Content library

• US 8,789,117 B2
• Filed: 08/26/2010
• Issued: 07/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cox Communications Incorporated (Cox Enterprises Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Cox Communications Incorporated (Cox Enterprises Incorporated)
• Inventors: Nijim, Yousef Wasef
• Primary Examiner(s): Kumar, Pankaj
• Assistant Examiner(s): NEWLIN, TIMOTHY R
• Application Number:
  US12/868,801
• Publication Number:
  US 20120054810A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,426 Days
• Field of Search: 725/87, 725/50, 725/53, 725/58, 725/61, 725/46
• US Class Current: 725/87
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23109 by placing content in organized collections, e.g. EPG data repository details of retrieval of video data and associated meta data in video databases G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/258 Client or end-user data management, e.g. managing client capabilities, user preferences or demographics, processing of multiple end-users preferences to derive collaborative data arrangements for services using the result on the distributing side of broadcast systems H04H60/66; profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/278 Content descriptor database or directory service for end-user access details of content or meta data based information retrieval of video data in video databases G06F16/739
• 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 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• 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 21/4828 for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8133 specifically related to the content, e.g. biography of the actors in a movie, detailed information about an article seen in a video program
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8153 comprising still images, e.g. texture, background image

Abstract

A content library may be provided. First, a video on demand content program may be received. Then, video on demand information corresponding to the video on demand content program may be added to a video on demand information list. The video on demand information corresponding to the video on demand content program may be maintained in the video on demand information list after a rental window for the video on demand content program is over.

Claims

1. A method for providing a content library, the method comprising:

transmitting a video on demand content program;

adding video on demand information corresponding to the video on demand content program to a video on demand information list;

maintaining the video on demand information corresponding to the video on demand content program in the video on demand information list after a rental window for the demand content program is over;

receiving a user initiated input corresponding to the video on demand content program;

retrieving, in response to the received user initiated input, the video on demand information corresponding to the video on demand content program from the video on demand information list; and

displaying the retrieved video on demand information, wherein displaying the retrieved video on demand information comprises;

determining that the video on demand information does not comprise a poster corresponding to the video on demand content program, and

displaying a title of the video on demand content program in a place where the poster corresponding to the video on demand content program would have been displayed if the video on demand information had included the poster corresponding to the video on demand content program.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein adding the video on demand information corresponding to the video on demand content program to the video on demand information list comprises adding the video on demand information corresponding to the video on demand content program to the video on demand information list after the video on demand content program has been fully viewed.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein adding the video on demand information corresponding to the video on demand content program to the video on demand information list comprises adding the video on demand information corresponding to the video on demand content program to the video on demand information list after the video on demand content program has been rented.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein adding the video on demand information corresponding to the video on demand content program to the video on demand information list comprises adding the video on demand information corresponding to the video on demand content program to the video on demand information list comprising two sub-lists comprising a first sub-list for movies and programs and a second sub-list for music videos.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein adding the video on demand information comprises adding the video on demand information comprising at least one of the following:

a title of the video on demand content program, a rating of the video on demand content program, a year the video on demand content program was released, a cast of the video on demand content program, and a crew of the video on demand content program.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising offering to rent the video on demand content program again when it becomes available.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising offering the video on demand content program for purchase when it becomes available.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising editing the video on demand information list in response to user initiated inputs received from a user device.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising editing the video on demand information list in response to user initiated inputs received from a user from one or more of the following devices controlled by the user:

a set-top box, a computer, and a mobile device.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising sorting the video on demand information by at least one of the following:

release date, alphabetical title, actor, genre, rating, and category in response to user initiated input.

11. A system for a content library, the system comprising:

a memory storage; and

a processing unit coupled to the memory storage, wherein the processing unit is operative to;

transmit a video on demand content program;

add video on demand information corresponding to the video on demand content program to a video on demand information list;

maintain the video on demand information corresponding to the video on demand content program in the video on demand information list;

receive a user initiated input corresponding to the video on demand content program;

retrieve, in response to the received user initiated input, the video on demand information corresponding to the video on demand content program from the video on demand information list; and

display the retrieved video on demand information, wherein the processing unit being operative to display the retrieved video on demand information comprises the processing unit being operative to;

determine that the video on demand information does not comprise a poster corresponding to the video on demand content program, and

display a title of the video on demand content program in a place where the poster corresponding to the video on demand content program would have been displayed if the video on demand information had included the poster corresponding to the video on demand content program.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the processing unit being operative to add the video on demand information corresponding to the video on demand content program to the video on demand information list comprises the processing unit being operative to add the video on demand information corresponding to the video on demand content program to the video on demand information list after the video on demand content program has been fully viewed.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the processing unit being operative to add the video on demand information corresponding to the video on demand content program to the video on demand information list comprises the processing unit being operative to add the video on demand information corresponding to the video on demand content program to the video on demand information list after the video on demand content program has been rented.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the processing unit being operative to add the video on demand information corresponding to the video on demand content program to the video on demand information list comprises the processing unit being operative to add the video on demand information corresponding to the video on demand content program to the video on demand information list comprising two sub-lists comprising a first sub-list for movies and programs and a second sub-list for music videos.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the processing unit being operative to add the video on demand information comprises the processing unit being operative to add the video on demand information comprising at least one of the following:

a title of the video on demand content program, a rating of the video on demand content program, a year the video on demand content program was released, a cast of the video on demand content program, and a crew of the video on demand content program.

16. The system of claim 11, further comprising the processing unit being operative to offer to rent the video on demand content program again when it becomes available.

17. The system of claim 11, further comprising the processing unit being operative to offer the video on demand content program for purchase when it becomes available.

18. The system of claim 11, further comprising the processing unit being operative to edit the video on demand information list in response to user initiated inputs received from a user device.

19. The system of claim 11, further comprising the processing unit being operative to edit the video on demand information list in response to user initiated inputs received from a user from one or more of the following devices controlled by the user:

a set-top box, a computer, and a mobile device.

20. The system of claim 11, further comprising the processing unit being operative to sort the video on demand information by at least one of the following:

release date, alphabetical title, actor, genre, rating, and category in response to user initiated input.