Media search engine for a personal media network

• US 7,483,985 B2
• Filed: 09/22/2003
• Issued: 01/27/2009
• 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): WANG, LIANG CHE A
• Application Number:
  US10/667,857
• Publication Number:
  US 20040117848A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,954 Days
• Field of Search: 709/212, 709/217, 709/219, 709/223, 709/226, 709/230, 725/86, 725/91, 725/98, 725/100, 725/103, 725/9, 348/207.1
• US Class Current: 709/226
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2743 Video hosting of uploaded data from client
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4828 for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 IP

Abstract

A system providing search functionality supporting the exchange and consumption of media is disclosed. The searching of media on storage belonging to any of a pre-defined group of users of a personal media network is provided. In addition, media stored on designated servers may also be included in a search. The media stored may include audio, still images, video, and data. A user may search the stored media using a number of criteria including the time period of the media, the type of device, and the type of media. The system also provides support for the search of one or more media peripherals, which may be searched when the media peripherals are communicatively coupled to the system.

Claims

1. A system providing search functionality to support the exchange and consumption of media among a self administered group of users administered by a member of the self administered group of users, the system comprising:

a first television in a first home;

a first storage in the first home that stores the media;

the first storage supporting consumption of the media by the first television, and having a first network protocol address associated with a first user;

a user interface displayed on the first television in the first home, the user interface having at least one view comprising a representation of media available for consumption, the user interface supporting delivery of media from the first home to a second home;

a second television in the second home;

a second storage supporting consumption of the media by the second television in the second home, and having a second network protocol address associated with a second user; and

search software that receives a request comprising user defined search criteria and one of the first and second associated network protocol addresses, the first and second associated network protocol addresses representing members of the self-administered group of users, where the self-administered group of users is defined based on authorization by the member of the self-administered group of the users, and responds by identifying media currently stored on at least one of the first and second storage, the identified media matching the user defined search criteria.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the media comprises one or more of audio, a still image, video, and/or data.

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

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the first storage and second storage communicatively couple via a communication network that comprises one or more of a cable infrastructure, a satellite network infrastructure, a digital subscriber line (DSL) infrastructure, an Internet infrastructure, an intranet infrastructure, a wired infrastructure, and/or 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 one or more of playing digitized audio, displaying a still image, displaying video, and/or displaying data.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the user defined search criteria comprises one or more of a time period, a device type, a specific media, a media type, a specific media channel, and/or a media channel type.

8. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

at least one media peripheral communicatively coupled to the first storage, the at least one media peripheral having storage; and

the search software responding by identifying media stored on the at least one media peripheral, the identified media matching the user defined search criteria.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the at least one media peripheral comprises one or more of a digital camera, a digital camcorder, a television, a personal computer, a CD player, a home juke-box, a multi-media gateway device, a multi-media personal digital assistant, a DVD player, a tape player, and/or a MP3 player.

10. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

at least one server for storing media, the at least one server having been designated by a user for searching; and

the search software responding by identifying media stored on the at least one server, the identified media matching the user defined search criteria.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the at least one server comprises one or more of a 3rd party media provider, a media peripheral, a personal computer, a 3rd party storage vendor, and/or a broadband head end.

12. A system providing search functionality supporting the exchange and consumption of media among a self-administered group of users administered by a member of the self-administered group of users, the system comprising:

a first storage for storing media, in a first home, and having a first protocol address associated with a first user;

a user interface displayed on a first television in the first home, the user interface having at least one view comprising a representation of media available for consumption, the user interface supporting delivery of media from the first home to a second home;

a second storage for storing media, in the second home, and having a second protocol address associated with a second user;

set top box circuitry, in the first home, communicatively coupled to support searching of storage at the first and second associated protocol addresses; and

search software that receives a request comprising user defined search criteria and one of the first and second associated protocol addresses, the first and second associated protocol addresses representing members of the self-administered group of users, where the self-administered group of users is defined based on authorization by the member of the group of users, and responds by identifying media currently available at one or both of the first and second associated protocol addresses, the identified media matching the user defined search criteria.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the media comprises one or more of audio, a still image, video, and/or data.

14. The system of claim 12 wherein the first and second protocol addresses are one of an Internet protocol (IP) address, a media access control (MAC) address, or an electronic serial number (ESN).

15. The system of claim 12 wherein the set top box circuitry and the second storage communicatively couple via a communication network that comprises one or more of a cable infrastructure, a satellite network infrastructure, a digital subscriber line (DSL) infrastructure, an Internet infrastructure, an intranet infrastructure, a wired infrastructure, and/or a wireless infrastructure.

