Method and apparatus for secure transfer of previously broadcasted content

• US 9,258,592 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2005
• Issued: 02/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TiVo Solutions Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: TiVo Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: van Stam, Wijnand
• Primary Examiner(s): SCHNURR, JOHN R
• Application Number:
  US11/285,411
• Publication Number:
  US 20060127039A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,732 Days
• Field of Search: 386/94, 725/86, 725/44, 725/32, 725/34, 709/225, 709/223, 709/240, 713/193, 705/26
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 of previously broadcasted content enables the secure transfer of previously broadcasted content between DVRs on a computer network.

Claims

1. A method for providing secure transfer of previously broadcast content comprising:

receiving, at a service provider, a request from a multimedia playback device to retrieve previously broadcasted content;

validating the request at the service provider by determining, based on a unique identifier assigned to the multimedia playback device and a subscription type for the multimedia playback device, that the multimedia playback device is authorized to retrieve the previously broadcasted content;

determining that the requested previously broadcasted content is located on a plurality of multimedia devices;

creating a pool of multimedia devices based on information regarding the plurality of multimedia devices;

initiating, at the service provider, a transfer of the previously broadcasted content from one or more multimedia devices in the pool of multimedia devices to the multimedia playback device, the initiating step includes sending a message, by the service provider, to one or more multimedia devices in the pool of multimedia devices to transfer at least a portion of the requested previously broadcasted content to the multimedia playback device, the service provider performing load balancing among the one or more multimedia devices in the pool of multimedia devices to dynamically adjust transfer of portions of the requested previously broadcasted content by reassigning transfer of a sub-portion of a portion of the requested previously broadcasted content, that was assigned to a first multimedia device in the pool of multimedia devices and has not completed being transferred, from the first multimedia device to a second multimedia device in the pool of multimedia devices when bandwidth of the first multimedia device becomes low during transfer of the portion of the requested previously broadcasted content assigned to the first multimedia device, the sub-portion comprising less than the portion of the requested previously broadcasted content; and

receiving, by the service provider, notification from the multimedia playback device of completion of transferal of the previously broadcasted content.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the validating step further comprises:

determining that the previously broadcasted content is permitted to be transferred.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining that the previously broadcasted content requires payment from a user; and

deducting the payment from the owner'"'"'s account.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein each device in the pool of multimedia devices encrypts its assigned portion of the previously broadcasted content before transferring the assigned portion to the multimedia playback device.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving, at the multimedia playback device, a plurality of portions of the requested previously broadcasted content;

combining the plurality of portions to create a digital data stream representing the requested previously broadcasted multimedia content; and

storing the digital data stream on at least one storage device at the multimedia playback device.

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

sending a transfer request to the multimedia playback device instructing the multimedia playback device to request at least a portion of the requested multimedia content from one or more multimedia devices in the pool of multimedia devices.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the transfer request includes a listing of each multimedia device in the pool of multimedia devices.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more devices includes one or more multimedia playback devices located outside of the requesting multimedia playback device'"'"'s local network.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the one or more devices includes one or more content servers located outside of the requesting multimedia playback device'"'"'s local network.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the creating step further comprises:

selecting one or more of the multimedia devices that are not already in a pool of multimedia devices for inclusion in the pool of multimedia devices.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the creating step further comprises:

selecting one or more multimedia devices that exceed a minimum bandwidth threshold for transfer of data across a network for inclusion in the pool of multimedia devices.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the unique identifier assigned to the multimedia playback device is a serial number of the multimedia playback device.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the unique identifier assigned to the multimedia playback device is a Media Access Control (MAC) address of the multimedia playback device.

14. A system for providing secure transfer of previously broadcasted content, comprising:

a multimedia playback device;

a service provider;

a computer network coupled to the multimedia playback device and the service provider;

wherein the multimedia playback device communicates with the service provider to request previously broadcasted content;

wherein the service provider authorizes the request for previously broadcasted content from the multimedia playback device by determining, based on a unique identifier assigned to the multimedia playback device and a subscription type for the multimedia playback device, that the multimedia playback device is authorized to retrieve the previously broadcasted content;

wherein the service provider generates a multimedia device pool comprising a plurality of multimedia devices coupled to the computer network that have the requested previously broadcasted content stored locally;

