Home media network

• US 20090254950A1
• Filed: 06/05/2009
• Published: 10/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Rovi Solutions Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rovi Solutions Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Huang, Song, Freitas, Pedro, Barsoom, Terry, Craigie, Keith, Novaes, Paul, Doornbos, John
• Application Number:
  US12/455,687
• Publication Number:
  US 20090254950A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/80
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2812 describing content present in a home automation network, e.g. audio video content retrieval from the Internet G06F16/95
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• 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 21/441 Acquiring end-user identification , e.g. using personal code sent by the remote control or by inserting a card
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44213 Monitoring of end-user related data arrangements for monitoring the users' behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a method is described. The method includes receiving a request at a control module from a first remote device to access media data from a storage management module and determining that a first user is requesting access to the data based upon a first remote identification (ID). The method further includes opening a second stream between the playback module and the storage management module and receiving the data at the playback module.

Claims

1. A home media network comprising:

a first device configured to acquire and store digital media content;

a transmission medium coupled to the first device; and

a second device coupled to the transmission medium, wherein the second device is configured to control the playback and display of the digital media content.

2. The home media network of claim 1 wherein the second device is configured to determine that a first network user is requesting to access digital media content stored at the first device based upon a first remote identification (ID) corresponding to the first network user.

3. The home media network of claim 2 wherein the second device is configured to determine that a second network user is requesting to access digital media content based upon a second remote identification (ID) corresponding to the second network user.

4. The home media network of claim 2 further comprising a third device coupled to the transmission medium, wherein the third device is configured to determine that the first network user is requesting to access digital media content based upon the first remote ID corresponding to the first network user.

5. The home media network of claim 4 wherein the first, second and third devices are set-top boxes.

6. The home media network of claim 4 wherein the first and second devices are set-top boxes and the third device is a personal digital assistant (PDA).

7. The home media network of claim 4 wherein the first and second devices are set-top boxes and the third device is a personal computer.

8. The home media network of claim 1 further comprising:

a display device coupled to the second device; and

an audio device coupled to the second device.

9. The home media network of claim 8 further comprising:

a device interface coupled to the transmission medium; and

a digital device coupled to the device interface.

10. The home media network of claim 9 wherein the digital device a digital video disk (DVD).

11. The home media network of claim 1 wherein the first device comprises:

a media acquisition module configured to acquire digital media content from a source coupled to an external network; and

a storage management module configured to catalog digital media content received from the media acquisition module.

12. The home media network of claim 11 wherein the storage management module comprises:

an application program interface (API);

a business objects module;

a storage API;

a database API; and

a relational database.

13. The home media network of claim 11 wherein the media acquisition module comprises:

an application program interface (API);

a content acquisition module; and

a code update module.

14. The home media network of claim 11 wherein the first device further comprises:

a media playback module; and

a media control module.

15. The home media network of claim 14 wherein the media playback module comprises:

a frame buffer;

a video decoder;

a video abstraction module;

a media player; and

an application program interface (API).

16. The home media network of claim 14 wherein the first client device further comprises:

an input abstraction module;

a user interface renderer;

remote control input/output (I/O);

an application infrastructure; and

one or more applications.

17. The home media network of claim 1 wherein the second device comprises:

a media playback module; and

a media control module.

18. The home media network of claim 17 wherein the media playback module comprises:

a frame buffer;

a video decoder;

a video abstraction module;

a media player; and

an application program interface (API).

19. The home media network of claim 17 wherein the first client device further comprises:

an input abstraction module;

a user interface renderer;

remote control input/output (I/O);

an application infrastructure; and

one or more applications.

20. A method comprising:

receiving a request at a control module from a first remote device to access media data from a storage management module;

determining at the control module that a first user is requesting access to the data based upon a first remote identification (ID);

opening a data stream between a playback module and the storage management module; and

receiving the data at the playback module.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising processing the request at the control module after the request is received at the control module.

22. The method of claim 20 further comprising:

analyzing the user information at the control module in order to determine whether the first user is to be granted access to the data; and

accessing a database at the storage management module.

23. The method of claim 20 further comprising displaying the data at a display device coupled to the playback module.

24. The method of claim 20 wherein determining that a first user is requesting access to the data based upon a remote ID comprises:

receiving remote control data from the first remote control device;

extracting the first remote ID from the remote control data; and

accessing an index table that correlates the first remote ID with the first user.

25. The method of claim 20 further comprising:

receiving a second request at the control module from a second remote device to access the media data from the storage management module;

determining at the control module that a second user is requesting access to the data based upon a second remote ID;

opening a second data stream between the playback module and the storage management module; and

receiving the data at the playback module.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein determining that a second user is requesting access to the data based upon a remote ID comprises:

receiving remote control data from the second remote control device;

extracting the second remote ID from the remote control data; and

accessing an index table that correlates the second remote ID with the second user.