Method for using scheduled hyperlinks to record multimedia content

• US 7,519,680 B1
• Filed: 04/29/2005
• Issued: 04/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: O'Neil, Joseph Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Chang; Jungwon
• Application Number:
  US11/118,656
• Time in Patent Office: 1,446 Days
• Field of Search: 455/410, 455/73, 725/110, 725/87, 725/55, 725/58, 380/210, 715/501.1, 709/224, 709/217, 345/169
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4535 using an address exchange platform which sets up a session between two nodes, e.g. rendezvous servers, session initiation protocols [SIP] registrars or H.323 gatekeepers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/10 adapted for application session management, e.g. SIP [Session Initiation Protocol] connection management H04W76/00; arrangements for session management H04L67/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A method of establishing communications with one or more devices located in an environment using a wireless communication device is disclosed. The wireless communication device comprises a short-range transceiver that is able to communicate with a short-range transceiver located in the environment. A communication is received from the short-range transceiver of the wireless communication device that includes a request to establish communications with one or more device located in the environment. A request is transmitted to an environment directory server to determine if a user associated with the wireless communication device has permission to access any of the devices in the environment. A response is received from the environment directory server in response to the request. A communication is made to the short-range transceiver of the wireless communication device indicating whether the device can communicate with any of the devices in the environment.

Claims

1. A method of scheduling to record multimedia content on a first device via a second device, the second device being a wireless communication device which includes a short range wireless transceiver and a long range wireless transceiver, the short range wireless transceiver of the second device being able to communicate with a short range wireless transceiver co-located in an environment with the first device in order to schedule the recording of content on the first device, the long range wireless transceiver of the second device retrieving a web page containing a listing of multimedia content provided by one or more content providers, each listing comprising one or more scheduled hyperlinks, each scheduled hyperlink corresponding to particular multimedia content, the method comprising the steps of:

in response to selection of a scheduled hyperlink, retrieving a scheduled hyperlink file, the scheduled hyperlink file containing scheduling information pertaining to particular multimedia content;

communicating a web page to the second device, the web page containing a plurality of web addresses, each web address corresponding to a different environment which is physically accessible by a user;

in response to selection of a web address corresponding to a particular environment, communicating a second web page to the second device containing a plurality of web addresses, each web address corresponding to a device located at the selected environment;

in response to selection of a web address corresponding to the first device, communicating a third web page to the second device, said third web page including a listing of all content recorded on the first device, a listing of all content scheduled to be recorded on the first device and an indication of an available storage time on the first device; and

if there is enough storage time on the first device, receiving a communication from the second device requesting that the selected content be scheduled to be stored on the first device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of in response to selection of the web address corresponding to the particular environment, further comprising the step of:

determining if the user has permission to access the particular environment at a time and date corresponding to the content associated with the selected scheduled hyperlink.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein, if there is not enough storage time on the first device to record the selected multimedia content, selecting a third device on which to schedule the recording of the selected multimedia content.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein, if there is not enough storage time on the first device to record the selected multimedia content, the method further comprising the steps of:

sending a command to the first device to delete at least some of the content either recorded or scheduled to be recorded on the first device; and

receiving a communication from the second device requesting that the selected content be scheduled to be stored on the first device.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the first device and the second device include Session-Initiation Protocol (SIP) user agents.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said first device is a computer.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said first device is a Digital Video Disk (DVD) player.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said first device is a set top box.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the second device is a wireless telephone with Internet capability.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the second device is a handheld organizer.