wherein the service provider initiates a transfer of the previously broadcasted content from one or more multimedia devices in the multimedia device pool to the multimedia playback device by sending a message, from the service provider, to one or more multimedia devices in the pool of multimedia devices to transfer at least a portion of the requested previously broadcasted content to the multimedia playback device, the service provider performs load balancing among the one or more multimedia devices in the pool of multimedia devices to dynamically adjust transfer of portions of the requested previously broadcasted content by reassigning transfer of a sub-portion of a portion of the requested previously broadcasted content, that was assigned to a first multimedia device in the pool of multimedia devices and has not completed being transferred, from the first multimedia device to a second multimedia device in the pool of multimedia devices when bandwidth of the first multimedia device becomes low during transfer of the portion of the requested previously broadcasted content assigned to the first multimedia device, the sub-portion comprising less than the portion of the requested previously broadcasted content; and

wherein the service provider receives notification from the multimedia playback device of completion of transferal of the previously broadcasted content.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the unique identifier assigned to the multimedia playback device is a serial number of the multimedia playback device.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the unique identifier assigned to the multimedia playback device is a Media Access Control (MAC) address of the multimedia playback device.

17. An apparatus for providing secure transfer of previously broadcast content comprising:

a subsystem, implemented at least partially in hardware, at a service provider, that receives a request from a multimedia playback device to retrieve previously broadcasted content;

a subsystem, implemented at least partially in hardware, that validates the request at the service provider, further comprising a logic for determining, based on a unique identifier assigned to the multimedia playback device and a subscription type for the multimedia playback device, that the multimedia playback device is authorized to retrieve the previously broadcasted content;

a subsystem, implemented at least partially in hardware, that determines that the requested previously broadcasted content is located on a plurality of multimedia devices;

a subsystem, implemented at least partially in hardware, that creates a pool of multimedia devices based on information regarding the plurality of multimedia devices;

a subsystem, implemented at least partially in hardware, at the service provider, that initiates a transfer of the previously broadcasted content from one or more multimedia devices in the pool of devices to the multimedia playback device, the logic for initiating further comprises a logic for sending a message, by the service provider, to one or more multimedia devices in the pool of multimedia devices to transfer at least a portion of the requested previously broadcasted content to the multimedia playback device, the logic for initiating further comprises a logic for performing load balancing among the one or more multimedia devices in the pool of multimedia devices to dynamically adjust transfer of portions of the requested previously broadcasted content by reassigning transfer of a sub-portion of a portion of the requested previously broadcasted content, that was assigned to a first multimedia device in the pool of multimedia devices and has not completed being transferred, from the first multimedia device to a second multimedia device in the pool of multimedia devices when bandwidth of the first multimedia device becomes low during transfer of the portion of the requested previously broadcasted content assigned to the first multimedia device, the sub-portion comprising less than the portion of the requested previously broadcasted content; and

a subsystem, implemented at least partially in hardware, at the service provider, that receives notification from the multimedia playback device of completion of transferal of the previously broadcasted content.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the logic for validating the request further comprises:

a subsystem, implemented at least partially in hardware, that determines that the previously broadcasted content is permitted to be transferred.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising:

a subsystem, implemented at least partially in hardware, that determines that the previously broadcasted content requires payment from a user; and

a logic for deducting the payment from the owner'"'"'s account.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein each device in the pool of multimedia devices encrypts its assigned portion of the previously broadcasted content before transferring the assigned portion to the multimedia playback device.

21. The apparatus of claim 17 further comprising:

a subsystem, implemented at least partially in hardware, at the multimedia playback device, that receives a plurality of portions of the requested previously broadcasted content;

a subsystem, implemented at least partially in hardware, that combines the plurality of portions to create a digital data stream representing the requested previously broadcasted multimedia content; and

a subsystem, implemented at least partially in hardware, that stores the digital data stream on at least one storage device at the multimedia playback device.

22. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the logic for initiating further comprises:

a subsystem, implemented at least partially in hardware, that sends a transfer request to the multimedia playback device instructing the multimedia playback device to request at least a portion of the requested multimedia content from one or more multimedia devices in the pool of multimedia devices.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the transfer request includes a listing of each multimedia device in the pool of multimedia devices.

24. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the one or more multimedia devices includes one or more multimedia playback devices located outside of the requesting multimedia playback device'"'"'s local network.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the one or more multimedia devices includes one or more content servers located outside of the requesting multimedia playback device'"'"'s local network.

26. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the logic for creating further comprises:

a subsystem, implemented at least partially in hardware, that selects one or more of the multimedia devices that are not already in a pool of multimedia devices for inclusion in the pool of multimedia devices.

27. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the creating subsystem further comprises:

a subsystem, implemented at least partially in hardware, that selects one or more multimedia devices that exceed a minimum bandwidth threshold for transfer of data across a network for inclusion in the pool of multimedia devices.

28. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the unique identifier assigned to the multimedia playback device is a serial number of the multimedia playback device.

29. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the unique identifier assigned to the multimedia playback device is a Media Access Control (MAC) address of the multimedia playback device.

30. An non-transitory computer-readable medium storing one or more sequences of instructions for providing secure transfer and playback of multimedia content, which instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to carry out:

receiving, at a service provider, a request from a multimedia playback device to retrieve previously broadcasted content;

validating the request at the service provider by determining, based on a unique identifier assigned to the multimedia playback device and a subscription type for the multimedia playback device, that the multimedia playback device is authorized to retrieve the previously broadcasted content;

determining that the requested previously broadcasted content is located on a plurality of multimedia devices;

creating a pool of multimedia devices based on information regarding the plurality of multimedia devices;

initiating, at the service provider, a transfer of the previously broadcasted content from one or more multimedia devices in the pool of multimedia devices to the multimedia playback device, the initiating step includes sending a message, by the service provider, to one or more multimedia devices in the pool of multimedia devices to transfer at least a portion of the requested previously broadcasted content to the multimedia playback device, the service provider performing load balancing among the one or more multimedia devices in the pool of multimedia devices to dynamically adjust transfer of portions of the requested previously broadcasted content by reassigning transfer of a sub-portion of a portion of the requested previously broadcasted content, that was assigned to a first multimedia device in the pool of multimedia devices and has not completed being transferred, from the first multimedia device to a second multimedia device in the pool of multimedia devices when bandwidth of the first multimedia device becomes low during transfer of the portion of the requested previously broadcasted content assigned to the first multimedia device, the sub-portion comprising less than the portion of the requested previously broadcasted content; and

receiving, by the service provider, notification from the multimedia playback device of completion of transferal of the previously broadcasted content.

31. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 30, wherein the validating step further comprises:

determining that the previously broadcasted content is permitted to be transferred.

32. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 31, further comprising instructions for:

determining that the previously broadcasted content requires payment from a user; and

deducting the payment from the owner'"'"'s account.

33. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 30, wherein each multimedia device in the pool of multimedia devices encrypts its assigned portion of the previously broadcasted content before transferring the assigned portion to the multimedia playback device.

34. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 30 further comprising instructions for:

receiving, at the multimedia playback device, a plurality of portions of the requested previously broadcasted content;

combining the plurality of portions to create a digital data stream representing the requested previously broadcasted multimedia content; and

storing the digital data stream on at least one storage device at the multimedia playback device.

35. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 30, wherein the initiating step further comprises:

sending a transfer request to the multimedia playback device instructing the multimedia playback device to request at least a portion of the requested multimedia content from one or more multimedia devices in the pool of multimedia devices.

36. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 35, wherein the transfer request includes a listing of each multimedia device in the pool of multimedia devices.

37. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 30, wherein the one or more multimedia devices includes one or more multimedia playback devices located outside of the requesting multimedia playback device'"'"'s local network.

38. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 37, wherein the one or more multimedia devices includes one or more content servers located outside of the requesting multimedia playback device'"'"'s local network.

39. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 30, wherein the creating step further comprises:

selecting one or more of the multimedia devices that are not already in a pool of multimedia devices for inclusion in the pool of multimedia devices.

40. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 30, wherein the creating step further comprises:

selecting one or more multimedia devices that exceed a minimum bandwidth threshold for transfer of data across a network for inclusion in the pool of multimedia devices.

41. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 30, wherein the unique identifier assigned to the multimedia playback device is a serial number of the multimedia playback device.

42. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 30, wherein the unique identifier assigned to the multimedia playback device is a Media Access Control (MAC) address of the multimedia playback device.