Video distribution system

• US 7,647,618 B1
• Filed: 09/28/2000
• Issued: 01/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zarbana Digital Fund LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Ochoa Optics LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Ballou, Bernard L. Jr., Hunter, Charles Eric, Sparks, Kelly C., Hebrank, John H.
• Primary Examiner(s): STRANGE, AARON N
• Application Number:
  US09/675,025
• Time in Patent Office: 3,393 Days
• Field of Search: 709230-232, 709/229, 725 63- 66, 725 1- 8, 725/86, 725/87, 725101-104, 725131-134, 725143-147
• US Class Current: 725/134
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/123 Shopping for digital content
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/1235 with control of digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2529 Mini-discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2545 CDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2562 DVDs [digital versatile discs]; Digital video discs; MMCDs; HDCDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/41 Flat as opposed to hierarchical combination, e.g. library of tapes or discs, CD changer, or groups of record carriers that together store one title
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/031 Electronic editing of digitised analogue information signals, e.g. audio or video signals
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/06 Arrangements for scheduling broadcast services or broadcast-related services
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/22 per use
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/27 Arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/46 for recognising users' preferences
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2005/91335 the copy protection signal being a watermark
• 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 21/262 Content or additional data distribution scheduling, e.g. sending additional data at off-peak times, updating software modules, calculating the carousel transmission frequency, delaying a video stream transmission, generating play-lists scheduling strategies for dispatcher in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/4881; arrangements for scheduling broadcast services or broadcast-related services H04H60/06; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; establishing a time schedule or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/62
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42646 for reading from or writing on a non-volatile solid state storage medium, e.g. DVD, CD-ROM
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4325 by playing back content from the storage medium reproduction of recorded television signals H04N5/76; reproduction of recorded television signals H04N9/79
• 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 21/4351 : involving reassembling additional data, e.g. rebuilding an executable program from recovered modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44008 : involving operations for analysing video streams, e.g. detecting features or characteristics in the video stream arrangements characterised by components specially adapted for monitoring, identification or recognition of video in broadcast systems H04H60/59
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44204 : Monitoring of content usage, e.g. the number of times a movie has been viewed, copied or the amount which has been watched monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; protecting generic digital content where the protection is independent of the precise nature of the content G06F21/10; arrangements for monitoring the use made of the broadcast services in broadcast systems H04H60/31
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/443 : OS processes, e.g. booting an STB, implementing a Java virtual machine in an STB or power management in an STB
• 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 21/47202 : for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• 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 21/4821 : using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4825 : using a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlists
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6143 : involving transmission via a satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/63345 : by transmitting keys key distribution for secret or secure communication H04L9/08; network support of key management H04L63/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8106 : involving special audio data, e.g. different tracks for different languages
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8355 : involving usage data, e.g. number of copies or viewings allowed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 : Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 : between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/781 : on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 : on tape
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/85 : on discs or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/907 : using static stores, e.g. storage tubes or semiconductor memories H04N5/91 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/165 : Centralised control of user terminal subsequent to an upstream request signal H04N7/17345; Registering at central by two-way working H04N7/17309
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17354 : in an intermediate station common to a plurality of user terminals

Abstract

The invention relates to video distribution systems and, more particularly, to a system that blanket transmits video/audio content such as movies (for example, via satellite downlink transmission) to each customer'"'"'s recording, storage and playback system. Customers may preselect from a list of available movies or other content in advance using an interactive screen selector, and pay for the video/audio content that is actually viewed.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

creating a digital neural archive pattern library by sampling frames of at least one of a plurality of video programs to determine recognizable patterns within each of said sampled frames;

encoding the plurality of video programs, wherein the encoding is based, at least in part, on the recognizable patterns of the digital neural archive pattern library;

associating a header with at least one of the plurality of encoded video programs, wherein the header comprises descriptive information other than specific identification of the encoded video program;

