Mechanism for distributing content data

• US 8,166,511 B2
• Filed: 10/19/2006
• Issued: 04/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Resource Consortium Limited, LLC
• Original Assignee: Resource Consortium Limited
• Inventors: Griggs, Theodore L.
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, NGOC K
• Application Number:
  US11/584,399
• Publication Number:
  US 20070174873A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,014 Days
• Field of Search: 725 46- 47, 725109-110, 725/112, 725/115, 725/118, 725/133, 725/141, 725/144, 725/148, 725/153
• US Class Current: 725/114
• 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 21/25841 involving the geographical location of the client retrieval from the Internet by querying based on geographical locations G06F16/9537; arrangements for identifying locations of receiving stations in broadcast systems H04H60/51; location of the user terminal in data switching networks H04L67/52; services making use of the location of users or terminals in wireless networks H04W4/02; locating users or terminals in wireless networks H04W64/00
• 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 21/4524 involving the geographical location of the client retrieval from the Internet by querying based on geographical locations G06F16/9537; systems specially adapted for using geographical information in broadcast systems H04H60/70; protocols in which the network application is adapted for the location of the user terminal in communication control or processing H04L67/52; services making use of the location of users or terminals in wireless networks H04W4/02; locating users or terminals in wireless networks H04W64/00
• 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 21/472 End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612
• 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 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

The current invention provides a system for distributing content data to user locations. The content data preferably includes digital video data that is available on demand from a requesting location. A system server stores user accounts and generated customized program schedules for the user account based on user criteria which includes user preferences. Authorized users access their accounts to modify user criteria and to select program transmissions. Preferably, a computer and a television set receive program transmissions from a system network, wherein the computer provides a logical interface between the television set and content data transmitted over the system network.

Claims

1. A method for distributing a digital video program from at least one content provider to at least one receiver communicatively coupled to a network, said method comprising:

receiving user preference data comprising user identification information, one or more preferred program types, user billing information, and a device indicator;

determining a plurality of digital video programs available for transmission over the network;

generating a customized programming schedule comprising program schedule listings for a subset of the digital video programs selected based on the preferred program types and the device indicator;

receiving a remote log-in request to access a user account, said log-in request being received over the Internet via a separate device;

granting access to the user account via the Internet;

selecting the customized programming schedule from a plurality of customized programming schedules based on a determination that the separate device corresponds to the device indicator;

transmitting, to the separate device, display data for displaying the customized programming schedule;

receiving, from the separate device, a selection signal for selecting one of the plurality of digital video programs;

automatically updating the user preference data based on the selected digital video program;

attempting to bill the user account for the selected digital video program using a determined cost associated with the selected digital video program and user billing information; and

routing the selected digital video program to at least one receiver if the user account was successfully billed for the selected digital video program.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one receiver includes a storage medium, said method further comprising configuring the at least one receiver to record the selected digital video program.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one receiver is configured to receive the selected digital video program at a designated time, the designated time corresponding to a time when the digital video program is made available by a content provider.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, from the separate device, a request to browse through additional program schedule listings, wherein each additional program listing is associated with an additional digital video program not included in the subset of the digital video programs; and

transmitting, to the separate device, display data for displaying the additional program schedule listings.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising routing the selected digital video program from a content provider to at least one additional receiver distinct from the at least one receiver.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein generating a customized programming schedule comprising a subset of the digital video programs selected based on the preferred program types comprises:

determining one or more weighting factors based on the preferred program types.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein generating a customized programming schedule comprising a subset of the digital video programs selected based on the preferred program types further comprises:

determine a priority value for each of the digital video programs based on the weighting factors; and

selecting one or more high priority digital video programs for inclusion in the subset by comparing the priority value of each digital video program with a threshold value.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating an updated customized programming schedule based on the updated user preference data, wherein the updated customized programming schedule comprises one or more digital video program not included in the customized programming schedule.

9. A method for distributing a digital video program from at least one content provider to one of a plurality of receivers communicatively coupled to a network, said method comprising:

receiving user preference data comprising user identification information, one or more preferred program types, user billing information associated, and a device indicator;

determining a plurality of digital video programs available for transmission over the network;

generating a customized programming schedule comprising program schedule listings for a subset of the digital video programs selected based on the preferred program types and the device indicator;

receiving a remote log-in request to access a user account, said log-in request being received over the Internet via a separate device;

granting access to the user account via the Internet;

selecting the customized programming schedule from a plurality of customized programming schedules based on a determination that the separate device corresponds to the device indicator;

transmitting, to the separate device, display data for displaying the customized programming schedule;

receiving, from the separate device, a selection signal for selecting one of the plurality of digital video programs;

automatically updating the user preference data based on the selected digital video program;

