Media exchange network supporting varying media guide based on viewing filters

• US 7,409,457 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2003
• Issued: 08/05/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bennett, James D., Karaoguz, Jeyhan
• Primary Examiner(s): Jean; Frantz B
• Application Number:
  US10/672,253
• Publication Number:
  US 20040128680A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,775 Days
• Field of Search: 709/229, 709/231, 725 25- 30, 725/134, 725/147, 370/252, 370/338, 726/13
• US Class Current: 709/231
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 2201/80 characterised in that motion picture association of America [MPAA] ratings are used
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/46 for recognising users' preferences
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/80 characterised by transmission among terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/282 based on user interaction within the home receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2834 Switching of information between an external network and a home network access arrangements H04L12/2856
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1073 Registration or de-registration
• 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: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/62 Establishing a time schedule for servicing the requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/63 Routing a service request depending on the request content or context
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2343 involving reformatting operations of video signals for distribution or compliance with end-user requests or end-user device requirements video transcoding H04N19/40; media packet handling at the source H04L65/762
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234363 by altering the spatial resolution, e.g. for clients with a lower screen resolution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2408 Monitoring of the upstream path of the transmission network, e.g. client requests monitoring data switching networks utilization H04L43/0876; scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/254 Management at additional data server, e.g. shopping server, rights management server arrangements for maintenance or administration in data networks H04L41/00; network services using third party service providers H04L67/53
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2541 : Rights Management protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10; security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2543 : Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25435 : involving characteristics of content or additional data, e.g. video resolution or the amount of advertising
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25833 : involving client hardware characteristics, e.g. manufacturer, processing or storage capabilities allocation of resources considering hardware capabilities in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/5044; allocation of resources considering software capabilities in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/5055
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25875 : involving end-user authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; arrangements for secret or secure communication including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26266 : for determining content or additional data repetition rate, e.g. of a file in a DVB carousel according to its importance arrangements for broadcast or for distribution of identical information repeatedly in broadcast distribution systems H04H20/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2668 : Creating a channel for a dedicated end-user group, e.g. insertion of targeted commercials based on end-user profiles information retrieval from the Internet by querying with filtering and personalisation G06F16/9535; arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast H04H20/10; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; adaptation of message content in packet-switching networks H04L51/063
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2743 : Video hosting of uploaded data from client
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 : having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41422 : located in transportation means, e.g. personal vehicle arrangements specially adapted for transportation systems in broadcast systems H04H20/62
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4227 : Providing Remote input by a user located remotely from the client device, e.g. at work
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42684 : Client identification by a unique number or address, e.g. serial number, MAC address, socket ID network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming H04L61/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 : for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 : Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• 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 21/43615 : Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43637 : involving a wireless protocol, e.g. Bluetooth, RF or wireless LAN [IEEE 802.11] arrangements for wireless networking or broadcasting of information in indoor or near-field type systems H04B10/114
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/442 : Monitoring of processes or resources, e.g. detecting the failure of a recording device, monitoring the downstream bandwidth, the number of times a movie has been viewed, the storage space available from the internal hard disk arrangements for monitoring broadcast services or broadcast-related services H04H60/29; arrangements for identifying or recognising characteristics with a direct linkage to broadcast information H04H60/35; monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; monitoring in wireless networks H04W24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44222 : Analytics of user selections, e.g. selection of programs or purchase activity monitoring of user selections in data processing systems G06F11/34; arrangements for monitoring the user's behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 : involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/458 : Scheduling content for creating a personalised stream, e.g. by combining a locally stored advertisement with an incoming stream; Updating operations, e.g. for OS modules ; time-related management operations arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast or during the distribution H04H20/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 : Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4627 : Rights management associated to the content security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4668 : for recommending content, e.g. movies
• 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 21/4751 : for defining user accounts, e.g. accounts for children
• 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 21/4755 : for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• 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 21/482 : End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 : using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4826 : using recommendation lists, e.g. of programs or channels sorted out according to their score
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4828 : for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4882 : for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 : involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6187 : involving transmission via a telephone network, e.g. POTS
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/632 : using a connection between clients on a wide area network, e.g. setting up a peer-to-peer communication via Internet for retrieving video segments from the hard-disk of other client devices broadcast-related systems characterised by transmission among terminal devices H04H60/80; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 : Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6583 : Acknowledgement
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/814 : comprising emergency warnings arrangements specially adapted for emergency or urgency in broadcast systems H04H20/59; arrangements for providing alarms, notifications, alerts to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8146 : involving graphical data, e.g. 3D object, 2D graphics
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 : by receiver means only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 : Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast

Abstract

Systems having a user interface comprising a filtered view of media available for consumption is disclosed. An embodiment of the present invention may provide a first user with a view that enables consumption of only the available media that matches characteristics of a media filter. The characteristics of the media filter may be specified by a second user, and the second user may define the characteristics of the media filter remotely, via a communication network. The user interface may support separate media filters for each of a number of different users. Filter characteristics such as type of media channel, the language of any dialogue, an industry rating, an overall viewer rating, and the media format may be supported. The media filter characteristics may be applied not only to what is displayed on the user interface, but also the media available for selection via a remote control.

