Apparatus and method for receiving and reproducing multimedia entertainment content

• US 8,195,782 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2006
• Issued: 06/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Yi, Byung K., Subramanya, Srikantia R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan, Wing
• Assistant Examiner(s): YI, DAVID
• Application Number:
  US11/536,596
• Publication Number:
  US 20080082688A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,077 Days
• Field of Search: 709217-219, 709223-226, 709/246
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles

Abstract

An apparatus and method for providing a ubiquitous entertainment environment for a user to browse, search, preview, purchase and use multimedia content easily and in a convenient location. The user can use the selected multimedia contents by connecting a portable storage unit to at least one of a plurality of multimedia equipment devices interfaced with the portable storage unit.

Claims

1. A portable storage device for input, output, use, and management of multimedia content, the portable storage device comprising:

a portable storage unit for downloading the multimedia content in at least one multimedia format;

at least one interface for transferring the multimedia content to and from the portable storage unit;

a display in communication with a control key pad for facilitating the control and navigation of the multimedia content in the portable storage unit;

a processing unit for uploading the multimedia content from the portable storage unit to at least one of a plurality of multimedia equipment devices that are capable of rendering the multimedia content; and

a transcoder unit for decoding/encoding and converting the multimedia content between a first multimedia format and a second multimedia format of the at least one of the plurality of multimedia equipment devices,

wherein the portable storage unit is configured to download the multimedia content from a multimedia facility comprising a content server, wherein the multimedia facility is configured to enable a purchase of the multimedia content locally stored in the content server, wherein the content server is not coupled to the multimedia facility via an Internet connection and is configured to output the multimedia content without using an Internet connection,

wherein the portable storage unit is further configured to interface with a multimedia content distributor via a first interface,

wherein the multimedia content distributor is configured to interface with the at least one of the plurality of multimedia equipment devices via a second interface for transferring the multimedia content to be rendered from the portable storage unit to the at least one of the plurality of multimedia equipment devices,

wherein the first interface uses a different communication protocol than the second interface,

wherein the content server retrieves the multimedia content from an external content server via a network when the multimedia content is unavailable in a directory of purchasable content stored in the content server,

wherein the multimedia content enables a digital rights management system for generating a usage license, and an error-correction code adapted to protect a legitimate use of the multimedia content, and

wherein the digital rights management system generates the usage license by generating rights object using information about characteristics of the at least one of the plurality of multimedia equipment devices along with relevant information from content metadata and packaging the rights object with the multimedia content such that the generated usage license is sent to the device that is to render the multimedia content.

2. The portable storage device of claim 1, wherein the processing unit for uploading the multimedia content comprises at least one interface adapted to connect to the at least one of the plurality of multimedia equipment devices.

3. The portable storage device of claim 2, wherein the at least one of the plurality of multimedia equipment devices is selected from a DVR, a laptop, a PDA, a mobile communication terminal, a digital television, a personal screen in an air plane, and a car audio system.

4. The portable storage device of claim 1, wherein a selector switch selects the at least one of the plurality of multimedia equipment devices to receive the multimedia content.

5. The portable storage device of claim 1, wherein the at least one interface for transferring the multimedia content to and from the portable storage unit is at least one of a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface, a Bluetooth®

interface, a Firewire (IEEE1394) interface, WiMax interface, ultra-wideband (UWB) interface or a WiFi interface.

6. The portable storage device of claim 1, wherein the at least one multimedia format is one of MP3, Windows Media Audio (WMA), Compact Disk Digital Audio (CDDA), Advanced Audio Coding (AAC), Real Audio, MPEG, Audio Visual Interactive (AVI), or Real Video.

