Network personal digital video recorder system (NPDVR)

• US 9,369,770 B2
• Filed: 11/17/2006
• Issued: 06/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Yahoo AD Tech LLC
• Original Assignee: XDrive LLC (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: O'Brien, Brett, Whiteley, Sean, McGregor, Lucas, Hald, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Hai V
• Application Number:
  US11/601,234
• Publication Number:
  US 20070073840A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,497 Days
• Field of Search: 725/144, 725/145, 725/134, 725/115, 725/110, 725/112, 725/109, 725/92, 725/93, 725/88
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/10 File systems; File servers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23103 using load balancing strategies, e.g. by placing or distributing content on different disks, different memories or different servers storage management G06F3/0604; allocation of resources considering the load in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/505; techniques for rebalancing the load in a distributed system G06F9/5083; access to distributed or replicated servers, e.g. load balancing, in data networks H04L67/1001
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25866 Management of end-user data customer care in data networks H04L41/5077
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2747 Remote storage of video programs received via the downstream path, e.g. from the server
• 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 21/4753 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 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17336 Handling of requests in head-ends
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99938 Concurrency, e.g. lock management in shared database
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99952 Coherency, e.g. same view to multiple users
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability

Abstract

The Shared Internet Storage Resource provides Internet-based file storage, retrieval, access, control, and manipulation for a user. Additionally, an easy-to-use user interface is provided both for a browser or stand-alone application. The entire method provides means by which users can establish, use, and maintain files on the Internet in a manner remote from their local computers yet in a manner that is similar to the file manipulation used on their local computers. A high capacity or other storage system is attached to the Internet via an optional internal network that also serves to generate and direct metadata regarding the stored files. A web server using a CGI, Java®-based, or other interface transmits and retrieves TCP/IP packets or other Internet information through a load balancer/firewall by using XML to wrap the data packets. File instructions may be transmitted over the Internet to the Shared Resource System. The user'"'"'s account may be password protected so that only the user may access his or her files. On the user'"'"'s side, a stand-alone client application or JavaScript object interpreted through a browser provide two means by which the XML or other markup language data stream may be received and put to use by the user. Internet-to-Internet file transfers may be effected by directly downloading to the user'"'"'s account space.

Claims

1. A media file storage and transfer system, comprising:

a media file storage area that is provided in a database system and allocated to a user, said media file storage area being managed by a service provider and located remotely from a local computer of said user; and

a media file transfer server system of the service provider that is coupled to said media file storage area and receives, from said user, an identifier specifying a location of a media file to be transferred, said media file being stored on a host server remotely from said local computer of said user prior to a transfer of said media file by said media file transfer server system;

wherein said media file transfer server system transfers said media file stored on the host server remotely from said local computer of said user to said media file storage area according to said identifier received from said user, checks an error status of said transfer, and provides said user with access and control of said media file in response to one or more requests sent from said local computer to said media file transfer server system through the Internet; and

wherein said media file transfer server system transfers said media file to said media file storage area located remotely from said local computer of said user using a faster transfer speed than that provided by a direct transfer from the host server to said local computer.

2. A media file storage and transfer system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said identifier further comprises:

an address of or a pointer to a location of said media file.

3. A media file storage and transfer system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said media file further comprises:

a media file selected from the group consisting of audio files, video files, audiovisual files, data files, computer files, streamable files, playback-controllable files, and combinations thereof.

4. A media file storage and transfer system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said Internet further comprises:

a network selected from the group consisting of a public network, a private network, a wired network, a wireless network, a cable network, an Internet Protocol network, a satellite network, a microwave data network, a fiber optical network, and combinations thereof.

5. A media file storage and transfer system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said media file transfer server system is adapted to transfer said media file to said media file storage area by causing transfer of said media file to said media file storage area.

6. A media file storage and transfer system as set forth in claim 5, wherein said media file transfer server system is further adapted to administer transfer of said media file to said media file storage area by causing transfer of said media file from a remote file storage location on said Internet to said media file storage area.

7. A media file storage and transfer system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said media file transfer server system is further adapted to transfer said media file according to a request from said user.

8. A media file storage and transfer system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said media file transfer server system is further adapted to copy said media file to said media file storage area in response to a request from said user provided via a browser of said local computer.

9. A media file storage and transfer system as set forth in claim 8, wherein said media file transfer server system is further adapted to copy said media file from a remote file storage location on said Internet to said media file storage area in response to a request from said user provided via a browser of said local computer.

10. A media file storage and transfer system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said media file storage server system is further adapted to selectably transfer said media file to said local computer of said user subject to user control of said selectable transfer.

11. A media file storage and transfer system as set forth in claim 10, wherein said media file storage area is controllable by said user such that said media file may be played, rewound, fast-forwarded, paused, skipped, and/or stopped.

