Automated routing of media through a media exchange network

• US 8,621,102 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2003
• Issued: 12/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Karaoguz, Jeyhan, Bennett, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheema, Umar
• Application Number:
  US10/675,843
• Publication Number:
  US 20040133694A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,745 Days
• Field of Search: 709/238
• US Class Current: 709/238
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2812 describing content present in a home automation network, e.g. audio video content retrieval from the Internet G06F16/95
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2834 Switching of information between an external network and a home network access arrangements H04L12/2856
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/62 Establishing a time schedule for servicing the requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/63 Routing a service request depending on the request content or context
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2408 Monitoring of the upstream path of the transmission network, e.g. client requests monitoring data switching networks utilization H04L43/0876; scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/254 Management at additional data server, e.g. shopping server, rights management server arrangements for maintenance or administration in data networks H04L41/00; network services using third party service providers H04L67/53
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2543 Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• 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 21/25875 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 21/26266 for determining content or additional data repetition rate, e.g. of a file in a DVB carousel according to its importance arrangements for broadcast or for distribution of identical information repeatedly in broadcast distribution systems H04H20/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2743 Video hosting of uploaded data from client
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41422 located in transportation means, e.g. personal vehicle arrangements specially adapted for transportation systems in broadcast systems H04H20/62
• 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 21/42684 : 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 21/43615 : 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 21/43637 : involving a wireless protocol, e.g. Bluetooth, RF or wireless LAN [IEEE 802.11] arrangements for wireless networking or broadcasting of information in indoor or near-field type systems H04B10/114
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44222 : Analytics of user selections, e.g. selection of programs or purchase activity monitoring of user selections in data processing systems G06F11/34; arrangements for monitoring the user's behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33
• 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 21/458 : Scheduling content for creating a personalised stream, e.g. by combining a locally stored advertisement with an incoming stream; Updating operations, e.g. for OS modules ; time-related management operations arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast or during the distribution H04H20/10
• 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 21/4751 : for defining user accounts, e.g. accounts for children
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 : communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 : using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• 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 21/6187 : involving transmission via a telephone network, e.g. POTS
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/632 : using a connection between clients on a wide area network, e.g. setting up a peer-to-peer communication via Internet for retrieving video segments from the hard-disk of other client devices broadcast-related systems characterised by transmission among terminal devices H04H60/80; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 : by receiver means only

Abstract

Aspects of the invention provide a method and system for communication of information in a distributed media network. The communication of information in a distributed media network may include automatically transferring one or more of media, data and service to a view of a first media processing system and/or a first personal computer within the distributed media network. The transferred media, data and/or service may be subsequently routed from the view of the first media processing system and/or the first personal computer to a view of a second media processing system and/or a second personal computer. The routed media, data and/or service may be consumed by the second media processing system and/or the second personal computer. A consumption rule, transfer rule and/or routing rule may control consumption, transfer and routing of the media, data and/or service. Transfer and/or routing of the media, data and/or service may be scheduled.

Claims

1. A method for automated routing of media through a media exchange network comprising:

determining when media content becomes available for a first media processing device on the media exchange network, wherein the media exchange network is used to exchange shared media among devices on the media exchange network and wherein the first media processing device is one of the plurality of devices on the media exchange network for exchanging shared media;

utilizing a first pre-defined rule associated with the media exchange network to automatically provide availability of the media content in a first view for viewing on a first display associated with the first media processing device;

utilizing a second pre-defined rule associated with the media exchange network to automatically transfer the media content from the first media processing device to a second media processing device for viewing on a second display associated with the second media processing device, wherein the second pre-defined rule identifies the second media processing device for routing the media content and wherein the second media processing device is also one of the plurality of devices on the media exchange network for exchanging shared media; and

utilizing a scheduled programming of shared media associated with the media exchange network to automatically schedule the media content for viewing on the second display when the media content is made available for consumption by the second media processing device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein when utilizing the scheduled programming, the media content for viewing is scheduled within a program channel established for viewing by the second media processing device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first media processing device controls the program channel established for viewing by the second media processing device.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the first media processing device pushes the media content to the second media processing device as part of the scheduled programming established for the second media processing device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein when determining when the media content becomes available for the first media processing device on the media exchange network, the media content becomes available on a media peripheral coupled to the media exchange network.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first media processing device is a personal computer.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first media processing device is a set top box.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein when utilizing the first pre-defined rule, the availability of the media content in the first view for viewing on the first display is displayed in a device view that identifies the plurality of devices coupled to the media exchange network.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein when utilizing the first pre-defined rule, the availability of the media content in the first view for viewing on the first display is displayed in a media view that identifies a plurality of media content categories available for the scheduled programming.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein when utilizing the first pre-defined rule, the availability of the media content in the first view for viewing on the first display is displayed in a media view that identifies a plurality of content available for the scheduled programming.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the media content is provided by a third party provider via the media exchange network.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the media content is provided by a third party provider via the media exchange network and the first pre-defined rule associated with the media exchange network determines when the media content is provided in the first view for viewing on the first display.