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

17. The system of claim 12 wherein consumption comprises one or more of playing digitized audio, displaying a still image, displaying video, and/or displaying data.

18. The system of claim 12 wherein the user defined search criteria comprises one or more of a time period, a device type, a specific media, a media type, a specific media channel, and/or a media channel type.

19. The system of claim 12 further comprising:

at least one media peripheral communicatively coupled to the first storage, the at least one media peripheral having storage; and

the search software responding by identifying media stored on the at least one media peripheral, the identified media matching the user defined search criteria.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the at least one media peripheral comprises one or more of a digital camera, a digital camcorder, a television, a personal computer, a CD player, a home juke-box, a multi-media gateway device, a multi-media personal digital assistant, a DVD player, a tape player, and/or a MP3 player.

21. The system of claim 12 further comprising:

at least one server for storing media, the at least one server having been designated by a user for searching; and

the search software responding by identifying media stored on the at least one server, the identified media matching the user defined search criteria.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein the at least one server comprises one or more of a 3rd party media provider, a media peripheral, a personal computer, a 3rd party storage vendor, and/or a broadband head end.

23. A system providing search functionality supporting the exchange and consumption of media among a self-administered group of users administered by a member of the self-administered group of users, the system comprising:

a first storage for storing media at a first home of a first user, the first user being one of the self-administered group of users, where the self-administered group of users is defined based on authorization by the member of the group of users;

a user interface displayed on a first television in the first home, the user interface having at least one view comprising a representation of media available for consumption, the user interface supporting delivery of media from the first storage in the first home to a second home;

a second storage for storing media at the second home of a second user, the second user being one of the self-administered group of users;

set top box circuitry, in at least one of the first and second homes, the set top box circuitry communicatively coupled to support the identification of media currently available to the self-administered group of users; and

search software that receives user defined search criteria and that responds by identifying media currently available within the self-administered group of users, the identified media matching the user defined search criteria, the search software receiving a request comprising user defined search criteria and one of first and second associated network protocol addresses, the first and second associated network protocol addresses representing members of the self-administered group of users.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein the media comprises one or more of audio, a still image, video, and/or data.

25. The system of claim 23 wherein the user defined search criteria comprises one or more of a time period, a device type, a specific media, a media type, a specific media channel, and/or a media channel type.

26. The system of claim 23 further comprising:

at least one media peripheral communicatively coupled to the first storage, the at least one media peripheral having storage; and

the search software responding by identifying media stored on the at least one media peripheral, the identified media matching the user defined search criteria.

27. The system of claim 26 wherein the at least one media peripheral comprises one or more of a digital camera, a digital camcorder, a television, a personal computer, a CD player, a home juke-box, a multi-media gateway device, a multi-media personal digital assistant, a DVD player, a tape player, and/or a MP3 player.

28. A system providing search functionality supporting the exchange and consumption of media among a self-administered group of users administered by a member of the self-administered group of users, the system comprising:

set top box circuitry, in at least one of first and second homes, the set top box circuitry communicatively coupled to support the identification of media currently available to members of the self-administered group of users, where the self-administered group of users is defined based on authorization by the member of the self-administered group of users;

a user interface displayed on a first television in the first home, the user interface having at least one view comprising a representation of media available for consumption, the user interface supporting delivery of media from the first home to a second home; and

search software that receives user defined search criteria and that responds by identifying the media currently available within the self administered group of users, the identified media matching the user defined search criteria, the search software receiving a request comprising user defined search criteria and one of first and second associated network protocol addresses, the first and second associated network protocol addresses representing members of the self-administered group of users.

29. The system of claim 28 wherein the media comprises one or more of audio, a still image, video, and/or data.

30. The system of claim 28 wherein the user defined search criteria comprises one or more of a time period, a device type, a specific media, a media type, a specific media channel, and/or a media channel type.

31. The system of claim 28 wherein at least one media peripheral is communicatively coupled to a first storage in the first home, the at least one media peripheral having storage;

and the search software responding by identifying media stored on the at least one media peripheral, the identified media matching the user defined search criteria.

32. The system of claim 31 wherein the at least one media peripheral comprises one or more of a digital camera, a digital camcorder, a television, a personal computer, a CD player, a home juke-box, a multi-media gateway device, a multi-media personal digital assistant, a DVD player, a tape player, and/or a MP3 player.