Method and apparatus for secure transfer and playback of multimedia content

• US 8,667,546 B2
• Filed: 02/18/2011
• Issued: 03/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TiVo Solutions Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: TiVo Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Van Hoff, Arthur, Barton, James
• Primary Examiner(s): SCHNURR, JOHN R
• Application Number:
  US13/031,043
• Publication Number:
  US 20110135271A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,110 Days
• Field of Search: 725/74, 725/78, 725/80, 725/81, 725/82, 725/85, 725/86, 725/91, 725/93, 725/100, 725/105, 725/109, 725/110, 725/114, 725/115, 725/116, 725/131, 725/134
• US Class Current: 725/109
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/32 on separate auxiliary tracks of the same or an auxiliary record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2112 using still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2005/91335 the copy protection signal being a watermark
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2005/91364 the video signal being scrambled
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/21 Server components or server architectures
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2343 involving reformatting operations of video signals for distribution or compliance with end-user requests or end-user device requirements video transcoding H04N19/40; media packet handling at the source H04L65/762
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2393 involving handling client requests scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• 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 21/25816 involving client authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4112 having fewer capabilities than the client, e.g. thin client having less processing power or no tuning capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4122 additional display device, e.g. video projector digital output for controlling a plurality of local displays G06F3/1423
• 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 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4143 embedded in a Personal Computer [PC]
• 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 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4314 for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 : Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• 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 21/43622 : Interfacing an external recording device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4367 : Establishing a secure communication between the client and a peripheral device or smart card
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/440236 : by media transcoding, e.g. video is transformed into a slideshow of still pictures, audio is converted into text
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4405 : involving video stream decryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4408 : involving video stream encryption, e.g. re-encrypting a decrypted video stream for redistribution in a home network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44204 : Monitoring of content usage, e.g. the number of times a movie has been viewed, copied or the amount which has been watched monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; protecting generic digital content where the protection is independent of the precise nature of the content G06F21/10; arrangements for monitoring the use made of the broadcast services in broadcast systems H04H60/31
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/454 : Content or additional data filtering, e.g. blocking advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/472 : End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4722 : for requesting additional data associated with the content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 : Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47815 : Electronic shopping payment schemes, payment architectures or payment protocols for electronic shopping systems G06Q20/12
• 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 21/482 : End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• 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 21/632 : 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 21/6543 : for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording remote booting in general G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 : involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/858 : Linking data to content, e.g. by linking an URL to a video object, by creating a hotspot
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 : Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 : Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 : between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/7755 : the recorder being connected to, or coupled with, the antenna of the television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/781 : on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/85 : on discs or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/913 : for scrambling ; for copy protection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/95 : Time-base error compensation H04N5/932 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/088 : the inserted signal being digital
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/173 : with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17309 : Transmission or handling of upstream communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8042 : involving data reduction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8205 : involving the multiplexing of an additional signal and the colour video signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/83 : the recorded chrominance signal occupying a frequency band under the frequency band of the recorded brightness signal

Abstract

A method and apparatus for secure transfer and playback of multimedia content enables the secure transfer of multimedia content from a digital video recorder (DVR) to a personal computer (PC) and further to a handheld device. A DVR determines which devices on a Local Area Network (LAN) are authorized to share and/or retrieve content from the DVR. The DVR receives a connection request from a PC on the LAN, authorizes the connection request and establishes a secure connection between the DVR and the PC. Once the secure connection is established, the DVR receives a request for multimedia content from the PC, prepares the multimedia content for transfer and transfers the multimedia content to the PC.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

establishing a connection between a Digital Video Recorder (DVR) and a personal computer (PC);

receiving, at the DVR, a request for multimedia content from the PC, the multimedia content having been recorded by the DVR, the request for multimedia content having been sent from the PC in response to the PC receiving a message from a service provider, the message instructing the PC to send the request for the multimedia content;

retrieving, at the DVR, the requested multimedia content recorded by the DVR from at least one storage device connected to the DVR, wherein the requested multimedia content is stored in a first format;

converting, at the DVR, the first format of the multimedia content recorded by the DVR into a second format of the multimedia content, wherein the first format is a different format than the second format and the second format is a computer-readable format; and

sending the second format of the multimedia content from the DVR to the PC.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the message from the service provider is sent to the PC after the service provider determines that the requested multimedia content is stored on the at least one storage device connected to the DVR.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

retrieving, at the DVR, the requested multimedia content from a content server; and

