Digital media device having media content transfer capability

• US 7,978,720 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2006
• Issued: 07/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tech 5 SAS
• Original Assignee: Scientific-Atlanta LLC (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Stallings, Christopher L., Russ, Samuel H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sheikh; Ayaz R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sloms; Nicholas
• Application Number:
  US11/428,365
• Publication Number:
  US 20080002951A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,838 Days
• Field of Search: 370/419, 370/401
• US Class Current: 370/419
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/10 Digital recording or reproducing
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2516 Hard disks
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/40 Combinations of multiple record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• 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 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4367 Establishing a secure communication between the client and a peripheral device or smart card
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4408 involving video stream encryption, e.g. re-encrypting a decrypted video stream for redistribution in a home network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/781 on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/85 on discs or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/907 using static stores, e.g. storage tubes or semiconductor memories H04N5/91 takes precedence

Abstract

Systems and methods for media content transfer are described. One exemplary embodiment of a method for transferring content from a first digital video recorder (DVR) set-top to a second DVR set-top includes recording instances of media content to a first storage medium located internal to a housing of the first DVR set-top and receiving an indication that the instances of media content stored to the first storage medium are to be made available for playback using the second DVR set-top. One exemplary method further includes, in response to receiving the indication that the instances of media content stored to the first storage medium are to be made available for playback using the second DVR set-top, providing the instances of media content to the second DVR set-top over a communication interface of the second DVR set-top, the communication interface accessible from an external port of the second DVR set-top.

Claims

1. A method for transferring media content from a first digital video recorder (DVR) set-top to a second DVR set-top comprising:

recording instances of media content to a first storage medium located internal to a housing of the first DVR set-top;

storing a plurality of catalog data comprising at least one logical data management rule associated with each of the instances of media content, wherein the logical data management rule comprises a retention rule for determining which of the instances of media content can be deleted at a particular opportunity;

wherein the particular opportunity comprises an instant after the media content is transferred from the first DVR set-top to the external storage device, and after the particular opportunity, the media content is deleted from the first DVR set-top;

receiving an indication that the instances of media content stored to the first storage medium are to be made available for playback using the second DVR set-top, wherein the indication is triggered by the detection of a connection of an external storage device to the first DVR set-top;

removing the first storage medium from the housing of the first DVR set-top;

installing the first storage medium into the external storage device;

communicatively coupling the external storage device to the external port of the second DVR set-top; and

in response to receiving the indication that the instances of media content stored to the first storage medium are to be made available for playback using the second DVR set-top, transferring the instances of media content and the associated catalog data from the external storage device to the second DVR set-top over a communication interface of the second DVR set-top, the communication interface accessible from the external port of the second DVR set-top; and

wherein the communication interface of the second DVR set-top is a high-speed communication bus; and

wherein the indication that the instances of media content stored to the first storage medium are to be made available for playback using the second DVR set-top is received in response to a user selection via a graphical user interface; and

wherein providing the media content stored to the second storage medium comprises providing access to the instances of media content using at least one of a keying scheme or a trans-encryption scheme; and

wherein the media content is encrypted by the first DVR set-top using a control key for each instance of media content; and

wherein the content key is encrypted by a secure element of the first DVR set-top with a second key; and

wherein the content key is provided from the first DVR set-top to the second DVR set-top by re-encrypting the content key using an encryption key that is capable of being decrypted by the second DVR set-top.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein recording instances of the media content further comprises recording the media content from two medial signal sources.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the two medial signal sources are a CATV system and an over-the-air antenna.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the indication that the instances of media content stored to the first storage medium are to be made available for playback using the second DVR set-top is a detection of the connection to the external storage device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the detection of the external storage device is conditioned upon the external storage device including files or logic readable by the first DVR indicating that the external device is to be used for transferring the media content.

2. A system for transferring media content, the system comprising:

a first digital video recorder (DVR) set top;

a second DVR set top coupled to the first DVR set top;

the first DVR set top configured to record instances of media content to a first storage medium located internal to a housing of the first DVR set-top, wherein the first storage medium is removable from the housing of the first DVR set-top and installable into an external storage device;

the first DVR set top configured to store a plurality of catalog data comprising at least one logical data management rule associated with each of the instances of media content, wherein the logical data management rule comprises a retention rule for determining which of the instances of media content can be deleted at a particular opportunity;

wherein the particular opportunity comprises an instant after the media content is transferred from the first DVR set-top to the external storage device, and after the particular opportunity, the media content is deleted from the first DVR set-top;

the first DVR set top configured to receive an indication that the instances of media content stored to the first storage medium are to be made available for playback using the second DVR set-top, wherein the indication is triggered by the detection of a connection of the external storage device to the first DVR set-top;

the second DVR set top configured to communicatively couple the external storage device having the first storage medium installed therein to an external port of the second DVR set-top; and

the first DVR set top configured to, at a time after coupling the external storage device to the second DVR set-top and in response to receiving the indication that the instances of media content stored to the first storage medium are to be made available for playback using the second DVR set-top, provide the instances of media content and the associated catalog data from the first storage medium to the second DVR set-top over a communication interface of the second DVR set-top, the communication interface accessible from the external port of the second DVR set-top; and

wherein the external storage device is configured to write to a second storage medium and the external storage device further comprising;

logic configured to transfer the instances of media content to the second storage medium by reading the media content from the first storage medium and writing the media content, using the external storage device, to the second storage medium; and

logic configured to provide the instances of media content stored to the second storage medium over the communication interface of the second DVR set-top at a time after coupling the external storage device to the external port of the second DVR set-top;

wherein the communication interface of the second DVR set-top is a high-speed communication bus; and

wherein the indication that the instances of media content stored to the first storage medium are to be made available for playback using the second DVR set-top is received in response to a user selection via a graphical user interface; and

wherein providing the media content stored to the second storage medium comprises providing access to the instances of media content using at least one of a keying scheme or a trans-encryption scheme; and

wherein the media content is encrypted by the first DVR set-top using a control key for each instance of media content; and

wherein the content key is encrypted by a secure element of the first DVR set-top with a second key; and

wherein the content key is provided from the first DVR set-top to the second DVR set-top by re-encrypting the content key using an encryption key that is capable of being decrypted by the second DVR set-top.

7. The system of claim 2, wherein the detection of the connection of the external storage device to the first DVR set-top is conditioned upon the external storage device including files or logic readable by the first DVR indicating that the external device is to be used for transferring the media content.

8. The system of claim 2, wherein recording instances of media content to the first storage medium located internal to the housing of the first DVR set-top further comprises recording the media content from two medial signal sources.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the two medial signal sources are a CATV system and an over-the-air antenna.