Method and system for receiving and processing digital content

• US 8,479,245 B2
• Filed: 03/17/2006
• Issued: 07/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Brotz, Mario Udo, Wang, David S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Srivastava, Vivek
• Assistant Examiner(s): Malangone, Carmine
• Application Number:
  US11/378,895
• Publication Number:
  US 20060161961A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,664 Days
• Field of Search: 725/105, 725109-134
• US Class Current: 725/112
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4263 involving specific tuning arrangements, e.g. two tuners
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4349 by extracting from data carousels, e.g. extraction of software modules from a DVB carousel
• 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 21/44224 Monitoring of user activity on external systems, e.g. Internet browsing
• 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 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a method of storing digital content in a digital electronic system. In one embodiment, datacast information decoded from a digital media signal is monitored to identify newly-received digital content. The monitoring includes configuring a decoder to receive and decode the datacast information, identifying newly-received digital content from the datacast information, and updating an intelligent filter based upon the newly-received digital content, wherein the intelligent filter records the newly-received digital content. Additionally, the monitoring may include repeating the configuring, identifying, and updating. Thereafter, any of the newly-received digital content that is recorded in the intelligent filter may be stored into a cache memory.

Claims

1. A method of managing digital content in a digital electronic system, said method comprising:

scanning a first channel for a time period for a first portion of digital content;

responsive to not detecting the first portion of digital content during the time period, ceasing scanning the first channel and scanning a second channel for the first portion of digital content;

responsive to detecting the first portion of digital content during the time period, accessing the first portion of digital content using the first channel, wherein said first channel is selected under program control by a component of said digital electronic system;

comparing a first unique identifier to a plurality of unique identifiers to determine whether said plurality of unique identifiers comprises said first unique identifier, wherein said first unique identifier is associated with said first portion of digital content and wherein the plurality of unique identifiers is established based on past user downloading of digital content and not on user input of preferences;

responsive to a determination that said plurality of unique identifiers comprises said first unique identifier, storing said first portion of digital content in a memory of said digital electronic system, wherein said storing is performed contemporaneously with a processing of other content accessed using a second channel;

responsive to a user request for a second portion of digital content,

determining if said second portion of digital content is stored in said memory; and

accessing said second portion of digital content from said memory responsive to a determination that said second portion of digital content is stored in said memory otherwise accessing said second portion of digital content over the Internet.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

recording a plurality of counts associated with said plurality of unique identifiers, wherein each of said plurality of counts is associated with a number of times a respective portion of digital content has been accessed by said digital electronic system; and

ranking said plurality of unique identifiers based on said plurality of counts.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

determining, based on said plurality of counts, that said second portion of digital content has been accessed fewer times than said first portion of digital content; and

responsive to said determining, removing said second unique identifier from said plurality of unique identifiers.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

recording a plurality of timestamps associated with said plurality of unique identifiers, wherein each of said plurality of timestamps is associated with a respective time at which a respective portion of digital content has been accessed by said diaital electronic system;

determining, based on said plurality of timestamps, that said second portion of digital content has not been accessed by said digital electronic system for a predetermined period of time; and

responsive to said determining, removing said second unique identifier from said plurality of unique identifiers.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

supplying said second portion of digital content for display on a display device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said first portion of digital content is selected from a group consisting of audio and video.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said user request is input to said digital electronic system via an input device, and wherein said input device is selected from a group consisting of a remote control, a keyboard, a mouse, a cursor directing device, and a joystick.

