Common media consumption across multiple media processing systems via single user control
First Claim
1. One or more circuits for a system supporting common consumption of media, said one or more circuits comprising:
- at least one processor operably coupled to a first display device supporting display of television content in a first home and to a first storage in the first home;
the first storage supporting consumption of the media by the first display device and having a first network protocol address with respect to a first user in the first home, the at least one processor communicatively coupled to a second home that is separate and distinct from the first home, the second home having a second display device supporting display of television content and a second storage supporting consumption of the media by the second display device in the second home, 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, the at least one processor operable to, at least;
display a user interface on the first display device in 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 the second home; and
communicate with server software that maintains a user defined association of the first and second network protocol addresses and that receives a request that identifies one of the associated first and second network addresses and responds by identifying the other of the associated first and second network addresses to support delivery via a communication network of the media from the first storage to the second home for simultaneous consumption by the first and second display devices under control of a user at the first home.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
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.
28 Citations
31 Claims
-
1. One or more circuits for a system supporting common consumption of media, said one or more circuits comprising:
-
at least one processor operably coupled to a first display device supporting display of television content in a first home and to a first storage in the first home;
the first storage supporting consumption of the media by the first display device and having a first network protocol address with respect to a first user in the first home, the at least one processor communicatively coupled to a second home that is separate and distinct from the first home, the second home having a second display device supporting display of television content and a second storage supporting consumption of the media by the second display device in the second home, 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, the at least one processor operable to, at least;display a user interface on the first display device in 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 the second home; and communicate with server software that maintains a user defined association of the first and second network protocol addresses and that receives a request that identifies one of the associated first and second network addresses and responds by identifying the other of the associated first and second network addresses to support delivery via a communication network of the media from the first storage to the second home for simultaneous consumption by the first and second display devices under control of a user at the first home. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
-
-
8. One or more circuits for a system supporting common consumption of media, said one or more circuits comprising:
-
at least one processor operably coupled to a first display device supporting display of television content in a first home and to a first storage in the first home having a first network protocol address with respect to a first user in the first home, the at least one processor communicatively coupled to a second display device supporting display of television content at a second home and a third display device supporting display of television content at a third home, where the second and third homes are separate and distinct from the first home and from each other, where the second home has a second network protocol address with respect to a second user in the second home and the third home has a third network protocol address with respect to a third user in the third home, and wherein the second and third users are known to the first user, the at least one processor operable to, at least; display a user interface on the first display device in 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 the second and third homes; and communicate with server software that maintains a user defined association of the first, second, and third network protocol addresses and that receives a request that identifies the associated first network protocol address and responds by identifying the associated second and third network protocol addresses to support delivery via a communication network of the media from the first storage to the second and third display devices for concurrent consumption under control of a user at the first home. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
-
16. One or more circuits for a system supporting common consumption of media, said one or more circuits comprising:
-
at least one processor operably coupled to a first display device supporting display of television content in a first home and to a first storage in the first home that stores the media, the at least one processor communicatively coupled to the first storage and to a second display device supporting display of television content at a second home that is separate and distinct from the first home, the at least one processor operable to, at least; display a user interface on the first display device in 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 the second home; and communicate with server software that coordinates delivery via the communication network of the media from the first storage to the second display device for simultaneous consumption of the media at the first and second display devices under control of a user at the first home. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
-
-
24. A system supporting common consumption of media, the system comprising:
-
at least one processor communicatively coupled to deliver the media from a first storage at a first home to a second display device supporting display of television content at a second home that is separate and distinct from the first home, the at least one processor operable to, at least; cause display of a user interface on a first display device supporting display of television content 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 display device at the second home; and communicate with software that coordinates delivery via a communication network of the media from the first storage to the second display device for concurrent consumption of the media at the first display device at the first home and the second display device at the second home, under control of a user at the first home. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
-
Specification