7. An apparatus for browsing, searching, previewing, and purchasing multimedia content according to a user'"'"'s interest, the apparatus comprising:

a multimedia facility for providing at least one service of searching, browsing, previewing, and purchasing the multimedia content, the multimedia facility comprising a content server locally storing a directory of purchasable content from which the multimedia content is retrieved, wherein the content server is not coupled to the multimedia facility via an Internet connection and is configured to output the multimedia content without using an Internet connection;

at least one user station terminal for facilitating user interaction for performing the at least one service of searching, browsing, previewing, and purchasing the multimedia content; and

a processing unit for receiving the multimedia content from the multimedia facility and for using the multimedia content, the processing unit comprising a multimedia storage system adapted to input, output, use, and manage the multimedia content; and

a digital rights management system for generating a usage license to use the multimedia content,

wherein the processing unit is configured to interface with a multimedia content distributor via a first interface,

wherein the multimedia content distributor is configured to interface with at least one of a plurality of multimedia equipment devices that are capable of rendering the multimedia content using a second interface for transferring the multimedia content to be rendered from the processing unit to the at least one of the plurality of multimedia equipment devices, and

wherein the first interface uses a different communication protocol than the second interface,

wherein the content server retrieves the multimedia content from an external content server via a network when the multimedia content is unavailable in the directory of purchasable content,

wherein the digital rights management system comprises an error-correction code adapted to protect a legitimate use of the multimedia content,

wherein the digital rights management system generates the usage license by generating rights object using information about characteristics of the at least one of the plurality of multimedia equipment devices along with relevant information from content metadata and packaging the rights object with the multimedia content such that the generated usage license is sent to the device that is to render the multimedia content, and

wherein the multimedia storage system comprises;

a portable storage unit adapted to download the multimedia content in at least one multimedia format;

at least one interface for transferring the multimedia content to and from the portable storage unit;

a display in communication with a control key pad for facilitating control and navigation of the portable storage unit;

an output device for uploading the multimedia content from the portable storage unit to the at least one of the plurality of multimedia equipment devices; and

a transcoder unit for decoding/encoding and converting the multimedia content between a first multimedia format and a second multimedia format of the at least one of the plurality of multimedia equipment devices.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the output device for uploading the multimedia content comprises at least one interface adapted to connect to the at least one of the plurality of multimedia equipment devices.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the at least one of the plurality of multimedia equipment devices is selected from a DVR, a laptop, a PDA, a mobile communication terminal, a digital television, a personal screen in an airplane, and a car audio system.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein a selector switch selects the at least one of the plurality of multimedia equipment devices to receive the multimedia content.

11. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the at least one interface for transferring the multimedia content to and from the portable storage unit is at least one of a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface, a Bluetooth®

interface, a Firewire (IEEE1394) interface, a WiMax interface, an ultra-wideband (UWB) interface, or a WiFi interface.

12. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the at least one multimedia format is one of MP3, Windows Media Audio (WMA), Compact Disk Digital Audio (CDDA), Advanced Audio Coding (AAC), Real Audio, MPEG, Audio Visual Interactive (AVI), or Real Video.

13. A method performed by a multimedia facility comprising a local content server for providing a user with input, output, use, and management of multimedia content, the method comprising:

requesting at least one service of browsing, searching, and previewing the multimedia content in a directory of purchasable content locally stored in the local content server;

selecting the multimedia content using the at least one service of browsing, searching, and previewing the multimedia content;

locating the multimedia content;

purchasing the multimedia content;

downloading the multimedia content to a portable storage device from the multimedia facility, wherein the local content server is not coupled to the multimedia facility via an Internet connection and is configured to output the multimedia content without using an Internet connection;

decoding/encoding and converting the downloaded multimedia content between a first multimedia format and a second multimedia format of at least one of a plurality of multimedia equipment devices;

processing the multimedia content in the at least one of the plurality of multimedia equipment devices; and

generating a license for usage of the multimedia content,

wherein the portable storage device is configured to interface with a multimedia content distributor via a first interface,

wherein the multimedia content distributor is configured to interface with the at least one of the plurality of multimedia equipment devices that are capable of rendering the multimedia content using a second interface to transfer the multimedia content to be rendered from the portable storage device to the at least one of the plurality of multimedia equipment devices, and

wherein the first interface uses a different communication protocol than the second interface,

wherein the local content server retrieves the multimedia content from an external content server via a network when the multimedia content is unavailable in the directory of purchasable content, and

wherein the license is generated by generating rights object using information about characteristics of the at least one of the plurality of multimedia equipment devices along with relevant information from content metadata and packaging the rights object with the multimedia content such that the generated usage license is sent to the device that is to render the multimedia content.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the requested at least one service of browsing, searching, and previewing the multimedia content is performed at the local content server.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the multimedia content is processed by the at least one of the plurality of multimedia equipment devices selected from a DVR, a laptop, a PDA, a mobile communication terminal, a digital television, a personal screen in an airplane, and a car audio system.