Claims

1. A system supporting user defined filtering of media consumption in a media exchange network, the system comprising:

a television display supporting consumption of media via a communication network;

a storage for storing media, the storage communicatively coupled to the television display, and having an associated first network address;

a user interface for display on the television display, the user interface having at least one view comprising a collection of media channels, each media channel in the collection of media channels comprising a sequence of media available to a first user, the display and consumption of each media channel subject to at least one media filter, the at least one media filter comprising characteristics of media defined by a second user;

at least one server supporting the consumption of media, and having an associated second network address; and

server software that receives via the communication network a request identifying one of the associated first and second network addresses, and that responds by identifying the other of the associated first and second network addresses to coordinate the consumption of media.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the media comprises at least one of audio, a still image, video, real time video, and data.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the first and second network addresses are one of an Internet protocol (IP) address, a media access control (MAC) address, and an electronic serial number (ESN).

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the communication network comprises at least one of a cable infrastructure, a satellite network infrastructure, a digital subscriber line (DSL) infrastructure, an Internet infrastructure, an intranet infrastructure, a wired infrastructure, and a wireless infrastructure.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the communication network is the Internet.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein consumption comprises at least one of playing digitized audio, displaying a still image, displaying video, and displaying data.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the characteristics of media comprise at least one of a type of media channel, a language of dialogue, an industry rating, a overall viewer rating, a mode, a video quality, a format, a bandwidth, a year of release, an artist, and one or more words of a title.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one media filter supports combinations of the characteristics of media using Boolean relations.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one period of time for which the at least one media filter is effective is defined by at least one of the first user and the second user.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one media filter may be at least one of enabled, disabled, created, deleted, and modified via the communication network.

11. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a remote control supporting the selection of media for consumption; and

the media available for selection using the remote control being determined according to the at least one media filter.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the first user and second user are the same user.

13. A system supporting user defined filtering of media consumption in a media exchange network, the system comprising:

a television display;

a storage for storing media, the storage communicatively coupled to the television display;

a user interface comprising a collection of media channels, each media channel in the collection of media channels comprising a sequence of media available to a first user, the display and consumption of each media channel subject to at least one media filter, the at least one media filter comprising characteristics of media defined by a second user;

at least one server communicatively coupled to the storage; and

server software that receives a request via a communication network, and responds by coordinating the consumption of media by the television display.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the media comprises at least one of audio, a still image, video, real time video, and data.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein the communication network comprises at least one of a cable infrastructure, a satellite network infrastructure, a digital subscriber line (DSL) infrastructure, an Internet infrastructure, an intranet infrastructure, a wired infrastructure, and a wireless infrastructure.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the communication network is the Internet.

17. The system of claim 13 wherein consumption comprises at least one of playing digitized audio, displaying a still image, displaying video, and displaying data.

18. The system of claim 13 wherein the characteristics of media comprise at least one of a type of media channel, a language of dialogue, an industry rating, a overall viewer rating, a mode, a video quality, a format, a bandwidth, a year of release, an artist, and one or more words of a title.

19. The system of claim 13 wherein the at least one media filter supports combinations of the characteristics of media using Boolean relations.

20. The system of claim 13 wherein at least one period of time for which the at least one media filter is effective is defined by at least one of the first user and the second user.

21. The system of claim 13 wherein the at least one media filter may be at least one of enabled, disabled, created, deleted, and modified via the communication network.

22. The system of claim 13 further comprising:

a remote control supporting the selection of media for consumption; and

the media available for selection using the remote control being determined according to the at least one media filter.

23. The system of claim 13 wherein the first user and second user are the same user.

24. One or more circuits for use in a media exchange system, the one or more circuits comprising:

at least one processor communicatively coupled to a television display and to storage supporting consumption of media, the storage having an associated first network address, the at least one processor operable to, at least;

display, on the television display, a user interface having at least one view comprising a collection of media channels, each media channel in the collection of media channels comprising a sequence of media available to a first user, the display and consumption of each media channel subject to at least one media filter comprising characteristics of media defined by a second user;

send a request to server software, the request identifying one of the associated first network address and a second network address associated with at least one server that supports consumption of media by coordinating media exchange via a communication network; and

receive a response from the server software, the response identifying the other of the associated first and second network addresses.

25. The one or more circuits of claim 24 wherein the media comprises at least one of audio, a still image, video, real time video, and data.

26. The one or more circuits of claim 24 wherein the first and second network addresses are one of an Internet protocol (IP) address, a media access control (MAC) address, and an electronic serial number (ESN).

27. The one or more circuits of claim 24 wherein the communication network comprises at least one of a cable infrastructure, a satellite network infrastructure, a digital subscriber line (DSL) infrastructure, an Internet infrastructure, an intranet infrastructure, a wired infrastructure, and a wireless infrastructure.

28. The one or more circuits of claim 27 wherein the communication network is the Internet.

29. The one or more circuits of claim 24 wherein consumption comprises at least one of playing digitized audio, displaying a still image, displaying video, and displaying data.

30. The one or more circuits of claim 24 wherein the characteristics of media comprise at least one of a type of media channel, a language of dialogue, an industry rating, a overall viewer rating, a mode, a video quality, a format, a bandwidth, a year of release, an artist, and one or more words of a title.

31. The one or more circuits of claim 24 wherein the at least one media filter supports combinations of the characteristics of media using Boolean relations.

32. The one or more circuits of claim 24 wherein at least one period of time for which the at least one media filter is effective is defined by at least one of the first user and the second user.

33. The one or more circuits of claim 24 wherein the at least one media filter may be at least one of enabled, disabled, created, deleted, and modified via the communication network.

34. The one or more circuits of claim 24 further comprising:

a remote control supporting the selection of media for consumption; and

the media available for selection using the remote control being determined according to the at least one media filter.

35. The one or more circuits of claim 24 wherein the first user and second user are the same user.