System and method for characterization of purchasable and recordable media (PRM)

• US 8,640,172 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2009
• Issued: 01/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Tech 5 SAS
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rodriguez, Arturo A., Hammett, Geoffrey G., Beebe, Randolph R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kumar, Pankaj
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hicks, Charles N
• Application Number:
  US12/413,686
• Publication Number:
  US 20090183081A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,765 Days
• Field of Search: 725/58, 725/134, 725/142
• US Class Current: 725/58
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23617 by inserting additional data into a data carousel, e.g. inserting software modules into a DVB carousel arrangements for broadcast or for distribution of identical information repeatedly in broadcast distribution systems H04H20/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2385 Channel allocation H04N21/266 takes precedence; Bandwidth allocation H04N21/24 takes precedence ; allocation of channels according to the instantaneous demands of the users in time-division multiplex systems H04J3/1682; admission control, resource allocation in open networks H04L12/5692; arrangements for maintenance or administration in data switching networks involving bandwidth and capacity management H04L41/0896; negotiating bandwidth in wireless networks H04W28/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2542 for selling goods, e.g. TV shopping payment schemes, payment architectures or payment protocols for electronic shopping systems G06Q20/12
• 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 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4349 by extracting from data carousels, e.g. extraction of software modules from a DVB carousel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/443 OS processes, e.g. booting an STB, implementing a Java virtual machine in an STB or power management in an STB
• 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 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/60 Network structure or processes for video distribution between server and client or between remote clients; Control signalling between clients, server and network components; Transmission of management data between server and client , e.g. sending from server to client commands for recording incoming content stream; Communication details between server and client
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6168 involving cable transmission, e.g. using a cable modem
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17336 Handling of requests in head-ends

Abstract

A recordable media content archiving system in a subscriber network. The recordable media content archiving system comprises, among other elements, a memory for storing recordable media content characterizing information, a storage device for storing a plurality of portable mediums, and a processor configured with the memory to receive the recordable media content characterizing information into the memory, wherein the processor is further configured to provide a user interface for the recordable media content archiving system.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving at a client device a purchase acknowledgment that is communicated to a user of the client device, the purchase acknowledgment corresponding to a one-time purchase for indefinite use of an instance of purchasable and recordable media (PRM);

receiving characterization information about the purchased instance; and

providing a graphics user interface (GUI) subsequent to receipt of the purchase acknowledgement and prior to the download on the PRM, the GUI comprising three groups of entries, each group defaulting to an initial entry prior to user selection of an entry, wherein the default initial entries are automatically distinguished from the other entries, the distinguished entries based on the characterization information, wherein a first group of the three groups of entries comprises candidate categories and a second group of the three groups of entries comprises candidate subcategories of the candidate categories and a third group of entries comprises further related candidate media selections, wherein one of the candidates from each group becomes an actual category, an actual subcategory, and an actual media selection upon user selection, and wherein one or more of the candidate categories are candidate categories created by the client and wherein one or more of the candidate categories are candidate subcategories created by the client.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving the instance from a remote server.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein providing the GUI comprises providing at a time prior to receiving the instance at the client device.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein providing the GUI comprises providing at a time after receiving the instance completely.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising transferring the received instance from a primary storage device to a second storage device, the secondary storage device capable of storing removable mediums.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein providing the GUI comprises providing at a time corresponding to the transfer from the primary storage device to the secondary storage device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the candidate categories correspond to content type and the candidate subcategories correspond to genre.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving the instance in encrypted format.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving the instance in compressed format.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the entries is user configurable.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving the instance at the client device, the client device comprising a personal computer, wherein providing comprises providing at a display associated with the personal computer.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising transferring the received instance to a secondary storage device over a home communications network.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the distinguished entry comprises a highlighted border surrounding a text entry.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising a third group of entries corresponding to choice of media corresponding to a secondary storage device, the secondary storage device comprising one or more removable media for storing the purchased instance for indefinite possession, the third group of entries presented concurrently in the GUI along with the two groups of entries.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein an entry in the third group of entries is distinguished based on the entries distinguished in the first and second groups.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein an entry in the third group of entries is distinguished based on user selection.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising receiving and downloading the purchased instance to the secondary storage device corresponding to a selected entry in the third group.

18. A system, comprising:

a memory configured to receive a purchase acknowledgment, the purchase acknowledgment corresponding to a one-time purchase for indefinite use of an instance of purchasable and recordable media (PRM), and further configured to receive characterization information about the purchased instance;

a processor configured to access the characterization information and populate a graphics user interface (GUI) with three groups of entries, a second of the three groups a related subgroup of a first of the three groups each group defaulting to an initial entry prior to user selection of an entry, wherein the default initial entries are distinguished from non-default entries; and

a secondary storage device capable of storing plural portable media, the processor further configured to receive the purchased instance in a portable medium of the secondary storage device corresponding to a selected entry of the third group.

19. A system, comprising:

means for receiving a purchase acknowledgment, the purchase acknowledgment corresponding to a one-time purchase for indefinite use of an instance of purchasable and recordable media (PRM);

means for receiving characterization information about the purchased instance; and

means for providing a graphics user interface (GUI), the GUI comprising two groups of entries, each group defaulting to an initial entry prior to user selection of an entry, wherein the default initial entries are automatically distinguished from the other entries, the distinguished entries based on the characterization information, wherein selection of an entry in one of the two groups causes an entry in the other of the two groups to be highlighted.