13. A method for automated routing of media through a media exchange network comprising:

establishing a first rule associated with the media exchange network to provide availability of media content on the media exchange network to a first media processing device coupled to the media exchange network, wherein the media exchange network is used to exchange shared media among devices on the media exchange network and wherein the first media processing device is one of the plurality of devices on the media exchange network for exchanging shared media;

establishing a second rule associated with the media exchange network to provide routing of the media content from the first media processing device to a second media processing device coupled to the media exchange network, wherein the second media processing device is also one of the plurality of devices on the media exchange network for exchanging shared media;

establishing a scheduled programming of shared media for the plurality of devices on the media exchange network;

determining when the media content becomes available on the media exchange network for the first media processing device;

utilizing the first rule to automatically provide the media content in a first view for viewing on a first display associated with the first media processing device;

utilizing the second rule to automatically transfer the media content from the first media processing device to the second media processing device for viewing on a second display associated with the second media processing device; and

utilizing the scheduled programming of shared media to automatically schedule the media content for viewing on the second display when the media content is made available for consumption by the second media processing device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein when utilizing the scheduled programming, the media content for viewing is scheduled within a program channel established for viewing by the second media processing device.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the first media processing device controls the program channel established for viewing by the second media processing device.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the first media processing device pushes the media content to the second media processing device as part of the scheduled programming established for the second media processing device.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein when determining when the media content becomes available for the first media processing on the media exchange network, the media content becomes available on a media peripheral coupled to the media exchange network.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the first media processing device is a personal computer.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the first media processing device is a set top box.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein when utilizing the first rule, the availability of the media content in the first view for viewing on the first display is displayed in a device view that identifies the plurality of devices coupled to the media exchange network.

21. The method of claim 13, wherein when utilizing the first rule, the availability of the media content in the first view for viewing on the first display is displayed in a media view that identifies a plurality of media content categories available for the scheduled programming.

22. The method of claim 13, wherein when utilizing the first rule, the availability of the media content in the first view for viewing on the first display is displayed in a media view that identifies a plurality of content available for the scheduled programming.

23. The method of claim 13, wherein the media content is provided by a third party provider via the media exchange network.

24. The method of claim 13, wherein the media content is provided by a third party provider via the media exchange network and the first rule associated with the media exchange network determines when the media content is provided in the first view for viewing on the first display.

25. An apparatus for automated routing of media through a media exchange network comprising:

a media processor to establish a first rule associated with the media exchange network to provide availability of media content for the media processor from a media source coupled to the media exchange network, wherein the media exchange network is used to exchange shared media among devices on the media exchange network and wherein the apparatus is one of the plurality of devices on the media exchange network for exchanging shared media;

the media processor to establish a second rule associated with the media exchange network to provide routing of the media content from the apparatus to a second media processing device coupled to the media exchange network, wherein the second media processing device is also one of the plurality of devices on the media exchange network for exchanging shared media;

the media processor to establish a scheduled programming of shared media for the plurality of devices on the media exchange network;

the media processor to determine when the media content becomes available on the media exchange network for the media processor and in response, to utilize the first rule to automatically provide the media content in a first view for viewing on a first display associated with the apparatus, to utilize the second rule to automatically transfer the media content from the apparatus to the second media processing device for viewing on a second display associated with the second media processing device, and to utilize the scheduled programming of shared media to automatically schedule the media content for viewing on the second display when the media content is made available for consumption by the second media processing device; and

storage coupled to the media processor to store the media content.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the media processor utilizes the scheduled programming to schedule the media content for viewing within a program channel established for viewing by the second media processing device.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the media processor automatically pushes the media content to the second media processing device as part of the scheduled programming of the program channel for the second media processing device.

28. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein when the media processor utilizes the first rule, the availability of the media content in the first view for viewing on the first display is displayed in a device view that identifies the plurality of devices coupled to the media exchange network.

29. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein when the media processor utilizes the first rule, the availability of the media content in the first view for viewing on the first display is displayed in a media view that identifies a plurality of media content categories available for the scheduled programming.

30. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein when the media processor utilizes the first rule, the availability of the media content in the first view for viewing on the first display is displayed in a media view that identifies a plurality of content available for the scheduled programming.

31. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the media source is a third party provider.

32. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the media source is a third party provider and the first rule associated with the media exchange network determines when the media content is provided in the first view for viewing on the first display.