distributing a plurality of consumer devices to a plurality of consumers, each consumer device comprising;

a processor configured to determine a level of match between descriptive information in the header and preference information associated with a user of the consumer device,

a storage medium configured to automatically store encoded video programs wherein the determined level of match corresponds to a predefined level of match and further configured to store digital neural archive pattern libraries, and

a recording mechanism configured to record at least one encoded video program and a digital neural archive pattern library on a removable and portable storage medium;

transmitting the plurality of encoded video programs, the header, and the digital neural archive pattern library to the plurality of consumer devices; and

enabling at least one consumer device to play back an encoded video program by decoding the encoded video program using the digital neural archive pattern library, wherein the encoded video program is stored on one of the following;

the storage medium of the consumer device, or the removable and portable storage medium.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

billing a consumer for enabling the at least one consumer device associated with the consumer to play back an encoded video program.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the encoding further comprises encoding the plurality of video programs with time-based code keys A.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the time-based code keys A encoded into the plurality of video programs are correlated with periodic time-based code keys B that are blanket transmitted to the plurality of consumer devices and time-based code keys C that are provided to consumer devices that are in good standing, wherein a playback device can only play back a video program if all three code keys A, B and C have been received.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

receiving video program playback information from a consumer device when the time-based code keys C are provided.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the transmitting the plurality of encoded video programs is carried out by direct broadcast satellite transmission on multiple channels in compressed-time format.

7. A computer readable medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon for performing the method of claim 1.

8. A computer readable medium as in claim 7, further having computer-executable instructions stored thereon for billing a consumer for enabling the at least one consumer device associated with the consumer to play back an encoded video program.

9. A computer readable medium as in claim 8, further having computer-executable instructions stored thereon for encoding the plurality of video programs with time-based code keys A.

10. A computer readable medium as in claim 9, wherein the time-based code keys A encoded into the plurality of video programs are correlated with periodic time-based code keys B that are blanket transmitted to the plurality of consumer devices and time-based code keys C that are provided to consumer devices that are in good standing, wherein the consumer can only view a video program if all three codes keys A, B and C have been received.

11. A computer readable medium as in claim 10, further having computer-executable instructions stored thereon for receiving video program playback information from a consumer device when the time-based code keys C are provided.

12. A computer readable medium as in claim 7, wherein the instructions for transmitting the plurality of encoded video programs comprise instructions for transmitting by direct broadcast satellite transmission on multiple channels in compressed-time format.

13. A device comprising:

a receiving mechanism configured to receive;

a plurality of transmitted encoded video programs,

at least one header associated with at least one of the plurality of encoded video programs wherein the at least one header comprises descriptive information other than specific identification of the at least one of the plurality of encoded video programs, and

a digital neural archive pattern library, wherein the digital neural archive pattern library consists of recognizable patterns selected from frames of at least one of the plurality of encoded video programs;

a processor configured to determine a level of match between descriptive information in the header and preference information associated with a user of the device;

a storage medium configured to store encoded video programs and digital neural archive pattern libraries;

an automatic overwriting mechanism configured to;

determine whether there is sufficient space in the storage medium to store a first encoded video program wherein the determined level of match of the first encoded video program corresponds to a predefined level of match,

select a second encoded video program stored in the storage medium to be overwritten, and

overwrite the second encoded video program with the first encoded video program;

a recording mechanism configured to record at least one encoded video program and a digital neural archive pattern library on a removable and portable storage medium; and

a decoding mechanism configured to decode an encoded video program for playback when the decoding mechanism is enabled wherein the decoding the encoded video program is based in part on the digital neural archive pattern library and wherein the encoded video program for playback is stored on one of the following;

the storage medium or the removable and portable storage medium.

14. The device of claim 13 further comprising:

a billing mechanism in communication with the playback mechanism configured to transmit billing information to a central billing system accounting for each time the automatically selected video program has been enabled for playback.