12. A method for transferring media files, comprising the following operations performed by one or more processors:

allocating a media file storage area in a database system to a user, said media file storage area being managed by a service provider and located remotely from a local computer of said user;

receiving, from said user, at a media file transfer server system of the service provider coupled to said media file storage area, an identifier specifying a location of a media file to be transferred, said media file being stored on a host server remotely from said local computer of said user prior to a transfer of said media file by said media file transfer server system;

transferring, by said media file transfer server system, said media file stored on the host server remotely from said local computer of said user to said media file storage area according to said identifier received from said user;

checking, by said media file transfer server system, an error status of said transfer; and

providing said user with access and control of said media file in response to one or more requests sent from said local computer to said media file transfer server system through the Internet;

wherein said transferring of said media file to said media file storage area located remotely from said local computer of said user by said media transfer server system is performed using a faster transfer speed than that provided by a direct transfer from the host server to said local computer.

13. A method for transferring media files as set forth in claim 12, wherein said identifier further comprises:

an address of or a pointer to the location of said media file.

14. A method for transferring media files as set forth in claim 12, wherein said media file further comprises:

a media file selected from the group consisting of audio files, video files, audiovisual files, data files, computer files, streamable files, playback-controllable files, and combinations thereof.

15. A method for transferring media files as set forth in claim 12, wherein said Internet further comprises:

a network selected from the group consisting of a public network, a private network, a wired network, a wireless network, a cable network, an Internet Protocol network, a satellite network, a microwave data network, a fiber optical network and combinations thereof.

16. A method for transferring media files as set forth in claim 12, further comprising:

transferring said media file to said individual media file storage area by causing transfer of said media file to said individual media file storage area.

17. A method for transferring media files as set forth in claim 16, further comprising:

administrating transfer of said media file to said media file storage area by causing, with said media transfer server system, transfer of said media file from a remote file storage location on the Internet to said media file storage area.

18. A method for transferring media files as set forth in claim 12, wherein said step of transferring said media file to said individual media file storage area according to said identifier further comprises:

transferring said media file according to a request from said user.

19. A method for transferring media files as set forth in claim 12, wherein transferring said media file to said individual media file storage area according to said identifier further comprises:

copying said media file to said individual media file storage area in response to a request from said user provided via a browser of said local computer.

20. A method for transferring media files as set forth in claim 19, wherein said step of transferring said media file to said individual media file storage area according to said identifier further comprises:

copying said media file from a remote file storage location on the Internet to said individual media file storage area in response to a request from said user provided via a browser of said local computer.

21. A method for transferring media files as set forth in claim 12, further comprising:

selectably transferring said media file to said local computer of said user subject to user control of said selectable transfer.

22. A method for transferring media files as set forth in claim 21, wherein said media file storage area is controllable by said user such that said media file may be played, rewound, fast-forwarded, paused, skipped, and/or stopped.

23. A media file storage and transfer system, comprising:

a media file storage area that is provided in a database system and allocated to a user, said media file storage area being managed by a service provider and located remotely from a local computer of said user;

a media file transfer server system of the service provider that is coupled to said media file storage area and receives, from said user, an identifier specifying a location of a media file to be transferred, said media file being stored on a host server remotely from said local computer of said user prior to a transfer of said media file by said media file transfer system;

wherein said media file transfer server system transfers said media file stored on the host server remotely from said local computer of said user to said media file storage area according to said identifier received from said user, checks an error status of said transfer, and provides said user with access and control of said media file in response to one or more requests sent from said local computer to said media file transfer server system through the Internet;

wherein said media file storage area located remotely from said local computer of said user is controllable by said user such that said media file may be played, rewound, fast-forwarded, paused, skipped, and/or stopped; and

wherein said transfer of said media file by said media file transfer server system to said media file storage area located remotely from said local computer of said user is performed using a faster transfer speed than that provided by a direct transfer from the host server to said local computer.

24. A media file storage and transfer system as set forth in claim 23, wherein said identifier further comprises:

an address of or a pointer to a location of said media file.

25. A media file storage and transfer system as set forth in claim 23, wherein said media file further comprises:

a media file selected from the group consisting of audio files, video files, audiovisual files, data files, computer files, streamable files, playback-controllable files, and combinations thereof.

26. A media file storage and transfer system as set forth in claim 23, wherein said Internet further comprises:

a network selected from the group consisting of a public network, a private network, a wired network, a wireless network, a cable network, an Internet Protocol network, a satellite network, a microwave data network, a fiber optical network, and combinations thereof.

27. A media file storage and transfer system as set forth in claim 23, wherein said media file transfer server system is further adapted to transfer said individual media file by causing transfer of said media file to said media file storage area.

28. A media file storage and transfer system as set forth in claim 27, wherein said transfer of said media file to said media file storage area is administered by said media file transfer server system by causing transfer of said media file from a remote file storage location on the Internet.

29. A media file storage and transfer system as set forth in claim 23, wherein said media file is transferred by said media file transfer server system according to a request from said user.

30. A media file storage and transfer system as set forth in claim 23, wherein said media file transfer server system is further adapted to copy said media file to said media file storage area.

31. A media file storage and transfer system as set forth in claim 30, wherein said media file is copied by said media file transfer server system to said media file storage area from a remote file storage location on said Internet.