receiving, from the separate device, a designation signal for designating a primary receiver and a secondary receiver from the plurality of receivers;

attempting to bill the user account for the selected digital video program using a determined cost associated with the selected digital video program and the user billing information; and

routing the selected digital video program to the primary receiver and the secondary receiver if the user was successfully billed for the selected digital video program.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said secondary receiver includes a storage medium, said method further comprising the step of configuring the secondary receiver to record the selected digital video program.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the secondary receiver is configured to receive the selected digital video program at a designated time, the designated time corresponding to a time when the digital video program is made available by a content provider.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising the steps of:

receiving, from the separate device, a request to browse through additional program schedule listings, wherein each additional program listing is associated with an additional digital video program not included in the subset of the digital video programs; and

transmitting, to the separate device, display data for displaying the additional program schedule listings.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

automatically updating the user preference data based on the designation of the primary receiver and secondary receiver.

14. A system for distributing a digital video program to a receiver, said system comprising:

a first receiver communicatively coupled to a network and configurable to receive a plurality of digital video programs from at least one content provider;

a second receiver communicatively coupled to the network and configurable to receive user preference data comprising a user identification information, one or more preferred program types, user billing information, and a device indicator; and

a server communicatively coupled to the network, said server comprising;

means for selecting subset of the digital video programs selected based on the preferred program types,

means for providing a customized programming schedule in response to receiving the user preference data, said customized programming schedule being associated with the device indicator and listing the subset of digital video programs,

means for receiving a remote log-in request to access a user account, said log-in request being received over the Internet via a separate device,

means for granting access to the user account via the Internet,

means for selecting the customized programming schedule from a plurality of customized programming schedules based on a determination that the separate device corresponds to the device indicator,

means for transmitting, to the separate device, display data for displaying the programming schedule,

means for receiving, from the separate device, a selection signal for selecting one of the plurality of digital video programs,

means for updating the user preference data based on the selection of the one of the plurality of digital video programs,

means for billing the user account for the selected digital video program using a determined cost associated with the selected digital video program and the user billing information, and

means for routing the selected digital video program to at least one of a first receiver and a second receiver if the user account was successfully billed for the selected digital video program.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein said first receiver includes a storage medium, and wherein said system server further comprises means for configuring the first receiver to record the selected digital video program.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein said means for configuring the first receiver configures the first receiver to receive the selected digital video program at a designated time, the designated time corresponding to a time when the digital video program is made available by a content provider.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the server further comprises:

means for receiving, from the separate device, a request to browse through listings for a plurality of additional digital video programs not included in the subset of digital video programs, and

means for transmitting, to the separate device, display data for displaying a listing of the plurality of additional digital video programs.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein said first receiver and said second receiver are operatively coupled via a private network.

19. A server for distributing a digital video program from at least one content provider to at least one of a plurality of receivers communicatively coupled to a network, said server comprising:

means for determining a plurality of digital video programs available for transmission over the network;

means for providing a customized programming schedule in response to receiving user preference data, said customized programming schedule associated with a device indicator and comprising program schedule listings for a subset of the digital video programs selected based on the user preference data, and said user preference data comprising user identification information, one or more preferred program types, user billing information, and the device indicator;

means for receiving a remote log-in request to access a user account, said log-in request being received over the Internet via a separate device;

means for granting access to the user account via the Internet;

means for selecting the customized programming schedule from a plurality of customized programming schedules based on a determination that the separate device corresponds to the device indicator;

means for transmitting, to the separate device, display data for displaying the customized programming schedule;

means for receiving, from the separate device, a selection signal for selecting one of the plurality of digital video programs;

means for automatically updating the user preference data based on the selection of the digital video program means for determining a cost associated with the digital video program;

means for billing the user account for the digital video program using the determined cost and the user billing information; and

means for routing the selected digital video program to at least one of a first receiver and a second receiver if the user account was successfully billed for the selected digital video program.

20. The server of claim 19, wherein said first receiver includes a storage medium, and wherein said system server further comprises means for configuring the first receiver to record the selected digital video program.

21. The server of claim 19, wherein said means for configuring the first receiver configures the first receiver to receive the selected digital video program at a designated time, the designated time corresponding to a time when the digital video program is made available by a content provider.

22. The server of claim 19, further comprising:

means for receiving, from the separate device, a request to browse through additional program schedule listings, wherein each additional program listing is associated with an additional digital video program not included in the subset of the digital video programs, and

means for transmitting, to the separate device, display data for displaying the additional program schedule listings.

23. The server of claim 19, further comprising means for routing the selected digital video program from a content provider to the first receiver.

24. The server of claim 19, wherein said first receiver and said second receiver are operatively coupled via a private network.