15. The device of claim 13 further comprising:

a control mechanism in communication with the receiving mechanism configured to verify a received combination of time-based code keys for enabling said playback mechanism to play back the encoded video program.

16. The device of claim 15 further comprising:

a decoding mechanism in communication with the control mechanism configured to decode transmitted video programs wherein time-based code keys A that are encoded into the transmitted video programs are correlated with periodic time-based code keys B that are blanket transmitted to a plurality of consumer devices and time-based code keys C that are provided to consumer devices that are in good standing such that a consumer can only view a video program if all three codes keys A, B and C have been received by the playback device.

17. The device of claim 16 wherein the billing mechanism comprises:

a mechanism configured to communicate an identity of said previously selected video program and a unique identifying address associated with said consumer to said central billing system in response to initiating playback of the previously selected video program; and

a playback-enabling mechanism configured to receive from said central billing system the time-based code key C for identifying a status of said consumer to enable said playback of said previously selected video program.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the second encoded video program to be overwritten is the oldest stored video program in the storage medium.

19. The device of claim 17, wherein the second encoded video program to be overwritten is an older release of the first encoded video program.

20. The device of claim 17, wherein a header associated with the second encoded video program to be overwritten contains similar descriptive information as descriptive information in a header associated with the first encoded video program.

21. A method comprising:

receiving a plurality of encoded video programs at a consumer device;

receiving at least one header associated with at least one of the plurality of encoded video programs received, wherein the at least one header comprises descriptive information other than specific identification of the at least one of the plurality of encoded video programs;

receiving a digital neural archive pattern library, wherein the digital neural archive pattern library consists of recognizable patterns selected from frames of at least one of the plurality of encoded video programs;

determining a level of match between descriptive information in the header and preference information associated with a user of the device;

determining whether there is sufficient space in a storage medium to store a first encoded video program wherein the determined level of match of the first encoded video program corresponds to a predefined level of match;

selecting a second encoded video program stored in the storage medium to be overwritten;

overwriting the second encoded video program with the first encoded video program; and

decoding, when enabled, an encoded video program for playback, wherein the decoding the encoded video program is based in part on the digital neural archive pattern library, and wherein the encoded video program for playback is stored on one of the following;

the storage medium, or a removable and portable storage medium.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising:

receiving a bill once the decoding the encoded video program for playback is enabled.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the second encoded video program to be overwritten is the oldest stored video program in the storage medium.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the second encoded video program to be overwritten is an older release of the first encoded video program.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein a header associated with the second encoded video program to be overwritten contains similar descriptive information as descriptive information in a header associated with the first encoded video program.

26. A system comprising:

a mechanism configured to receive a plurality of encoded video programs at a consumer device;

a mechanism configured to receive at least one header associated with at least one of the plurality of encoded video programs transmitted, wherein the at least one header comprises descriptive information other than specific identification of the at least one of the plurality of encoded video programs;

a mechanism configured to receive a digital neural archive pattern library, wherein the digital neural archive pattern library consists of recognizable patterns selected from frames of at least one of the plurality of encoded video programs;

a mechanism configured to determine a level of match between the descriptive information in the header and preference information associated with a user of the device;

a mechanism configured to determine whether there is sufficient space in a storage medium to store a first encoded video program wherein the determined level of match of the first encoded video program corresponds to a predefined level of match;

a mechanism configured to select a second encoded video program stored in the storage medium to be overwritten;

a mechanism configured to overwrite the second encoded video program with the first encoded video program; and

a mechanism configured to decode, when enabled, an encoded video program for playback, wherein the decoding the encoded video program is based in part on the digital neural archive pattern library, and wherein the encoded video program for playback is stored on one of the following;

the storage medium or the removable and portable storage medium.

27. The system of claim 26 further comprising:

a billing mechanism configured to provide information that enables a provider to bill a consumer associated with the consumer device once the decoding the encoded video program for playback is enabled.