Video distribution system

• US 20060195548A1
• Filed: 02/09/2006
• Published: 08/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ochoa Optics LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Ochoa Optics LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Hunter, Charles Eric, Sparks, Kelly C., Hebrank, John H., Ballou, Bernard L. Jr.
• Application Number:
  US11/351,724
• Publication Number:
  US 20060195548A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/123 Shopping for digital content
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/1235 with control of digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2529 Mini-discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2545 CDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2562 DVDs [digital versatile discs]; Digital video discs; MMCDs; HDCDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/41 Flat as opposed to hierarchical combination, e.g. library of tapes or discs, CD changer, or groups of record carriers that together store one title
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/031 Electronic editing of digitised analogue information signals, e.g. audio or video signals
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/06 Arrangements for scheduling broadcast services or broadcast-related services
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/22 per use
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/27 Arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/46 for recognising users' preferences
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2005/91335 the copy protection signal being a watermark
• 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 21/262 Content or additional data distribution scheduling, e.g. sending additional data at off-peak times, updating software modules, calculating the carousel transmission frequency, delaying a video stream transmission, generating play-lists scheduling strategies for dispatcher in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/4881; arrangements for scheduling broadcast services or broadcast-related services H04H60/06; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; establishing a time schedule or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/62
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42646 for reading from or writing on a non-volatile solid state storage medium, e.g. DVD, CD-ROM
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4325 by playing back content from the storage medium reproduction of recorded television signals H04N5/76; reproduction of recorded television signals H04N9/79
• 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 21/4351 : involving reassembling additional data, e.g. rebuilding an executable program from recovered modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44008 : involving operations for analysing video streams, e.g. detecting features or characteristics in the video stream arrangements characterised by components specially adapted for monitoring, identification or recognition of video in broadcast systems H04H60/59
• 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 21/443 : OS processes, e.g. booting an STB, implementing a Java virtual machine in an STB or power management in an STB
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 : Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• 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 21/47202 : 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 21/4821 : using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4825 : using a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlists
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6143 : involving transmission via a satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/63345 : by transmitting keys key distribution for secret or secure communication H04L9/08; network support of key management H04L63/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8106 : involving special audio data, e.g. different tracks for different languages
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8355 : involving usage data, e.g. number of copies or viewings allowed
• 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 5/781 : on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 : on tape
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/85 : on discs or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/907 : using static stores, e.g. storage tubes or semiconductor memories H04N5/91 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/165 : Centralised control of user terminal subsequent to an upstream request signal H04N7/17345; Registering at central by two-way working H04N7/17309
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17354 : in an intermediate station common to a plurality of user terminals

Abstract

The invention relates to video distribution systems and, more particularly, to a system that blanket transmits video/audio content such as movies (for example, via satellite downlink transmission) to each customer'"'"'s recording, storage and playback system. Customers may preselect from a list of available movies or other content in advance using an interactive screen selector, and pay for the video/audio content that is actually viewed.

Claims

1. A method of distributing digital data content to a consumer comprising:

transmitting a plurality of the digital data content to the consumer;

permitting the consumer to preselect desired digital data content from the plurality of digital data content received at a consumer location;

permitting the consumer to create a copy of any of the preselected digital data content to a removable storage medium; and

transmitting digital data content information from the consumer to a remote location to verify that a preselected digital data content has been copied to the removable storage medium and displayed therefrom, wherein the removable storage medium is a CD which is read with a laser having a wavelength shorter than about 530 nM.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the removable storage medium is a CD which is read with a laser having a wavelength about 410 nM.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the laser is formed using a wide band gap material.

4. A method of distributing digital data content to a consumer comprising:

transmitting a plurality of the digital data content to the consumer;

automatically selecting desired digital data content from the plurality of digital data content according to a predetermined criteria for storage on a removable storage medium;

permitting the consumer to create a copy of any of the selected digital data content to a removable storage medium; and

transmitting digital data content information from the consumer to a remote location to verify that a selected digital data-content has been copied to the removable storage medium and displayed therefrom, wherein the removable storage medium is a CD which is read with a laser having a wavelength shorter than about 530 nM.

