Network, system and method for distributing digital media

• US 7,634,076 B2
• Filed: 08/03/2005
• Issued: 12/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Indicium Media, LLC
• Inventors: Lee, Peter, Calderon, William
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Quynh H
• Application Number:
  US11/196,612
• Publication Number:
  US 20070036303A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,595 Days
• Field of Search: 726/5, 713/201, 379/231
• US Class Current: 379/231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/062 using different frequency bands for speech and other data
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/14 cable networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4938 comprising a voice browser which renders and interprets, e.g. VoiceXML

Abstract

A network, a system and a method distribute digital media from a substation and/or a server to a set-top box of a subscriber. The digital media is requested, is accessed and/or is transferred from the substation and/or the server to the set-top box via one or more nodes and/or one or more node clusters. The subscriber may utilize an interactive means in conjunction with the set-top box to access, to request, to receive and/or to display the digital media via a communication medium and/or a connection line. One or more nodes and/or one or more node clusters connect a central office to the substation. The digital media is stored in a server farm of the central office which is accessed by one or more nodes and/or one or more node clusters. The digital media is transmitted and/or is distributed to the set-top box via the communication medium, the connection line one or more of the nodes and/or one or more of the node clusters. The subscriber access, displays and/or views the digital media via the set-top box, a display monitor, one or more input devices and/or one or more output devices.

Claims

1. A network for managing and distributing digital media to a terminal of a user via internet protocol, and providing one or more data signals, video signals and audio signals to subscribers without utilizing all available bandwidths of a high-speed connection, the network comprising:

a central office having a first plurality of servers and a first keyboard video mouse switch wherein the first keyboard video mouse switch is connected to the first plurality of servers by a first node and further wherein the digital media is stored in the first plurality of servers; and

a first substation having a first multiplexer wherein the first substation is remote with respect to the terminal and the central office and further wherein the first plurality of servers is in communication with the first multiplexer using the first node;

a first digital media file of the digital media wherein the first digital media file is transferred from the first plurality of servers to the first multiplexer of the first substation using the first node wherein the first multiplexer of the first substation transmits the first digital media file to the terminal of the user;

a second digital media file of the digital media stored in the first plurality of servers wherein the central office transmits the second digital media file from the first plurality of servers to the terminal of the user;

a second keyboard video mouse switch connected to the first plurality of servers wherein the second digital media file is transferred from the first plurality of servers to the terminal using the second keyboard video mouse switch and further wherein the second keyboard video mouse switch is a different switch than the first keyboard video mouse switch; and

a smart card that authorizes the user to obtain the first digital media file and the second digital media file from the first plurality of servers at a first location and at a second location remote from the first location.

2. The network of claim 1 further comprising:

a broadband connection that connects the first multiplexer of the first substation to the terminal of the user wherein the first substation transmits the first digital media file and the second digital media file to the terminal using the broadband connection.

3. The network of claim 1 further comprising:

a wireless communication link between the first multiplexer of the first substation and the terminal wherein the first substation transmits the first digital media file and the second digital media file to the terminal using the wireless communication link.

4. The network of claim 1 further comprising:

a second substation having a second multiplexer wherein the second substation is remote with respect to the terminal, the first substation and the central office and further wherein the second digital media file is transferred to the terminal from the central office using the second multiplexer of the second substation.

5. The network of claim 1 further comprising:

a second node that is a different node than the first node wherein the second node connects the first plurality of servers to the first substation and further wherein the central office transmits the second digital media file from the first plurality of servers to the first multiplexer of the first substation using the second node.

6. The network of claim 1 further comprising:

a second plurality of servers authorizing the user to access the digital media.

7. A system for managing and distributing digital media to a user via an internet protocol, and providing one or more data signals, video signals and audio signals to subscribers without utilizing all available bandwidths of a high-speed connection, the system comprising:

a terminal having a graphical user interface and a display monitor wherein a first digital media file and a second digital media file are requested using the graphical user interface and further wherein the digital media is displayed via the display monitor;

a first network that has a plurality of servers in communication with a first keyboard video mouse switch wherein the first digital media file and the second digital media file are is stored in the plurality of servers;

a second network that has a plurality of substations connecting the terminal to the first network wherein the plurality of substations are remote with respect to the terminal and the plurality of servers;

a node that connects the second network to the first keyboard video mouse switch of the first network wherein the first digital media file is transferred from the first network to the second network using the node;

a connection line connecting the second network to the terminal wherein the first digital media file is transferred from the second network to the terminal via the connection line;

a second keyboard video mouse switch connected to the plurality of servers wherein the second digital media file is transferred from the plurality of servers to the terminal using

the second keyboard video mouse switch, the second keyboard video mouse switch and the connection line and further wherein the second keyboard video mouse switch is a different switch than the first keyboard video mouse switch; and

a smart card that authorizes the user to obtain the first digital media file and the second digital media file from the plurality of servers at a first location and at a second location remote from the first location.

8. The system of claim 7 further comprising:

an additional node wherein the second network communicates with the first network using the additional node.

9. The system of claim 7 further comprising:

a satellite link connecting the substation to the plurality of servers.

10. The system of claim 7 further comprising:

a third network that has an additional plurality of servers in communication with the second network wherein the additional plurality of servers stores a third digital media file and further wherein the third network transmits the third digital media file to the second network using an additional node in communication with the second network.

11. The system of claim 7 further comprising:

a satellite in communication with the first network wherein the satellite transmits the first digital media file to the first network.

12. The system of claim 7 further comprising:

a fiber optic link connecting the substation to the plurality of servers.

13. A method for managing and distributing digital media to a set-top box of a user wherein the set-top box has a graphical user interface, and providing one or more data signals, video signals and audio signals to subscribers without utilizing all available bandwidths of a high-speed connection, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a first network having a first substation, a second substation and a grid of servers wherein the first substation and the second substation are remote with respect to each other, the set-top box and the grid of servers and further wherein a first keyboard mouse switch connects the first substation and the second substation to a first node wherein a second keyboard video mouse switch connects the terminal to the second substation and further wherein the second keyboard video mouse switch is a different switch than the first keyboard video mouse switch wherein the digital media is stored in the grid of servers and further wherein the grid of servers stores a first digital media file and a second digital media file;

transferring the first digital media file from the grid of servers to the set-top box using the first node, the first keyboard mouse switch and the first substation;

transferring the second digital media file from the grid of servers to the set-top box using the second substation and the second keyboard video mouse switch; and

authorizing the user to obtain the first digital media file and the second digital media file from the grid of servers at a first location and at a second location remote from the first location wherein authorization is based on a smart card used by the user.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of:

communicating with the first substation from the second substation located remote from the first substation.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of:

transferring an advertisement from an advertising content server of the grid of servers to the set-top box wherein the set-top box displays the advertisement during transfer of the first media file from the grid of servers to the set-top box.

16. The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of:

transferring the second digital media file to the second substation using the second keyboard mouse switch wherein the second keyboard mouse switch connects the first node to the second substation.

17. The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of:

transferring the second digital media file to the second substation using a second node that is a different node than the first node wherein the second node connects the grid of servers to the second keyboard mouse switch.

18. The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of:

transferring the first media file from a first server of the grid of servers and the second media file from a second server of the grid of servers wherein the first server and the second server are different servers.