storing the requested multimedia content on the at least one storage device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, at the DVR, advertising content from the service provider; and

sending the advertising content from the DVR to the PC in association with the multimedia content.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the message from the service provider is sent to the PC after the service provider receives a remote request to transfer multimedia content;

and wherein the remote request to transfer multimedia content is sent from a portable device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the converting step further comprises:

attaching additional data to the second format of the multimedia content, wherein the additional data includes information pertaining to the multimedia content, the information including one or more of;

user license information for the multimedia content, origin information for the multimedia content, or a watermark.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein one or both of the first format and the second format of the multimedia content is a Motion Pictures Expert Group (MPEG) format.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of encrypting the second format of the multimedia content at the DVR.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the DVR recording the multimedia content from video broadcast signals received from one or more tuners.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the DVR sending, to the service provider, data indicating a plurality of multimedia contents stored or scheduled to be stored in the at least one storage device, the plurality of multimedia contents including the requested multimedia content;

wherein the message from the service provider is sent by the service provider in response to the service provider receiving input, from a device other than the PC or the DVR, selecting the requested multimedia content from the plurality of multimedia contents.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, at the DVR, an indication that one or more particular multimedia devices are authorized for sharing multimedia content with the DVR;

identifying, at the DVR, the PC as one of the one or more particular multimedia devices.

12. A method comprising:

establishing a connection between a PC and a DVR;

receiving, at the PC, a message from a service provider, the message instructing the PC to request specific multimedia content from the DVR;

in response to receiving the message from the service provider, the PC requesting the specific multimedia content from the DVR, the multimedia content having been recorded by the DVR;

receiving, at the PC, the requested specific multimedia content from the DVR, wherein the DVR converts the requested specific multimedia content recorded by the DVR from a first format to a digital data stream.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the digital data stream is in a MPEG format.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving user input identifying the particular DVR as an authorized DVR.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

formatting the received multimedia content for playback by a portable device; and

transferring the formatted multimedia content to a portable device.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the message from the service provider is sent by the service provider in response to the service provider receiving input, from a device other than the PC or the DVR, selecting the specific multimedia content from a plurality of multimedia content that is stored or scheduled to be stored at the DVR.

17. A method comprising:

establishing a connection between a DVR and a PC;

receiving, at the DVR, a request for multimedia content from the PC, the request for multimedia content having been sent from the PC in response to the PC receiving a message from a service provider, the message instructing the PC to send the request for the multimedia content;

retrieving, at the DVR, the requested multimedia content from at least one storage device at the DVR, wherein the requested multimedia content is stored in a first format;

sending a digital data stream in the first format of the multimedia content from the DVR to the PC;

receiving, at the PC, the digital data stream in the first format of the multimedia content; and

converting, at the PC, the digital data stream in the first format of the multimedia content into a second format of the multimedia content, wherein the first format is a different format than the second format and the second format is a computer-readable format.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein one or both of the first format and the second format is a MPEG format.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

formatting the received multimedia content for playback by a portable device; and

transferring the formatted multimedia content to a portable device.

20. An apparatus comprising:

a subsystem, implemented at least partially by hardware, configured to establish a connection between a Digital Video Recorder (DVR) and a personal computer (PC);

a subsystem, implemented at least partially by hardware, configured to receive, at the DVR, a request for multimedia content from the PC, the multimedia content having been recorded by the DVR, the request for multimedia content having been sent from the PC in response to the PC receiving a message from a service provider, the message instructing the PC to send the request for the multimedia content;

a subsystem, implemented at least partially by hardware, configured to retrieve, at the DVR, the requested multimedia content recorded by the DVR from at least one storage device connected to the DVR, wherein the requested multimedia content is stored in a first format;

a subsystem, implemented at least partially by hardware, configured to convert, at the DVR, the first format of the multimedia content recorded by the DVR into a second format of the multimedia content, wherein the first format is a different format than the second format and the second format is a computer-readable format; and

a subsystem, implemented at least partially by hardware, configured to send the second format of the multimedia content from the DVR to the PC.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising:

a subsystem configured to retrieve, at the DVR, the requested multimedia content from a content server; and

a subsystem configured to store the requested multimedia content on the at least one storage device.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising:

a subsystem configured to receive, at the DVR, advertising content from the service provider; and

a subsystem configured to send the advertising content from the DVR to the PC in association with the multimedia content.

23. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the message from the service provider is sent to the PC after the service provider receives a remote request to transfer multimedia content;

and wherein the remote request to transfer multimedia content is sent from a portable device.

24. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the converting a subsystem attaches additional data to the second format of the multimedia content, wherein the additional data includes information pertaining to the multimedia content, the information including one or more of:

user license information for the multimedia content, origin information for the multimedia content, or a watermark.

25. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein one or both of the first format and the second format of the multimedia content is a Motion Pictures Expert Group (MPEG) format.

26. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising a subsystem configured to encrypt the second format of the multimedia content at the DVR.

27. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising:

a tuning subsystem that is configured to receive video broadcast signals from one or more of an antenna, cable television, or satellite system; and

a subsystem configured to record the multimedia content from the video broadcast signals received via the tuning subsystem.

28. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising:

a subsystem configured to send, to the service provider, data indicating a plurality of multimedia contents stored or scheduled to be stored in the at least one storage device, the plurality of multimedia contents including the requested multimedia content;

wherein the message from the service provider is sent by the service provider in response to the service provider receiving input, from a device other than the PC or the DVR, selecting the requested multimedia content from the plurality of multimedia contents.

29. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising:

a subsystem configured to receive, at the DVR, an indication that one or more particular multimedia devices are authorized for sharing multimedia content with the DVR;

a subsystem configured to identify, at the DVR, the PC as one of the one or more particular multimedia devices.

30. An apparatus comprising:

a subsystem, implemented at least partially by hardware, configured to establish a connection between a PC and a DVR;

a subsystem, implemented at least partially by hardware, configured to receive, at the PC, a message from a service provider, the message instructing the PC to request specific multimedia content from the DVR;

a subsystem, implemented at least partially by hardware, configured to, in response to receiving the message from the service provider, request the specific multimedia content from the DVR, the multimedia content having been recorded by the DVR;

a subsystem, implemented at least partially by hardware, configured to receive, at the PC, the requested specific multimedia content from the DVR, wherein the DVR converts the requested specific multimedia content recorded by the DVR from a first format to a digital data stream.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the digital data stream is in a MPEG format.

32. The apparatus of claim 30, further comprising:

a subsystem configured to receive user input identifying the particular DVR as an authorized DVR.

33. The apparatus of claim 30, further comprising:

a subsystem configured to format the received multimedia content for playback by a portable device; and

a subsystem configured to transfer the formatted multimedia content to a portable device.

34. A system comprising:

a DVR;

a PC;

a network connecting the DVR to the PC;

wherein the DVR is configured to receive a request for multimedia content from the PC, the request for multimedia content having been sent from the PC in response to the PC receiving a message from a service provider, the message instructing the PC to send the request for the multimedia content;

wherein the DVR is further configured to retrieve the requested multimedia content from at least one storage device at the DVR, wherein the requested multimedia content is stored in a first format;

wherein the DVR is further configured to send a digital data stream in the first format of the multimedia content from the DVR to the PC;

wherein the PC is configured to receive the digital data stream in the first format of the multimedia content; and

wherein the PC is further configured to convert the digital data stream in the first format of the multimedia content into a second format of the multimedia content, wherein the first format is a different format than the second format and the second format is a computer-readable format.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein one or both of the first format and the second format is a MPEG format.

36. The system of claim 34:

wherein the PC is further configured to format the received multimedia content for playback by a portable device; and

wherein the PC is configured to transfer the formatted multimedia content to a portable device.

37. One or more non-transitory storage media storing instructions that, when executed by one or more computing devices, causes performance of:

establishing a connection between a Digital Video Recorder (DVR) and a personal computer (PC);

receiving, at the DVR, a request for multimedia content from the PC, the multimedia content having been recorded by the DVR, the request for multimedia content having been sent from the PC in response to the PC receiving a message from a service provider, the message instructing the PC to send the request for the multimedia content;

retrieving, at the DVR, the requested multimedia content recorded by the DVR from at least one storage device connected to the DVR, wherein the requested multimedia content is stored in a first format;

converting, at the DVR, the first format of the multimedia content recorded by the DVR into a second format of the multimedia content, wherein the first format is a different format than the second format and the second format is a computer-readable format; and

sending the second format of the multimedia content from the DVR to the PC.

38. The one or more non-transitory storage media of claim 37, wherein the message from the service provider is sent to the PC after the service provider determines that the requested multimedia content is stored on the at least one storage device connected to the DVR.