5. A method of distributing digital data content to a consumer comprising:

transmitting a plurality of the digital data content to the consumer;

automatically selecting desired digital data content from the plurality of digital data content according to a predetermined criteria for storage on a removable storage medium;

permitting the consumer to create a copy of any of the selected digital data content to a removable storage medium; and

transmitting digital data content information from the consumer to a remote location to verify that a selected digital data content has been copied to the removable storage medium and displayed therefrom, wherein the removable storage medium is a CD or DVD and wherein the removable storage medium is a CD which is read with a laser having a wavelength about 410 nM.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the laser is formed using a wide band gap material.

7. A system for distributing digital data content to a consumer comprising:

first transmitter, configured to transmit a plurality of the digital data content to the consumer;

a receiver configured to receive the plurality of digital data content and permitting the consumer to preselect desired digital data content from the plurality of digital data content received at a consumer location;

a removable storage memory for storage of the preselected digital data content;

a playback device for permitting the consumer to display any of the preselected digital data content from the removable storage memory; and

second transmitter, configured to transmit digital data content displaying information from the consumer to a remote location to verify that a preselected digital data content has been copied to the removable storage medium and displayed therefrom, wherein the removable storage memory is a CD which is read with a laser having a wavelength shorter than about 530 nM.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the removable storage memory is a CD which is read with a laser having a wavelength about 410 nM.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the laser is formed using a wide band gap material.

10. A system for distributing digital data content to a consumer comprising:

a first transmitter, configured to transmit a plurality of the digital data content to the consumer;

a a receiver configured to receive the plurality of digital data content and automatically selecting desired digital data content from the plurality of digital data content according to a predetermined criteria;

a removable storage memory for storage of the selected digital data content;

a playback device for permitting the consumer to display any of the selected digital data content from the removable storage memory; and

a second transmitter, configured to transmit digital data content displaying information from the consumer to a remote location to verify that a selected digital data content has been copied to the removable storage medium and displayed therefrom, wherein the removable storage memory is a CD which is read with a laser having a wavelength shorter than about 530 nM.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the removable storage memory is a CD which is read with a laser having a wavelength about 410 nM.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the laser is formed using a wide band gap material.

13. A user station for displaying digital data content, the user station comprising:

a a receiver configured to receive a transmission of a plurality of digital data content;

a removable storage memory; and

a selection mechanism configured to inform the user of the plurality of digital data content received, for selecting from the plurality of digital data content for storage in the removable storage memory, and for selecting from the digital data content stored in the removable storage memory for display, wherein the removable storage memory is a CD which is read with a laser having a wavelength shorter than about 530 nM.

14. The user station of claim 13, wherein the removable storage memory is a CD which is read with a laser having a wavelength about 410 nM.

15. The user station of claim 13, wherein the laser is formed using a wide band gap material.

16. A user station for displaying digital data content, the user station comprising:

a receiver for receiving a transmission of a plurality of digital data content;

a removable storage memory;

an automatic selection mechanism configured to automatically select from the plurality of digital data content for storage in the removable storage memory; and

a selection mechanism configured to inform-the user of the digital data content automatically selected and for selecting from the digital data content stored in the removable storage memory for display, wherein the removable storage memory is a CD which is read with a laser having a wavelength shorter than about 530 nM.

17. The user station of claim 16, wherein the removable storage memory is a CD which is read with a laser having a wavelength about 410 nM.

18. The user station of claim 16, wherein the laser is formed using a wide band gap material.

19. A storage medium having at least one track having data stored thereon in the form of pit and land lengths and a track pitch, the data having been stored by a process comprising writing the pits and land lengths with a laser having a wavelength shorter than about 530 nM.

20. The storage medium of claim 19, wherein laser has a wavelength about 410 nM.

21. The storage medium of claim 20, wherein the track pitch is about 0.84 uM.

22. A device for writing to a storage medium, the storage medium having at least one track having data stored thereon in the form of pit and land lengths and a track pitch, the device comprising a laser for writing the pits and land lengths having a wavelength shorter than about 530 nM.

23. A device for reading data from a storage medium, the storage medium having at least one track having data stored thereon in the form of pit and land lengths and a track pitch, the device comprising a laser for reading the pits and land lengths having a wavelength shorter than about 530 nM.