Method of sharing personal media using a digital recorder

• US 8,171,520 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2003
• Issued: 05/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TiVo Solutions Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: TiVo Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Arnold, Matt, Barton, James M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kumar, Pankaj
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hicks, Charles N
• Application Number:
  US10/742,581
• Publication Number:
  US 20050108769A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,057 Days
• Field of Search: 725/115, 725/134, 725/148
• US Class Current: 725/115
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25866 Management of end-user data customer care in data networks H04L41/5077
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25875 involving end-user authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; arrangements for secret or secure communication including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26613 for generating or managing keys in general key distribution for secret or secure communication involving central third party, e.g. key distribution center [KDC] or trusted third party [TTP] H04L9/083; network support of key management H04L63/06; key management for network security in communication control or processing H04W12/04
• 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 21/4227 Providing Remote input by a user located remotely from the client device, e.g. at work
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42676 for modulating an analogue carrier signal to encode digital information or demodulating it to decode digital information, e.g. ADSL or cable modem
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42684 Client identification by a unique number or address, e.g. serial number, MAC address, socket ID network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming H04L61/00
• 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 21/4334 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 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4367 Establishing a secure communication between the client and a peripheral device or smart card
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• 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 21/47214 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 21/47217 for controlling playback functions for recorded or on-demand content, e.g. using progress bars, mode or play-point indicators or bookmarks specific graphical features in visual interfaces H04N21/4312
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4786 e-mailing message switching systems, e.g. electronic mail systems H04L51/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4882 for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6175 : involving transmission via Internet broadcast-related systems characterised by the transmission system being the Internet H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6543 : for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording remote booting in general G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6547 : comprising parameters, e.g. for client setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 : Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38

Abstract

A method and apparatus for sharing personal media using a digital recorder transfers multimedia content via email to a digital video recorder.

Claims

1. A method for sharing multimedia content using a digital video recorder (DVR), the method comprising the computer-implemented steps of:

receiving, on a media server, an email comprising a content file, the content file comprising one or more of;

audio content, video content, and photo content;

in response to a first user command selecting the content file from the email on the media server, the media server processing the content file at least by storing the content file and information associated with the content file in a content database;

displaying a user interface at the DVR, the user interface comprising available content information associated with available content stored in the content database, the available content comprising the content file;

the DVR is connected to the media server via a network or a modem;

receiving a second user command at the DVR, the second user command selecting at least a portion of the content file from the available content;

in response to the second user command at the DVR, receiving, at the DVR, at least the portion of the content file from the content database and presenting at least the portion of the content file to a user.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the DVR requests available content information from the media server.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

sending information, associated with the content file, from the media server to the DVR.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the DVR requests the content file from the media server.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein receiving the content file from the content database by the DVR comprises the media server streaming the content file to the DVR, wherein the DVR plays or displays content contained in the content file, and wherein the user can perform trickplay functions on the played or displayed content that includes any of:

fast forward, pause, rewind, play, slow play, frame step, or slide show.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the DVR accesses a server directly over the Internet to retrieve the one or more content files when the content file contains file links to one or more content files on the server, wherein the DVR plays or displays content contained in a selected content file of the one or more content files, and wherein the user can perform trickplay functions on the played or displayed selected content that includes any of:

fast forward, pause, rewind, play, slow play, frame step, or slide show.

19. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the media server is any of:

a PC, DVR, or any other mechanism that can serve content.

22. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein receiving the content file from the content database by the DVR comprises the media server streaming the content file to the DVR for display, and wherein the DVR displays content in the content file without storing the content file.

7. An apparatus for sharing multimedia content using a digital video recorder (DVR), comprising:

a media server;

a content database on the media server;

a device component for receiving, on the media server, an email comprising a content file, the content file comprising one or more of;

audio content, video content, and photo content;

a device component for, in response to a first user command selecting the content file from the email on the media server, processing the content file at least by storing the content file and information associated with the content file in a content database;

a device component for displaying a user interface at the DVR, the user interface comprising available content information associated with available content stored in the content database, the available content comprising the content file;

the DVR is connected to the media server via a network or a modem;

a device component for receiving a second user command at the DVR, the second user command selecting at least a portion of the content file from the available content;

a device component for, in response to a second user command at the DVR, the DVR receiving at least the portion of the content file from the content database and presenting at least the portion of the content file to a user.

8. An apparatus as recited in claim 7, wherein the DVR requests available content information from the media server.

9. An apparatus as recited in claim 7, further comprising:

a module for sending information, associated with the content file, from the media server to the DVR.

10. An apparatus as recited in claim 7, wherein the DVR requests the content file from the media server.

11. An apparatus as recited in claim 7, wherein receiving the content file from the content database by the DVR comprises the media server streaming the content file to the DVR, wherein the DVR plays or displays content contained in the content file, and wherein the user can perform trickplay functions on the played or displayed content that includes any of:

fast forward, pause, rewind, play, slow play, frame step, or slide show.

12. An apparatus as recited in claim 7, wherein if the content file contains file links to one or more content files on a server, the media server sends the content file to the DVR, wherein the DVR accesses a server directly over the Internet to retrieve the one or more content files when the content file contains file links to one or more content files on the server, wherein the DVR plays or displays content contained in a selected content file of the one or more content files, and wherein the user can perform trickplay functions on the played or displayed selected content that includes any of:

fast forward, pause, rewind, play, slow play, frame step, or slide show.

20. An apparatus as recited in claim 7, wherein the media server is any of:

a PC, DVR, or any other mechanism that can serve content.

23. The apparatus as recited in claim 7, wherein receiving the content file from the content database by the DVR comprises the media server streaming the content file to the DVR for display, and wherein the DVR displays content in the content file without storing the content file.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions for sharing multimedia content using a digital video recorder (DVR), wherein execution of the one or more sequences of instructions by one or more processors causes the one or more processors to perform the steps of:

receiving, on a media server, an email comprising a content file, the content file comprising one or more of;

audio content, video content, and photo content;

in response to a first user command selecting the content file from the email on the media server, the media server processing the content file at least by storing the content file and information associated with the content file in a content database;

displaying a user interface at the DVR, the user interface comprising available content information associated with available content stored in the content database, the available content comprising the content file;

the DVR is connected to the media server via a network or a modem;

receiving a second user command at the DVR, the second user command selecting at least a portion of the content file from the available content;

in response to the second user command at the DVR, receiving, at the DVR, at least the portion of the content file from the content database and presenting at least the portion of the content file to a user.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 13, wherein the DVR requests available content information from the media server.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 13, wherein the steps further comprising:

sending information, associated with the content file, from the media server to the DVR.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 13, wherein the DVR requests the content file from the media server.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 13, wherein receiving the content file from the content database by the DVR comprises the media server streaming the content file to the DVR, wherein the DVR plays or displays content contained in the content file, and wherein the user can perform trickplay functions on the played or displayed content that includes any of:

fast forward, pause, rewind, play, slow play, frame step, or slide show.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 13, wherein the DVR accesses a server directly over the Internet to retrieve the one or more content files when the content file contains file links to one or more content files on the server, wherein the DVR plays or displays content contained in a selected content file of the one or more content files, and wherein the user can perform trickplay functions on the played or displayed selected content that includes any of:

fast forward, pause, rewind, play, slow play, frame step, or slide show.

21. A non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 13, wherein the media server is any of:

a PC, DVR, or any other mechanism that can serve content.

24. A non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 13, wherein receiving the content file from the content database by the DVR comprises the media server streaming the content file to the DVR for display, and wherein the DVR displays content in the content file without storing the content file.