Service and method for providing a single point of access for multiple providers' video and audio content

• US 7,925,593 B2
• Filed: 05/28/2009
• Issued: 04/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Knapp Investment Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Robert S. Davidson
• Inventors: Davidson, Robert Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): Elisca, Pierre E
• Application Number:
  US12/473,465
• Publication Number:
  US 20090240693A1
• Time in Patent Office: 684 Days
• Field of Search: 705/64, 705/67, 705/72, 705/75, 705/76
• US Class Current: 705/76
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3821 Electronic credentials
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/401 Transaction verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4012 Verifying personal identification numbers [PIN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2225 Local VOD servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2665 Gathering content from different sources, e.g. Internet and satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2743 Video hosting of uploaded data from client
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• 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 21/4722 for requesting additional data associated with the content
• 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 21/4828 for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A method that uses a computer network to provide a single point of access between a plurality of video & audio devices and a plurality of video & audio content provider systems. The present invention is a method for providing a searchable, aggregated directory view of available video & audio content from multiple content providers as well as additional services such as content renting. The present invention includes a method for identifying users as subscribers of content providers'"'"' memberships.

Claims

1. A method of exposing a single aggregated data structure containing a list of available video and audio content from a plurality of content providers and for tracking requested content from multiple content providers in a separate list of requested content, comprising:

receiving a first request for available video and audio content from a player device;

receiving a pre-determined data structure containing a list of available video and audio content from each of said plurality of content providers;

storing each said list of available video and audio content into a computer-based repository of available video and audio content; and

returning said single aggregated data structure containing a list of available video and audio content to said player device in response to said first request;

receiving a second request to access said content from a player device;

storing requested said content in said separate list of requested content;

ascertaining a predetermined content identifier within said second request; and

storing said predetermined content identifier with said separate list of requested content.

2. The method of claim 1, said receiving said second request further comprising:

ascertaining a predetermined player device identifier within said request;

storing said predetermined player device identifier with said separate list of requested content.

3. The method of claim 1, said receiving said second request further comprising:

ascertaining a predetermined user identifier within said request;

storing said predetermined user identifier with said separate list of requested content.

4. The method of claim 1, said receiving said request further comprising:

ascertaining a predetermined content provider identifier within said request;

storing said predetermined content provider identifier with said separate list of requested content.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising exposing said separate list of requested content.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

receiving a third request for said separate list of requested content from a player device;

returning said separate list of requested content to said player device in response to said request.

7. The method of claim 6, said receiving said third request further comprising:

ascertaining a predetermined filter criteria within said third request.

8. The method of claim 7, said receiving said third request further comprising:

matching said predetermined filter criteria against said separate list of requested content.