IPTV follow me content system and method
First Claim
1. A system for distributing access-restricted content in an internet protocol-based television environment, the system comprising:
- a decoder unit, in operative communication with a network and locatable in the network by a network address, and configured to;
receive a key from a key store configured to store the key, the key being associated with a set of access rights for an account; and
transmit, over the network, entitlement information relating to the set of access rights;
an encoder unit, configured to;
receive content from a plurality of content providers;
encode at least a portion of the content to create access-restricted content, the access-restricted content and having limited accessibility based at least in part on the set of access rights; and
transmit at least a portion of the access-restricted content over the network using the internet protocol; and
a network entitlement handler unit, in operative communication with the encoder unit and the network, and configured to;
receive, over the network from the decoder unit, a request for a requested content set;
receive, from the encoder unit, at least a portion of the access-restricted content, the portion of access-restricted content comprising at least a portion of the requested content set;
receive the network address corresponding to the requesting decoder unit; and
transmit a transmitted portion of the requested content set over the network to the network address using a transmission scheme, the transmission scheme comprising the internet protocol.
7 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Tools are provided for distributing access-restricted content in an internet protocol television (“IPTV”) environment based on portable entitlement keys. Such tools can include a decoder, an encoder, and a network entitlement handler. The decoder may be configured to receive a key associated with entitlement information, and transmit the entitlement information over a network. The encoder may be configured to receive content from content providers, and to encode the content to create IP-compatible content, with access restrictions based on entitlement. The network entitlement handler may be configured to receive a request for requested content from the decoder; receive the access-restricted content including (including the requested content) from the encoder; and transmit the requested content over the network to the decoder using IP, when the decoder is entitled to receive the requested content.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A system for distributing access-restricted content in an internet protocol-based television environment, the system comprising:
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a decoder unit, in operative communication with a network and locatable in the network by a network address, and configured to; receive a key from a key store configured to store the key, the key being associated with a set of access rights for an account; and transmit, over the network, entitlement information relating to the set of access rights; an encoder unit, configured to; receive content from a plurality of content providers; encode at least a portion of the content to create access-restricted content, the access-restricted content and having limited accessibility based at least in part on the set of access rights; and transmit at least a portion of the access-restricted content over the network using the internet protocol; and a network entitlement handler unit, in operative communication with the encoder unit and the network, and configured to; receive, over the network from the decoder unit, a request for a requested content set; receive, from the encoder unit, at least a portion of the access-restricted content, the portion of access-restricted content comprising at least a portion of the requested content set; receive the network address corresponding to the requesting decoder unit; and transmit a transmitted portion of the requested content set over the network to the network address using a transmission scheme, the transmission scheme comprising the internet protocol. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A network entitlement handler apparatus for distributing access-restricted content in an internet protocol-based television environment, the apparatus comprising:
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a request receiver unit, configured to receive from a network; a network address, associated with a decoder unit in operative communication with the network; entitlement information associated with a requesting key, the requesting key stored in a key store and associated with a set of access rights associated with an account; and a request for a requested content set; a content receiver unit, configured to receive access-restricted content from a content provider, the access-restricted content comprising at least a portion of the requested content set; a determiner unit, configured to determine, based at least on the entitlement information, whether the account has an entitlement to receive the requested content set; and a content transmitter unit, configured to transmit, only if the account has the entitlement to receive the requested content set, at least a portion of the requested content set over the network to the network address using the internet protocol.
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21. A method for distributing access-restricted content in an internet protocol-based television environment, the method comprising:
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receiving, over a network, entitlement information relating to a set of access rights associated with an account; receiving a requested content set over the network from a requester; receiving access-restricted content comprising the requested content set, the access-restricted content being compatible with the internet protocol and having limited accessibility based at least in part on the entitlement information; determining, based at least in part on the entitlement information, whether the account has an entitlement to receive the requested content set; and transmitting, based at least in part on the determining that the account has the entitlement to receive the requested content set, a transmitted portion of the requested content set over the network to the requester using a transmission scheme comprising the internet protocol. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification