Network video unit

• US 8,875,198 B1
• Filed: 08/09/2002
• Issued: 10/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DIRECTV, LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Goodwin, Mark D., Shaffer, Ted
• Primary Examiner(s): Flynn, Nathan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Parra, Omar S
• Application Number:
  US10/215,904
• Time in Patent Office: 4,463 Days
• Field of Search: 725/39, 725/98
• US Class Current: 725/87
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/60 Scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests, e.g. requests for application data transmissions using the analysis and optimisation of the required network resources admission control or resource allocation H04L47/70
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25 Management operations performed by the server for facilitating the content distribution or administrating data related to end-users or client devices, e.g. end-user or client device authentication, learning user preferences for recommending movies maintenance or administration in data networks H04L41/00
• 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 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42684 Client identification by a unique number or address, e.g. serial number, MAC address, socket ID network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming H04L61/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/441 Acquiring end-user identification , e.g. using personal code sent by the remote control or by inserting a card
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/458 Scheduling content for creating a personalised stream, e.g. by combining a locally stored advertisement with an incoming stream; Updating operations, e.g. for OS modules ; time-related management operations arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast or during the distribution H04H20/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72

Abstract

Providing content to content receiving devices, such as digital video recorders, connected to a computer network through a content provider is described. According to one aspect, a server maintains a database correlating contact information to content receiving devices in its network. A user navigates to a web site of the content provider and selects a piece of content, which prompts the content provider to query the server for the contact information, and then transmit a request to download the piece of content to the content receiving device. The request can be a set of content identification information that automatically populates a content guide at the receiving device with an entry corresponding to the requested piece of content. This entry allows the user to confirm, interrupt, resume and cancel a download of the content as desired.

Claims

1. A method for using a computer network to transmit selected content from a content provider device, the method comprising:

receiving, by the content provider device, a unique identifier of a digital video recording device (DVR);

registering, by the content provider device, the DVR wherein registering the DVR includes providing, by the content provider device, a login name and password to a user of the DVR;

storing, by the content provider device, the unique identifier of the DVR;

transmitting, by the content provider device to a server device over the computer network, the unique identifier of the DVR, wherein the server device maintains contact information associated with the DVR, wherein the contact information includes a first network address and first port of the DVR;

receiving, by the content provider device from a browser-enabled computing device separate from the DVR after registering the DVR, the login name and password associated with the user of the DVR and a request for the selected content, wherein the content provider device connects to the server device by the computer network,

transmitting, by the content provider device to the server device over the computer network after the content provider device receives the login name and password associated with the user of the DVR and the request for the selected content from the browser-enabled computing device, the unique identifier of the DVR;

receiving, by the content provider device from the server device in response to the content provider device transmitting the unique identifier of the DVR to the server device, the contact information identifying the first network address and first port of the DVR; and

transmitting, by the content provider device over the computer network, the selected content to the first network address and first port of the DVR.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting, by the content provider device to the DVR prior to the content provider device transmitting the selected content to the first network address and first port of the DVR, a request to download the selected content to the DVR; and

receiving, by the content provider device, confirmation from the DVR to download the selected content.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the request to download the selected content contains information used to automatically populate a content guide at the DVR with an entry that identifies the selected content.

4. The method of claim 3,

wherein the entry that identifies the selected content is designated to a category having a category name that corresponds to the content provider device,

wherein the content guide includes a category area and a content area, and

wherein the entry appears in the content area when the category name is selected from the category area.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the category name is one of a plurality of approved category names corresponding to approved content providers that are periodically provided to the DVR.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the entry includes a visual indication of the extent of a completion of the download of the selected content to the DVR.

7. The method of claim 2,

wherein the request to download the selected content to the DVR comprises data that identifies a size of the selected content and that causes the DVR to allocate storage for the selected content, and

wherein, prior to the content provider device transmitting the selected content to the first network address and first port of the DVR, the method further comprises:

the content provider device communicating with the DVR to schedule downloading of the selected content to the DVR.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected content is a video program.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the unique identifier comprises a serial number that matches a serial number located on a label on a housing of the DVR.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the unique identifier comprises a unique Internet Serial Number of the DVR.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

after receiving the unique identifier of the DVR and contact information associated with the unique identifier, the contact information identifying a first network address and first port of the DVR, the server periodically receiving from the DVR a current network address and port information for communicating with the DVR.

12. A method for transmitting selected content from a content provider device through a computer network, the method comprising:

receiving, by the content provider device, a unique identifier of a digital video recording device (DVR);

registering, by the content provider device, the DVR, wherein registering the DVR includes providing, by the content provider device, a login name and password to a user of the DVR;

storing, by the content provider device, the unique identifier of the DVR;

transmitting, by the content provider device to a server device over the computer network, the unique identifier of the DVR, wherein the server device maintains contact information associated with the DVR, wherein the contact information includes a first network address and first port of the DVR;

receiving, by the content provider device from a browser-enabled computing device separate from the DVR after registering the DVR, the login name and password associated with the user of the DVR and a request for the selected content, wherein the content provider device connects to the server device by the computer network;

transmitting, by the content provider device to the server device over the computer network after the content provider device receives the login name and password associated with the user of the DVR and the request for the selected content from the browser-enabled computing device, the unique identifier of the DVR;

receiving, by the content provider device from the server device in response to the content provider transmitting the unique identifier of the DVR to the server device, the contact information identifying the first network address and first port of the DVR;

transmitting, by the content provider device to the first network address and first port of DVR, a set of content identification information adapted for automatically populating a content guide with an entry that identifies the selected content; and

transmitting, by the content provider over the computer network, the selected content to the first network address and first port of the DVR.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the selected content is a video program.

14. The method of claim 13,

wherein the entry that identifies the selected content is designated to a category having a category name that corresponds to the content provider device,

wherein the content guide includes a category area and a content area, and

wherein the entry appears in the content area when the category name is selected from the category area.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the category name is one of a plurality of approved category names corresponding to approved content providers that are periodically provided to the DVR.

16. A content provider device that is operable to transmit selected content through a computer network, the content provider device comprising:

a registration module that comprises instructions to obtain registration information for registration of a digital video recorder (DVR), wherein the registration information includes a unique identifier of the DVR, wherein the content provider device stores the unique identifier of the DVR, and wherein registration of the DVR includes associating a login name and password with a user of the DVR, wherein the content provider device is configured to receive, from a browser-enabled computing device separate from the DVR after registering the DVR, the login name and password associated with the user of the DVR and a request for the selected content;

a delivery information acquisition module comprising instructions to provide a server device with the unique identifier of the DVR so as to obtain, from the server device, contact information including a first network address and first port of the DVR; and

a download fulfillment module that communicates with the registration module and that is operable to (i) transmit, to the first network address and first port of the DVR, a set of content identification information adapted for automatic population of a content guide with an entry that identifies the selected content, and (ii) cause the selected content to be transmitted, via the computer network, to the first network address and first port of the DVR.

17. The content provider device of claim 16, wherein the selected content is a video program.

18. The content provider device of claim 17,

wherein the entry that identifies the selected content is designated to a category having a category name that corresponds to the content provider,

wherein the content guide includes a category area and a content area, and

wherein the entry appears in the content area when the category name is selected from the category area.

19. The content provider device of claim 18, wherein the category name is one of a plurality of approved category names corresponding to approved content providers that are periodically provided to the DVR.

20. A method for updating content guides to include data associated with a content provider device, the method comprising:

a server maintaining a unique identifier of a digital video recorder (DVR) and contact information associated with the unique identifier of the DVR, the contact information identifying a first network address and first port of the DVR, wherein the DVR can receive content via the first network address and the first port, and wherein the DVR comprises a content guide for concurrent display of a content area and a category area, wherein the category area displays a list of multiple selectable categories, and wherein selection of a category from the category area updates the content area to list content pertaining to the selected category;

the server receiving, through a computer network and from a content provider device, a request for the server to approve the content provider device as a provider of content to a plurality of content receiving devices, wherein the plurality of content receiving devices comprises the DVR;

the server approving the content provider device as a tier 1 content provider of content to the plurality of content receiving devices or as a tier 2 content provider of content to the plurality of content receiving devices; and

the server maintaining a list of approved tier 2 content providers, the list of approved tier 2 content providers including (i) a URL for connecting to the content provider device, and (ii) a content provider label associated with the content provider device, wherein the content provider label is selected from the group consisting of a name of the content provider device and a logo associated with the content provider device;

wherein, if the server approved the content provider device as a tier 1 content provider, then the server transmitting the URL for connecting to the content provider device and the content provider label associated with the content provider device to the DVR through the computer network and the DVR automatically updating the content guide of the DVR with the URL for connecting to the content provider device and the category area of the content guide of the DVR with the content provider label associated with the content provider device as a selectable category under which content of the content provider device is categorized,

wherein, if the server approved the content provider device as a tier 2 content provider, the server thereafter transmits the list of approved tier 2 content provider devices to the DVR, and

wherein if the content provider device is selected from the list of approved tier 2 content provider devices transmitted to the DVR, then the DVR updating the content guide of the DVR with the URL for connecting to the content provider device and the category area of the content guide of the DVR with the content provider label associated with the content provider device as a selectable category under which content of the content provider device is categorized.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the content that can be provided to the DVR comprises a video program.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the content provider label comprises the logo associated with the content provider device.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the content provider label comprises the name of the content provider device and the logo associated with the content provider device.

24. A non-transitory computer-readable memory having stored therein instructions, that when executed by a computer processor, cause the computing device to perform functions comprising:

a server maintaining a unique identifier of a digital video recorder (DVR) and contact information associated with the unique identifier of the DVR, the contact information identifying a first network address and first port of the DVR, wherein the DVR can receive content via the first network address and first port, and wherein the DVR comprises a content guide for concurrent display of a content area and a category area, wherein the category area displays a list of multiple selectable categories, and wherein selection of a category from the category area updates the content area to list content pertaining to the selected category;

the server receiving, through a computer network and from a content provider device, a request for the server to approve the content provider device as a provider of content to a plurality of content receiving devices, wherein the plurality of content receiving devices comprises the DVR;

the server approving the content provider device as a tier 1 content provider of content to the plurality of content receiving devices or as a tier 2 content provider of content to the plurality of content receiving devices; and

the server maintaining a list of approved tier 2 content providers, the list of approved tier 2 content providers including (i) a URL for connecting to the content provider device, and (ii) a content provider label associated with the content provider device, wherein the content provider label is selected from the group consisting of a name of the content provider device and a logo associated with the content provider device;

wherein, if the server approved the content provider device as a tier 1 content provider, then the server transmitting the URL for connecting to the content provider device and the content provider label associated with the content provider device to the DVR through the computer network and the DVR automatically updating the content guide of the DVR with the URL for connecting to the content provider device and the category area of the content guide of the DVR with the content provider label associated with the content provider device as a selectable category under which content of the content provider device is categorized,

wherein, if the server approved the content provider device as a tier 2 content provider, the server thereafter transmits the list of approved tier 2 content provider devices to the DVR, and

wherein if the content provider device is selected from the list of approved tier 2 content provider devices transmitted to the DVR, then the DVR updating the content guide of the DVR with the URL for connecting to the content provider device and the category area of the content guide of the DVR with the content provider label associated with the content provider device as a selectable category under which content of the content provider device is categorized.

25. The non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 24, wherein the content that can be provided to the DVR comprises a video program.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 24, wherein the content provider label comprises the name of the content provider device and the logo associated with the content provider device.

27. A method for receiving selected content at a receiving device via a computer network, the method comprising:

outputting, by a graphics module of the receiving device to a display, signals for displaying a first content guide and a second content guide, wherein the first content guide identifies content that is available for recording at the receiving device and content that will become available for recording at the receiving device, wherein the second content guide identifies content recorded by the receiving device, content selected for recording by the receiving device, a plurality of content categories, and one or more entries that identify content associated with a currently-selected content category selected from the plurality of content categories, and wherein, when a given content category is the currently-selected content category, the entry that identifies the selected content is displayable only if the entry was categorized into the given content category;

transmitting, from the receiving device, an identifier of the receiving device and a request for the selected content, wherein the selected content is selected from the first content guide;

in response to the receiving device transmitting the identifier of the receiving device and the request for the selected content, the receiving device receiving (i) a request to download the selected content, (ii) data indicating a size of the selected content, (iii) a set of content identification information for populating the second content guide with an entry that identifies the selected content, and (iv) content provider identification data;

adding the content provider identification data as a new category into at least one of the first content guide at the receiving device and the second content guide at the receiving device;

populating, by the receiving device, the entry that identifies the selected content into the second content guide;

outputting, by the graphics module of the receiving device, signals for displaying the second content guide with the entry that identifies the selected content populated into the second content guide by the receiving device;

the receiving device determining that sufficient storage is available for the selected content and allocating a portion of the storage for storing the selected content; and

the receiving device transmitting a communication to schedule downloading of the selected content and thereafter the receiving device receiving the selected content via the computer network; and

the receiving device converting the selected content into a format compatible with a display device and providing the display device with the selected content converted into the format compatible with the display device.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the selected content is a video program.

29. The method of claim 28,

wherein the second content guide includes a heads up display area operable to display additional information about a currently-selected entry, and

wherein, when the entry that identifies the selected content is the currently-selected entry, the entry that identifies the selected content is displayed at a first area of the second content guide, and the heads up display area, positioned above the displayed plurality of content categories, displays additional information about the entry that identifies the selected content.

30. The method of claim 29,

wherein the given content category has a category name that corresponds to a content provider associated with the content provider device, and

wherein the category name is one of a plurality of approved category names corresponding to approved content providers that are periodically provided to the receiving device.

31. The method of claim 27, wherein the identifier of the receiving device comprises a unique Internet Serial Number of the receiving device.

32. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

transmitting, from the receiving device to the content provider device, a login name and password associated with a user of the receiving device, wherein transmitting the login name and password occurs prior to the receiving device receiving the request to download the selected content, the data indicating the size of the selected content, and the set of content identification information.

33. The method of claim 27, wherein the content provider information comprises a new content provider identifier and a corresponding content provider name label.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the content provider name label is associated with a URL such that selecting the content provider name label results in the receiving device navigating to a web site of a content provider identified by the new content provider identifier.

35. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

concurrently displaying, via the second content guide, a category area and a content area, wherein the category area identifies multiple selectable categories,

receiving a selection of a selected category from among the multiple selectable categories being displayed via the second content guide, and

updating the content area of the second content guide to identify content pertaining to the selected category.

36. The method of claim 35, further comprising:

displaying the selected category in a header area of the second content guide and continuing to display the selected category within the category area that identifies the multiple selectable categories.

37. The method of claim 35, further comprising:

displaying, within the content area of the second content guide, a visual highlight for content being transferred to the receiving device,

wherein the visual highlight corresponds to a fractional amount of content that has been downloaded.

38. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

concurrently displaying, via the second content guide, a category area, a content area, and a head-up display area,

wherein the category area identifies multiple selectable categories,

wherein the head-up display area displays additional information about content selected within content area.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the additional information comprises recording quality information.

40. An apparatus that is operable to receive selected content via a computer network, the apparatus comprising:

a first content guide that identifies content that is available for recording at the apparatus and content that will become available for recording at the apparatus;

a second content guide that identifies content recorded at the apparatus, content selected for recording at the apparatus, a plurality of content categories, and one or more entries that identify content associated with a currently-selected content category selected from the plurality of content categories, wherein, when a given content category is the currently-selected content category, the entry that identifies the selected content is displayable only if the entry was categorized into the given content category;

a graphics module to output to a display device signals for display the first content guide and the second content guide;

a content identification module that transmits an identifier of the apparatus and a request for the selected content to the content provider device, wherein the selected content is selected from the first content guide;

a guide module that receives from the content provider device, in response to the content identification module transmitting the identifier of the apparatus and the request for the selected content, (i) a request to download the selected content, (ii) data indicating a size of the selected content, (iii) a set of content identification information for populating the second content guide with an entry that identifies the selected content, and (iv) content provider identification data, wherein the guide module adds the content provider identification data as a new category into at least one of the first content guide at the apparatus and the second content guide at the apparatus;

a content transfer module that determines that sufficient storage is available for the selected content, allocates a portion of the storage for storage of the selected content, and communicates with the content provider device to schedule downloading of the selected content, and thereafter receive the selected content from the content provider device through the computer network, and

an AV output module to convert the selected content into a format compatible with a display device and to provide the display device with the selected content converted into the format compatible with the display device,

wherein the apparatus populates the entry that identifies the selected content into the second content guide, and

wherein the graphics module outputs signals for displaying the second content guide with the entry that identifies the selected content populated into the second content guide by the receiving device.

41. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein the selected content is a video program.

42. The apparatus of claim 41,

wherein the second content guide includes a heads up display area operable to display additional information about a currently-selected entry, and

wherein, when the entry that identifies the selected content is the currently-selected entry, the entry that identifies the selected content is displayed at a first area of the second content guide, and the heads up display area, positioned above the displayed plurality of content categories, displays additional information about the entry that identifies the selected content.

43. The apparatus of claim 42,

wherein the given content category has a category name that corresponds to a content provider associated with the content provider device, and

wherein the category name is one of a plurality of approved category names corresponding to approved content providers that are periodically provided to the receiving device.

44. A non-transitory computer-readable memory having stored therein instructions, that when executed by a computer processor, cause the computing device to perform functions comprising:

outputting, by a graphics module of the receiving device to a display, signals for displaying a first content guide and a second content guide, wherein the first content guide identifies content that is available for recording at the receiving device and content that will become available for recording at the receiving device, wherein the second content guide identifies content recorded by the receiving device, content selected for recording by the receiving device, a plurality of content categories, and one or more entries that identify content associated with a currently-selected content category selected from the plurality of content categories, and wherein, when a given content category is the currently-selected content category, the entry that identifies the selected content is displayable only if the entry was categorized into the given content category;

transmitting from the receiving device, an identifier of the receiving device and a request for the selected content, wherein the selected content is selected from the first content guide;

in response to the receiving device transmitting the identifier of the receiving device and the request for the selected content, the receiving device receiving (i) a request to download the selected content, (ii) data indicating a size of the selected content, (iii) a set of content identification information for populating the second content guide with an entry that identifies the selected content, and (iv) content provider identification data;

adding the content provider identification data as a new category into at least one of the first content guide at the receiving device and the second content guide at the receiving device;

populating, by the receiving device, the entry that identifies the selected content into the second content guide;

outputting, by the graphics module of the receiving device, signals for displaying the second content guide with the entry that identifies the selected content populated into the second content guide by the receiving device;

the receiving device determining that sufficient storage is available for the selected content and allocating a portion of the storage for storing the selected content; and

the receiving device transmitting a communication to schedule downloading of the selected content and thereafter the receiving device receiving the selected content via a computer network; and

the receiving device converting the selected content into a format compatible with a display device and providing the display device with the selected content converted into the format compatible with the display device.

45. The non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 44, wherein the selected content is a video program.

46. The non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 45,

wherein the second content guide includes a heads up display area operable to display additional information about a currently-selected entry, and

wherein, when the entry that identifies the selected content is the currently-selected entry, the entry that identifies the selected content is displayed at a first area of the second content guide, and the heads up display area, positioned above the displayed plurality of content categories, displays additional information about the entry that identifies the selected content.

47. The non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 46,

wherein the given content category has a category name that corresponds to a content provider associated with the content provider device, and

wherein the category name is one of a plurality of approved category names corresponding to approved content providers that are periodically provided to the receiving device.