Graphic user interfaces for purchasable and recordable media (PRM) downloads

• US 8,006,262 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2001
• Issued: 08/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Scientific-Atlanta LLC (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rodriguez, Arturo A., Hammett, Geoffrey G., Beebe, Randolph R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hirl; Joseph P
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chae; Kyu
• Application Number:
  US09/896,231
• Publication Number:
  US 20030002862A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,707 Days
• Field of Search: 725/91.95, 725 37- 61, 725/44, 725/58, 725/87, 725/95, 709217-219
• US Class Current: 725/37
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23614 Multiplexing of additional data and video streams arrangements for simultaneous broadcast of plural pieces of information H04H20/28
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23617 by inserting additional data into a data carousel, e.g. inserting software modules into a DVB carousel arrangements for broadcast or for distribution of identical information repeatedly in broadcast distribution systems H04H20/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2385 Channel allocation H04N21/266 takes precedence; Bandwidth allocation H04N21/24 takes precedence ; allocation of channels according to the instantaneous demands of the users in time-division multiplex systems H04J3/1682; admission control, resource allocation in open networks H04L12/5692; arrangements for maintenance or administration in data switching networks involving bandwidth and capacity management H04L41/0896; negotiating bandwidth in wireless networks H04W28/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25435 involving characteristics of content or additional data, e.g. video resolution or the amount of advertising
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26216 involving the channel capacity, e.g. network bandwidth admission control, resource allocation in open networks H04L12/5692; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; establishing a schedule or organising the servicing of application requests taking into account QoS H04L67/61
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26241 involving the time of distribution, e.g. the best time of the day for inserting an advertisement or airing a children program
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4117 for generating hard copies of the content, e.g. printer, electronic paper interfaces to printers G06F3/12; printing data G06K15/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4135 external recorder interface circuits between an apparatus for recording television signals and a television receiver H04N5/775
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4348 Demultiplexing of additional data and video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47211 for requesting pay-per-view content payment schemes payment architectures or payment protocols G06Q20/00, G07F
• 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 21/4753 for user identification, e.g. by entering a PIN or password cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6433 Digital Storage Media - Command and Control Protocol [DSM-CC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A recordable media content purchasing system comprising a memory, and a processor configured with the memory to download recordable media content at one of a plurality of various download times for purchase of the recordable media content.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a digital home communication terminal (DHCT) configured to receive media content from a remote location over a network, the DHCT comprising;

a hard disk drive;

a memory having application software; and

a processor configured with the application software to provide a first graphics user interface (GUI) comprising download options for the reception of purchasable and recordable media (PRM) content and a second GUI comprising plural media content choices for which the download options do and do not pertain, the PRM content comprising content that is purchased one-time for indefinite use, the processor further configured with the application software to request from the remote location a download of a first PRM content to the hard disk drive, the first PRM content selected by a user from the second GUI, the download independent of a playback rate for the first PRM content, the first GUI comprising plural user-selectable download durations for the first PRM content, wherein the first GUI comprises a download option list, the download option list comprising a selectable first option to download the first PRM content immediately and a selectable second option to delay the download of the first PRM content according to a first duration, wherein the first GUI further comprises a price window having a monetary value that varies depending on which of the selectable first or second options of the download option list is selected, the price window comprising a field within the first GUI.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the download option list comprises a selectable third option to delay the download of the first PRM content according to a second duration.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the plural user-selectable download durations are presented to a user as choices of different times of a day when a download is complete.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the plural user-selectable download durations are presented to a user as choices of same start, varying end periods of a day when a download is complete.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the download option list comprises plural download options for a trial purchase of PRM content.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the second GUI comprises an interactive program guide (IPG), the IPG comprising a grid having channel identifiers, titles, and corresponding scheduled presentation times, the titles corresponding to broadcast media content for which the download options do not pertain, the titles further corresponding to media content that also comprise PRM content associated with the download options, the titles corresponding to the media content associated with the download options having a non-channel identifier indicator in proximity to the title, the indicator suggesting to the user that the media content associated with the download options can be downloaded.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the second GUI comprises an interactive program guide (IPG) with access by the user to a service guide via a service guide option presented in the IPG, the IPG further comprising a grid having channels and titles corresponding to the channels.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the processor is further configured with the application software to, responsive to the user selection of the service guide option, present a third GUI comprising the service guide, the service guide comprising a plurality of media content options with at least one of the media content options associated with the download options and at least one of the media content options not associated with the download options.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one of the media content options associated with the download options includes an option to download at least one of pay per view media content, video on demand media content, music media content, software media content, and game media content.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising a secondary storage device coupled to the DHCT, wherein the processor is further configured with the application software to transfer downloaded PRM content stored on the hard disk drive to a medium residing in the secondary storage device.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured with the application software to provide a fourth GUI that enables the user to archive the PRM content received to the secondary storage device.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein fourth GUI comprises preconfigured lists including a media content list, genre/descriptive list, and medium list, wherein a list entry block for at least one of the preconfigured lists is highlighted as a default entry based on metadata associated with the PRM content residing on the medium.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the fourth GUI comprises at least one of an option to enable a user to configure a characterization of the PRM content residing on the medium and an option to search for PRM content residing on the medium.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured with the application software to receive the first PRM content at the user-selected download rate using bandwidth reclaimed from excess video on demand bandwidth, the excess video on demand bandwidth reclaimed from bandwidth previously allocated for a VOD presentation having a session terminated before expiration of the VOD presentation rental period.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the network comprises a hybrid fiber coaxial (HFC) network.

16. A method, comprising:

providing by a processor of a digital home communications terminal (DHCT) a first graphics user interface (GUI) at the DHCT, the first GUI comprising download options for the reception of purchasable and recordable media (PRM) content, the PRM content comprising content that is purchased one-time for indefinite use and downloadable at a playback-independent rate, the first GUI comprising plural user-selectable download durations for the PRM content;

providing a second GUI at the DHCT, the second GUI comprising plural media content choices for which the download options do and do not pertain;

providing a download option list and a price window in the first GUI, the download option list comprising the download options, a monetary value in the price window differing depending on which of the plurality of download options are selected, the price window comprising a field within the first GUI;

providing an interactive program guide (IPG) in the second GUI, the IPG comprising a grid having titles and corresponding scheduled presentation times, the titles corresponding to broadcast media content for which the plurality of download options do not pertain, the titles further corresponding to media content that also comprise PRM content and that are associated with the plurality of download options, the titles corresponding to the media content associated with the plurality of download options having an indicator in proximity to the title, the indicator suggesting to the user that the media content associated with the plurality of download options can be downloaded; and

requesting a download of a first PRM content from a remote location to a hard disk drive coupled to the DHCT at one of the plural user-selectable download durations, the first PRM content selected by a user from the second GUI.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising receiving the first PRM content at the user selected download rate duration.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the first PRM content is received using bandwidth reclaimed from excess video on demand bandwidth, the excess video on demand bandwidth reclaimed from bandwidth previously allocated for a VOD presentation having a session terminated before expiration of the VOD presentation rental period.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the user-selected download duration is independent of a playback rate of the first PRM content.