Methods and apparatus for premises content distribution

• US 9,866,609 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2009
• Issued: 01/09/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Inventors: Sarosi, George W., Cholas, Chris
• Primary Examiner(s): Tiv, Backhean
• Application Number:
  US12/480,591
• Publication Number:
  US 20100312826A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,137 Days
• Field of Search: 709203, 709212, 709213, 709217, 709229, 709231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/765 intermediate

Abstract

Apparatus and methods for transfer and management of protected content in a network. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises server and renderer devices including, for example, consumer premise equipment (CPE) having a content handler application adapted to run thereon. The content handler directs requests for content, directs searches of a device'"'"'s storage, and directs transfers of content into the device as well as within the device. The content handler may, in another embodiment, be adapted to include a scheduler entity which maintains a schedule of upcoming content, and is adapted to maintain and manage requests for the upcoming content by reserving tuner resources. The content handler may be further adapted to implement authentication and authorization procedures.

Claims

1. A method of sharing protected content within an ad hoc network, comprising:

establishing ad hoc a communication channel between a first entity and a second entity, said first entity and said second entity forming said ad hoc network when said communication channel is established;

selectively allowing at least said first entity to browse a schedule of content of said second entity, said schedule of content provided by a scheduler in data communication with said first entity, said schedule of content comprising at least a listing of content and a future time at which said content is to be broadcasted at said second entity but not directly broadcasted at said future time to said first entity without said established communication channel between said first entity and said second entity, said browsing directed at least in part by a computer program running on said first or said second entity;

receiving a request at said first entity for at least a portion of said content to be received from said second entity;

in response to said request at said first entity, automatically reserving one or more resources available at least in part to said second entity for use at said future time listed in said schedule of content, said one or more resources available at least in part to said second entity facilitating reception of said requested content at said first entity; and

after said future time, selectively transferring at least said portion of said requested content from at least said second entity to said first entity, said transferring directed at least in part by said computer program running on said first or said second entity.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said act of transferring at least said portion of said requested content comprises transferring at least said portion of said requested content to a storage medium or a display apparatus.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising authenticating at least one of:

(i) said first entity to said second entity, and (ii) said second entity to said first entity, wherein said act of authenticating is accomplished by said computer program running on said first entity or said second entity.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said act of transferring at least said portion of said requested content is based, at least in part, on said act of authenticating.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said act of establishing comprises causing said first entity and said second entity to be placed in data communication via at least a plug-and-play data interface.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said act of establishing comprises causing said first entity and said second entity to be placed in data communication via a wireless interface wherein one of said first and second entities performs a first role and said second entity performs a second role with respect to said communication channel.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said first role comprises a server station, and said second role comprises a renderer station.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein said first role comprises an access point (AP), and said second role comprises a station (STA), said AP providing data connectivity to at least one other entity other than said STA.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said act of reserving one or more resources available at least in part to said second entity in response to said request at said first entity comprises one or more of:

using a tuner of said second entity for a period of time;

reserving a storage device of said second entity; and

reserving a data connection for said second entity to a content delivery network.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising maintaining said request until arrival of said future time for broadcast of said content.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising, after arrival of said future time for broadcast of said content, informing said second entity that said request is waiting and said content is available.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising, after informing said second entity that said request is waiting and said content is available, formatting said content prior to transferring to said first entity over said communication channel.

13. A method of sharing protected content within an ad hoc network, comprising:

establishing ad hoc a communication channel between a renderer device and a content source device, said renderer device and said content source device being disposed at an edge of a content distribution network and utilizing said communication channel for communications over said ad hoc network;

authenticating said renderer device to said content source device using a computer program running on said renderer device or said content source device in order to verify authorization for transfer of content from said content source device to said renderer device;

based at least in part on said authentication, selectively allowing at least said renderer device to browse a schedule of content of said content source device provided by a scheduler in data communication with said content source device, said schedule of content comprising at least a listing of content and a future time at which said content is to be broadcasted, said browsing directed at least in part by said computer program running on said renderer device or said content source device;

receiving at said renderer device a request for at least a portion of said content from said content source device;

based at least in part on said request at said renderer device and said authentication, reserving one or more resources available at least in part to said content source device for use at said future time listed in said schedule of content, said one or more resources available at least in part to said content source device facilitating reception of said requested content at said renderer device; and

at or after said future time, selectively transferring at least said portion of said requested content from said content source device to said renderer device, said transferring directed at least in part by said computer program.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said renderer device comprises one or more of:

(i) a storage apparatus, and (ii) a display apparatus.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein said act of establishing comprises causing said renderer device and said content source device to be placed in data communication via at least a plug-and-play data interface.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein said computer program comprises an OpenCable Application Platform (OCAP) compliant JAVA-based middleware application.