein the portable drive is coupled to a local client device.

22. The method of claim 14, wherein the remote device is a remote server.

23. The method of claim 14, wherein the remote device is a home computer.

24. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of receiving the selected media content at a faster rate than the real-time playback rate.

25. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of receiving the selected media content at a slower rate than the real-time playback rate.

26. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of receiving the selected media content at different times.

27.The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of providing the user interface on a television screen display.