8. A system comprising a processor and a memory, wherein said memory comprises instructions that when executed by said system implement a method of managing digital content in a digital electronic system, said method comprising:

accessing a first portion of digital content using a first channel, wherein said first channel is selected under program control by a component of said digital electronic system;

comparing a first unique identifier to a plurality of unique identifiers to determine whether said plurality of unique identifiers comprises said first unique identifier, wherein said first unique identifier is associated with said first portion of digital content wherein the plurality of unique identifiers is established based on past user downloading of digital content and not on user input of preferences;

responsive to a determination that said plurality of unique identifiers comprises said first unique identifier, storing said first portion of digital content in said digital electronic system, wherein said storing is performed contemporaneously with a processing of other content accessed using a second channel; and

responsive to a user request for a second portion of digital content, accessing said second portion of digital content from the digital electronic system if said second portion of digital content is stored in said digital electronic system, otherwise accessing said second portion of digital content over the Internet.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said method further comprises:

recording a plurality of counts associated with said plurality of unique identifiers, wherein each of said plurality of counts is associated with a number of times a respective portion of digital content has been accessed by said digital electronic system; and

ranking said plurality of unique identifiers based on said plurality of counts.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said method further comprises:

determining, based on said plurality of counts, that said second portion of digital content has been accessed fewer times than said first portion of digital content; and

responsive to said determining, removing said second unique identifier from said plurality of unique identifiers.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein said method further comprises:

recording a plurality of timestamps associated with said plurality of unique identifiers, wherein each of said plurality of timestamps is associated with a respective time at which a respective portion of digital content has been accessed by said digital electronic system;

determining, based on said plurality of timestamps, that said second portion of digital content has not been accessed by said digital electronic system for a predetermined period of time; and

responsive to said determining, removing said second unique identifier from said plurality of unique identifiers.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein said method further comprises:

supplying said second portion of digital content for display on a display device.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein said first portion of digital content is selected from a group consisting of audio and video.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein said user request is input to said digital electronic system via an input device, and wherein said input device is selected from a group consisting of a remote control, a keyboard, a mouse, a cursor directing device, and a joystick.

15. A computer-readable memory having computer-readable program code embodied therein for causing a computer system to perform a method of managing digital content in a digital electronic system, said method comprising:

accessing a first portion of digital content using a first channel, wherein said first channel is selected under program control by a component of said digital electronic system;

comparing a first unique identifier to a plurality of unique identifiers to determine whether said plurality of unique identifiers comprises said first unique identifier, wherein said first unique identifier is associated with said first portion of digital content, wherein the plurality of unique identifiers is established based on past user downloading of digital content and not on user input of preferences;

responsive to a determination that said plurality of unique identifiers comprises said first unique identifier, storing said first portion of digital content in a memory of said digital electronic system, wherein said storing is performed contemporaneously with a processing of other content accessed using a second channel;

responsive to a user request for a second portion of digital content,

determining if said second portion of digital content is stored in said memory; and

accessing said second portion of digital content from said memory if said second portion of digital content is stored in said memory otherwise accessing said second portion of digital content over the internet.

16. The computer-readable memory of claim 15, wherein said method further comprises:

recording a plurality of counts associated with said plurality of unique identifiers, wherein each of said plurality of counts is associated with a number of times a respective portion of digital content has been accessed by said digital electronic system; and

ranking said plurality of unique identifiers based on said plurality of counts.

17. The computer-readable memory of claim 16, wherein said method further comprises:

determining, based on said plurality of counts, that said second portion of digital content has been accessed fewer times than said first portion of digital content; and

responsive to said determining, removing said second unique identifier from said plurality of unique identifiers.

18. The computer-readable memory of claim 15, wherein said method further comprises:

recording a plurality of timestamps associated with said plurality of unique identifiers, wherein each of said plurality of timestamps is associated with a respective time at which a respective portion of digital content has been accessed by said digital electronic system;

determining, based on said plurality of timestamps, that said second portion of digital content has not been accessed by said digital electronic system for a predetermined period of time; and

responsive to said determining, removing said second unique identifier from said plurality of unique identifiers.

19. The computer-readable memory of claim 15, wherein said method further comprises:

supplying said second portion of digital content for display on a display device.

20. The computer-readable memory of claim 15, wherein said first portion of digital content is selected from a group consisting of audio and video.

21. The computer-readable memory of claim 15, wherein said user request is input to said digital electronic system via an input device, and wherein said input device is selected from a group consisting of a remote control, a keyboard, a mouse, a cursor directing device, and a joystick.