System and method for collaborative, peer-to-peer creation, management & synchronous, multi-platform distribution of profile-specified media objects

• US 7,207,057 B1
• Filed: 11/16/2001
• Issued: 04/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lynn T. Rowe
• Original Assignee: Lynn T. Rowe
• Inventors: Rowe, Lynn T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kelley; Chris
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hossain; Farzana E.
• Application Number:
  US09/987,943
• Time in Patent Office: 1,978 Days
• Field of Search: 725/91, 725/114, 725/144, 725/146
• US Class Current: 725/144
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1043 Gateway controllers, e.g. media gateway control protocol [MGCP] controllers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/854 Content authoring

Abstract

In a television programming management system, contributors access television programming functionality of legacy systems using a web-based interface provided by a network operations center. The network operations center is a best-of-breed J2EE-based implementation that provides a middleware interface to legacy systems. Using the interface provided by the network operations center, contributors can access any functionality required to create and distribute television programming. The present invention provides security features though a classifier. Use of playlists allows synchronization of created objects. Television programming can be performed by users and contributors.

Claims

1. A scalable, profile-driven system for creating, managing and distributing media objects for the presentation of synchronous broadcast and/or interactive television programming, comprising:

a network operations center comprising a fault-tolerant, clusterable multi-processor hardware platform running a UNIX type operating system with a “

best of breed”

database and middleware executing thereon to communicate with one or more legacy systems that provide television programming production, management and distribution functionality;

an open standards, IP-based interface to the network operations center to provide access for one or more contributors to the television programming functionality of the legacy systems for the purpose of creating, managing and distributing television programming; and

one or more media delivery devices that receive the television programming directly or indirectly, and synchronously display television programming to one or more users through one or many delivery platforms and/or devices in a broadcast or interactive fashion; and

one or more edge servers and one or more JAVA-based player devices to integrate wireless QOS for the distribution of rich media.

2. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the network operations center provides a J2EE-based implementation.

3. The system recited in claim 1, further comprising an object-oriented playlist according to which the television programming is created, managed, secured and distributed.

4. The system recited in claim 3, wherein the television programming comprises objects whose creation, management, rights management and distribution is synchronized for playback across one or many reception devices.

5. The system recited in claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the television programming is customized for a one of the one or more users.

6. The system recited in claim 1, further comprising a classifier process to identify all participants and users.

7. The system recited in claim 1, further comprising one or more edge servers and one or more JAVA-based player devices to distribute both legacy and future TV programs.

8. The system recited in claim 1, comprising one or more edge servers and one or more JAVA-based player devices to distribute both real-time, streaming and non-real-time, store and forward program elements.

9. The system recited in claim 1, further comprising means for integrating legacy TV systems into a unified system capable of creating, managing and simultaneously distributing profile-driven, multi-distribution platform TV products.

10. The system recited in claim 1, further comprising means for integrating collaboratory and hybrid, peer-to-peer means in the creation, management, copy protection and distribution of TV objects and/or programming.