16. A method performed by a multimedia facility comprising a local content server for providing a user with input, output, use, and management of multimedia content, the method comprising:

requesting at least one service of browsing, searching, and previewing the multimedia content in a directory of purchasable content locally stored in the local content server;

selecting the multimedia content using the at least one service of browsing, searching, and previewing the multimedia content;

locating the multimedia content;

purchasing the multimedia content;

generating a digital rights management license to use the multimedia content;

downloading the multimedia content to a portable storage device from the local content server without using an Internet connection;

converting the downloaded multimedia content between a first multimedia format and a second multimedia format of at least one multimedia equipment device; and

embedding an error-correction code in the multimedia content for protecting a legitimate usage of the multimedia content,

wherein the local content server is not coupled to the multimedia facility via the Internet connection,

wherein the portable storage device is configured to interface with a multimedia content distributor via a first interface,

wherein the multimedia content distributor is configured to interface with the at least one multimedia equipment device that are capable of rendering the multimedia content using a second interface to transfer the multimedia content to be rendered from the portable storage device to the at least one multimedia equipment device,

wherein the first interface uses a different communication protocol than the second interface,

wherein the local content server retrieves the multimedia content from an external content server when the multimedia content is unavailable in the directory of purchasable content, and

wherein the digital rights management license is generated by generating rights object using information about characteristics of the at least one of the plurality of multimedia equipment devices along with relevant information from content metadata and packaging the rights object with the multimedia content such that the generated digital rights management license is sent to the device that is to render the multimedia content.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the requested at least one service of browsing, searching, and previewing the multimedia content is performed at the local content server.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the multimedia content is converted by the at least one multimedia equipment device, wherein the at least one multimedia equipment device is selected from a DVR, a laptop, a PDA, a mobile communication terminal, a digital television, a personal screen in an airplane, and a car audio system.

19. An apparatus for browsing, searching, previewing, purchasing, and using multimedia content according to a user'"'"'s interest, the apparatus comprising:

a multimedia facility comprising a computing device for providing at least one service of searching, browsing, previewing, and purchasing the multimedia content and a networked content server locally storing a directory of purchasable multimedia content;

a portable storage unit for downloading the multimedia content from the multimedia facility in at least one multimedia format;

at least one interface for transferring the multimedia content to and from the portable storage unit;

a display in communication with a control key pad for facilitating control and navigation of the portable storage unit;

an output device for uploading the multimedia content from the portable storage unit to at least one of a plurality of multimedia equipment devices;

a transcoder unit for decoding/encoding and converting the multimedia content between a first multimedia format and a second multimedia format of the at least one of the plurality of multimedia equipment devices; and

a digital rights management system for generating a usage license to use the multimedia content,

wherein the portable storage unit is configured to interface with a multimedia content distributor via a first interface,

wherein the multimedia content distributor is configured to interface with the at least one of the plurality of multimedia equipment devices that are capable of rendering the multimedia content using a second interface to transfer the multimedia content to be rendered from the portable storage unit to the at least one of the plurality of multimedia equipment devices,

wherein the first interface uses a different communication protocol than the second interface,

wherein the multimedia facility controls the content server to retrieve the multimedia content from an external content server via a network when the multimedia content is unavailable in a directory of purchasable content stored in the content server,

wherein the digital rights management system comprises an error-correction code adapted to protect a legitimate use of the multimedia content, and

wherein the digital rights management system generates the usage license by generating rights object using information about characteristics of the at least one of the plurality of multimedia equipment devices along with relevant information from content metadata and packaging the rights object with the multimedia content such that the generated usage license is sent to the device that is to render the multimedia content.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the output device for uploading the multimedia content comprises at least one interface adapted to connect to the at least one of the plurality of multimedia equipment devices.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the at least one of the plurality of multimedia equipment devices is selected from a DVR, a laptop, a PDA, a mobile communication terminal, a digital television, a personal screen in an airplane, and a car audio system.