Personal content server apparatus and methods
First Claim
1. A personal content distribution system, comprising:
- a first network for distribution of first programming content to a first device at a first location;
a personal content server operatively communicating with said first network; and
a second network in data communication with said content server and adapted to receive a request to access said first programming content from a second device at a second location remote from said first location;
wherein said personal content server is operative to;
identify the existence of a relationship between at least one of;
(i) said first device and said second device; and
(ii) said first location and said second location; and
based at least in part on said identification, providing access to said first programming content to said second device.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Personal content server apparatus and associated methods that allow a user (e.g., cable or satellite network subscriber) to access content, such as a video program, from a location outside the subscriber'"'"'s network. In one embodiment, a personal content server streams the content to the subscriber over a network connection from the local e.g., (subscription) network to a remote network upon authorization by a content manager process. Various access, business or operational rules are applied depending on the content and delivery mode; e.g., to live video broadcast, video-on-demand (VOD), or archived content from the subscriber'"'"'s digital video recorder (DVR) or networked PVR. Secondary content (e.g., promotions, advertisements, etc.) can also be selectively replaced if desired in order to make the remotely delivered content more appropriate to the remote user'"'"'s context.
193 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A personal content distribution system, comprising:
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a first network for distribution of first programming content to a first device at a first location; a personal content server operatively communicating with said first network; and a second network in data communication with said content server and adapted to receive a request to access said first programming content from a second device at a second location remote from said first location; wherein said personal content server is operative to; identify the existence of a relationship between at least one of;
(i) said first device and said second device; and
(ii) said first location and said second location; andbased at least in part on said identification, providing access to said first programming content to said second device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A client device architecture adapted for delivery of content over a network, comprising:
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a server disposed substantially within a content distribution network and adapted to serve content requests from a plurality of first client devices within said content distribution network, and a plurality of second client devices in a remote network in data communication with said content distribution network; a content source in data communication with said server for providing programming content thereto; and a management process in operative communication with said server, said management process being adapted to evaluate content access requests from said plurality of second client devices; wherein said evaluation of said content requests comprises; at least identifying prior or contemporaneous subscriber selections of said requested programming content made by individual ones of said plurality of first client devices via said content distribution network; and based at least in part on said identifying, selectively serving said content access requests from individual ones of said plurality of second client devices having a relationship to said individual ones of said plurality of first client devices in order to deliver said requested programming content thereto.
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17. Server apparatus adapted for use in a content distribution network, comprising:
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a storage device; a processor in data communication with said storage device and adapted to run at least one computer program thereon, at least a portion of said at least one program being stored in said storage device; a first network interface in data communication with said content distribution network; a second network interface in data communication with a remote network; and a data interface in data communication with a content source; wherein said at least one computer program is adapted to; receive a request for access to content from a remote client device in data communication with said remote network via said second network interface; evaluate said request against data relating to a subscriber'"'"'s operating history or status at a client device within said content distribution network; and based at least in part on said evaluation, determine whether or not to grant said requested access to said content to said remote client device. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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19. A non-transitory computer readable apparatus comprising at least one computer program, said computer program comprising a plurality of instructions which are configured to, when executed:
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receive a request for access to content from a remote client device, said remote client device being in data communication with a remote network; evaluate said request to identify the existence of a relationship between at least one of;
(i) said remote device and a second device within a content delivery network, and/or (ii) a status or history of operation of a subscriber associated with at least one of said remote device and said second device; andbased at least in part on said evaluation, determine whether or not to grant said requested access to said content to said remote client device. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification