Systems and methods for providing storage of data on servers in an on-demand media delivery system

• US 9,462,317 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2014
• Issued: 10/04/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Thomas, William L., Ellis, Michael D., Easterbrook, Kevin B., Reichardt, M. Scott, Knee, Robert A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lonsberry, Hunter B
• Application Number:
  US14/559,781
• Publication Number:
  US 20150089534A1
• Time in Patent Office: 671 Days
• Field of Search: 725/87, 725/91, 725/97
• 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: 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: H04N 21/2187 Live feed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2541 Rights Management protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10; security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25825 involving client display capabilities, e.g. screen resolution of a mobile phone optimising the visualisation of content during browsing in the Internet G06F16/9577; processing of terminal status or physical abilities in wireless networks H04W8/22; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• 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 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; 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 21/26283 for associating distribution time parameters to content, e.g. to generate electronic program guide data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2743 Video hosting of uploaded data from client
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2747 Remote storage of video programs received via the downstream path, e.g. from the server
• 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 21/4122 additional display device, e.g. video projector digital output for controlling a plurality of local displays G06F3/1423
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/441 Acquiring end-user identification , e.g. using personal code sent by the remote control or by inserting a card
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4627 Rights management associated to the content security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47217 : for controlling playback functions for recorded or on-demand content, e.g. using progress bars, mode or play-point indicators or bookmarks specific graphical features in visual interfaces H04N21/4312
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4751 : for defining user accounts, e.g. accounts for children
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4753 : for user identification, e.g. by entering a PIN or password cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4755 : for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 : End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 : using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4828 : for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6587 : Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/445 : for displaying additional information H04N5/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 : Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 : between a recording apparatus and a 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 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17336 : Handling of requests in head-ends
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8042 : involving data reduction

Abstract

A system and method may be provided that allows users to store, retrieve, and manipulate on-demand media content and data stored on a remote server network in an on-demand media delivery system. More particularly, the system may allow a user to access his or her on-demand media account from user equipment in different locations as long as the current user equipment can communicate with a remote server that stores user-specific information. The system upon user selection may freeze the delivery of on-demand media at a particular point and allow the user to resume the media at a later time from some other network location in system. Users may upload personal images or files to an on-demand delivery server for later retrieval and display. Users may be permitted to assign access rights to the uploaded files.

Claims

1. A media content delivery method comprising:

determining, at a media-on-demand server, that a first user is logged in at a first user equipment of a plurality of user equipment;

receiving, at the media-on-demand server, user-specific content uploaded by the first user while logged in at the first user equipment;

determining, at the media-on-demand server, that a second user who is different from the first user is logged in at a second user equipment of the plurality of user equipment;

receiving a search request from the second user, while the second user is logged in at the second user equipment of the plurality of user equipment, for files associated with the first user;

based on receiving the search request, triggering delivery from the media-on-demand server, of audio-visual content to the second user while the second user is logged in at the second user equipment of the plurality of user equipment, wherein the delivered audio-visual content includes the user-specific content received by the media-on-demand server; and

generating for display, to the second user while the second user is logged in at the second user equipment, a visual representation of the user-specific content included with the delivered audio-visual content.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, at the media-on-demand server, a specified external device at the second user equipment, for the delivering of the audio-visual content.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the user-specific content includes at least one of user-specific data or account information, user-specific audio-visual media, user-specific activity information, and user-specific preferences.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the visual representation is a textual representation.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the visual representation indicates that the user-specific content is associated with the first user.

6. A non-transitory machine-readable media for aggregating media in a media system, the machine-readable media comprising machine-readable instructions encoded thereon, comprising:

instructions to determine, at a media-on-demand server, that a first user is logged in at a first user equipment of a plurality of user equipment;

instructions to receive, at the media-on-demand server, user-specific content uploaded by the first user while logged in at the first user equipment;

instructions to determine, at the media-on-demand server, that a second user who is different from the first user is logged in at a second user equipment of the plurality of user equipment;

instructions to receive a search request from the second user, while the second user is logged in at the second user equipment of the plurality of user equipment, for files associated with the first user;

instructions to, based on receiving the search request, trigger delivery from the media-on-demand server, of audio-visual content to the second user while the second user is logged in at the second user equipment of the plurality of user equipment, wherein the delivered audio-visual content includes the user-specific content received by the media-on-demand server; and

instructions to generate for display, to the second user while the second user is logged in the second user equipment, a visual representation of the user-specific content.

7. The non-transitory machine-readable media of claim 6, wherein the instructions further comprise:

instructions to determine, at the media-on-demand server, a specified external device at the second user equipment, to deliver the audio-visual content.

8. The non-transitory machine-readable media of claim 6, wherein the user-specific content includes at least one of user-specific data or account information, user-specific audio-visual media, user-specific activity information, and user-specific preferences.

9. The non-transitory machine-readable media of claim 6, wherein the visual representation is a textual representation.

10. The non-transitory machine-readable media of claim 6, wherein the visual representation indicates that the user-specific content is associated with the first user.

11. A media content delivery system comprising:

a plurality of user equipment; and

a media-on-demand server,

wherein the media-on-demand server is configured to

determine that a first user is logged in at a first user equipment of the plurality of user equipment,

receive user-specific content uploaded at the first user equipment of the plurality of user equipment by the first user while logged in at the first user equipment,

determine that a second user who is different from the first user is logged in at a second user equipment of the plurality of user equipment,

receive a search request from the second user, while the second user is logged in at the second user equipment of the plurality of user equipment, for files associated with the first user,

based on receiving the search request, trigger delivery of audio-visual content to the second user while the second user is logged in at the second user equipment of the plurality of user equipment wherein the delivered audio-visual content includes the user-specific content received by the media-on-demand server, and

generate for display, to the second user while the second user is logged in at the second user equipment, a visual representation of the user-specific content included with the delivered audio-visual content.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the media-on-demand server is further configured to determine a specified external device at each user equipment, for the delivering of the audio-visual content.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the user-specific content includes at least one of user-specific data or account information, user-specific audio-visual media, user-specific activity information, and user-specific preferences.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the visual representation is a textual representation.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the visual representation indicates that the user-specific content is associated with the first user.