39. The one or more non-transitory storage media of claim 37, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more computing devices, further cause performance of:

retrieving, at the DVR, the requested multimedia content from a content server; and

storing the requested multimedia content on the at least one storage device.

40. The one or more non-transitory storage media of claim 37, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more computing devices, further cause performance of:

receiving, at the DVR, advertising content from the service provider; and

sending the advertising content from the DVR to the PC in association with the multimedia content.

41. The one or more non-transitory storage media of claim 37, wherein the message from the service provider is sent to the PC after the service provider receives a remote request to transfer multimedia content;

and wherein the remote request to transfer multimedia content is sent from a portable device.

42. The one or more non-transitory storage media of claim 37, wherein the converting step further comprises:

attaching additional data to the second format of the multimedia content, wherein the additional data includes information pertaining to the multimedia content, the information including one or more of;

user license information for the multimedia content, origin information for the multimedia content, or a watermark.

43. The one or more non-transitory storage media of claim 37, wherein one or both of the first format and the second format of the multimedia content is a Motion Pictures Expert Group (MPEG) format.

44. The one or more non-transitory storage media of claim 37, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more computing devices, further cause performance of the step of encrypting the second format of the multimedia content at the DVR.

45. The one or more non-transitory storage media of claim 37, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more computing devices, further cause performance of the DVR recording the multimedia content from video broadcast signals received from one or more tuners.

46. The one or more non-transitory storage media of claim 37, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more computing devices, further cause performance of:

the DVR sending, to the service provider, data indicating a plurality of multimedia contents stored or scheduled to be stored in the at least one storage device, the plurality of multimedia contents including the requested multimedia content;

wherein the message from the service provider is sent by the service provider in response to the service provider receiving input, from a device other than the PC or the DVR, selecting the requested multimedia content from the plurality of multimedia contents.

47. The one or more non-transitory storage media of claim 37, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more computing devices, further cause performance of:

receiving, at the DVR, an indication that one or more particular multimedia devices are authorized for sharing multimedia content with the DVR;

identifying, at the DVR, the PC as one of the one or more particular multimedia devices.

48. One or more non-transitory storage media storing instructions that, when executed by one or more computing devices, causes performance of:

establishing a connection between a PC and a DVR;

receiving, at the PC, a message from a service provider, the message instructing the PC to request specific multimedia content from the DVR;

in response to receiving the message from the service provider, the PC requesting the specific multimedia content from the DVR, the multimedia content having been recorded by the DVR;

receiving, at the PC, the requested specific multimedia content from the DVR, wherein the DVR converts the requested specific multimedia content recorded by the DVR from a first format to a digital data stream.

49. The one or more non-transitory storage media of claim 48, wherein the digital data stream is in a MPEG format.

50. The one or more non-transitory storage media of claim 48, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more computing devices, further cause performance of:

receiving user input identifying the particular DVR as an authorized DVR.

51. The one or more non-transitory storage media of claim 48, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more computing devices, further cause performance of:

formatting the received multimedia content for playback by a portable device; and

transferring the formatted multimedia content to a portable device.

52. The one or more non-transitory storage media of claim 48, wherein the message from the service provider is sent by the service provider in response to the service provider receiving input, from a device other than the PC or the DVR, selecting the specific multimedia content from a plurality of multimedia content that is stored or scheduled to be stored at the DVR.

53. One or more non-transitory storage media storing instructions that, when executed by one or more computing devices, causes performance of:

establishing a connection between the DVR and the PC;

receiving, at the DVR, a request for multimedia content from the PC, the request for multimedia content having been sent from the PC in response to the PC receiving a message from a service provider, the message instructing the PC to send the request for the multimedia content;

retrieving, at the DVR, the requested multimedia content from at least one storage device at the DVR, wherein the requested multimedia content is stored in a first format;

sending a digital data stream in the first format of the multimedia content from the DVR to the PC;

receiving, at the PC, the digital data stream in the first format of the multimedia content; and

converting, at the PC, the digital data stream in the first format of the multimedia content into a second format of the multimedia content, wherein the first format is a different format than the second format and the second format is a computer-readable format.

54. The one or more non-transitory storage media of claim 53, wherein one or both of the first format and the second format is a MPEG format.

55. The one or more non-transitory storage media of claim 53, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more computing devices, further cause performance of:

formatting the received multimedia content for playback by a portable device; and

transferring the formatted multimedia content to a portable device.