Common media consumption across multiple media processing systems via single user control
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A system supporting common consumption of media, the system comprising:
- a first television at a first home;
a first storage in the first home, the first storage supporting consumption of the media by the first television, and having a first network protocol address with respect to a first user in the first home;
a user interface displayed on the first television at the first home, the user interface having at least one view comprising a representation of media available for consumption, the user interface supporting the selection and scheduling of media for delivery to a second home;
a second television at the second home that is separate and distinct from the first home;
a second storage in the second home, the second storage supporting consumption of the media by the second television, and having a second network protocol address with respect to a second user in the second home, wherein the second user is known to the first user;
a communication network; and
server software that maintains a user defined association of the first and second network protocol addresses and that receives a request identifying one of the associated first and second network protocol addresses and responds by identifying the other of the associated first and second network protocol addresses to support delivery via the communication network of the media from the first storage to the second home for simultaneous consumption by the first and second television displays under control of a user at the first home.
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Abstract
A system and method for the management of common consumption of media in a media exchange network is disclosed. Various embodiments of the present invention provide for control by a first user at a first location in a media exchange network of the simultaneous consumption of media content by other users at other locations in the media exchange network. The media content consumed may comprise audio, still pictures, video, and data. The first user may consume the media content simultaneous with the consumption of the other users, and the media content may be stored at the location of the first user, or at other locations in the media exchange network.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. A system supporting common consumption of media, the system comprising:
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a first television at a first home; a first storage in the first home, the first storage supporting consumption of the media by the first television, and having a first network protocol address with respect to a first user in the first home; a user interface displayed on the first television at the first home, the user interface having at least one view comprising a representation of media available for consumption, the user interface supporting the selection and scheduling of media for delivery to a second home; a second television at the second home that is separate and distinct from the first home;
a second storage in the second home, the second storage supporting consumption of the media by the second television, and having a second network protocol address with respect to a second user in the second home, wherein the second user is known to the first user;a communication network; and server software that maintains a user defined association of the first and second network protocol addresses and that receives a request identifying one of the associated first and second network protocol addresses and responds by identifying the other of the associated first and second network protocol addresses to support delivery via the communication network of the media from the first storage to the second home for simultaneous consumption by the first and second television displays under control of a user at the first home. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A system supporting common consumption of media, the system comprising:
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a first television at a first home, the first television supporting the consumption of media; a first storage in the first home that stores the media, and having a first network protocol address with respect to a first user in the first home; a user interface displayed on the first television at the first home, the user interface having at least one view comprising a representation of media available for consumption, the user interface supporting the selection and scheduling of media for delivery to second and third homes; a second television at the second home that is separate and distinct from the first home, and having a second network protocol address with respect to a second user in the second home; a third television at a third home that is separate and distinct from the first and second homes, and having an associated third network protocol address with respect to a third user in the third home, wherein the first, second and third users are known to one another; set top box circuitry, in the first home, communicatively coupled to deliver the media from the first storage, to the second and third televisions; a communication network; and server software that maintains a user defined association of the first, second and third network protocol addresses and that receives a request identifying the associated first network protocol address and responds by identifying the associated second and third network protocol addresses to support delivery via the communication network of the media from the first storage to the second and third televisions for concurrent consumption under control of a user at the first home. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A system supporting common consumption of media, the system comprising:
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a first television at a first home; a first storage in the first home that stores the media; a user interface displayed on the first television, at the first home, having at least one view comprising a representation of media available for consumption, the user interface supporting the selection and scheduling of media for delivery to a second home; a second television at the second home that is separate and distinct from the first home; set top box circuitry, in the first home, communicatively coupled to deliver the media from the first storage, to the second television; a communication network; and server software that coordinates delivery via the communication network of the media from the first storage to the second television for simultaneous consumption of the media at the first and second televisions under control of a user at the first home. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A system supporting common consumption of media, the system comprising:
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set top box circuitry, in a the first home, communicatively coupled to deliver the media from a first storage at the first home, to a second television at a second home that is separate and distinct from the first home; a user interface displayed on a first television at the first home, the user interface having at least one view comprising a representation of media available for consumption, the user interface supporting the selection and scheduling of media for deliver to the second television at the second home; and software that coordinates delivery via a communication network of the media from the first storage to the second television for concurrent consumption of the media at the first television at the first home and the second television under control of a user at the first home. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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Specification