Methods and apparatus for premises content distribution

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10965727-B2
Application number	US-201815865103-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 8, 2018
Priority date	Jun 8, 2009
Publication date	Mar 30, 2021
Grant date	Mar 30, 2021

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.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A first computerized user device configured for data communication with a second computerized user device over an ad hoc network, the first computerized user device further configured for role-switching between a server device role and a renderer device role, the first computerized user device comprising:
a data communication interface configured for data communication with at least the second computerized user device via the ad hoc network;
data storage apparatus; and
processor apparatus configured for data communication with each of the data communication interface and the data storage apparatus, the data storage apparatus having at least one computer program stored thereon, the at least one computer program comprising a plurality of instructions which are configured to, when executed by the processor apparatus:
cause the first computerized user device to receive data indicative of a first user request to access content, the first user request comprising a request to access, via the first computerized user device, first digital content available at the second computerized user device;
based at least on the data indicative of the first user request, cause the first computerized user device to assume the renderer device role;
receive data indicative of a second user request to access content, the second user request comprising a request to access, via the second computerized user device, second digital content available at the first computerized user device; and
based at least on the data indicative of the second user request, cause the first computerized user device to assume the server device role.

2. The first computerized user device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of instructions are further configured to, when executed by the processor apparatus, cause the first computerized user device to establish an ad hoc communication channel between the first computerized user device and the second computerized user device.

3. The first computerized user device of claim 1 , wherein the role-switching comprises utilization of a wireless air interface protocol, the wireless air interface protocol configured to cause switch from a first role specified by the wireless air interface protocol, to a second, different role specified by the wireless air interface protocol.

4. The first computerized user device of claim 3 , further comprising:
a first software process configured to manage the role-switching; and
a second software process configured to manage the data communication interface;
wherein the utilization of the wireless air interface protocol for the role-switching is conducted via data communication between the first software process and the second software process.

5. The first computerized user device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of instructions are further configured to, when executed by the processor apparatus, cause the first computerized user device to enable the second computerized user device to establish an ad hoc communication channel between the first computerized user device and the second computerized user device.

6. The first computerized user device of claim 1 , wherein the causation of the first computerized user device to assume the renderer device role at least in part comprises:
causation of the first computerized user device to access a schedule of content available at the second computerized user device;
receipt, at the first computerized user device, of data indicative of a user selection of the first digital content, the data indicative of the user selection generated by a user input device associated with the first computerized user device; and
receipt of at least a portion of the first digital content at the first computerized user device from the second computerized user device, the at least portion of the first digital content transmitted based at least in part on the data indicative of the user selection.

7. The first computerized user device of claim 6 , wherein:
the access of the schedule of content available at the second computerized user device comprises access of a schedule of content available at the second computerized user device at a future time; and
the causation of the first computerized user device to assume the renderer device role further comprises:
enablement of automatic reservation of one or more media storage resources of the second computerized user device for recording of the first digital content; and
enablement of automatic recordation of the first digital content by the second computerized user device at the future time.

8. The first computerized user device of claim 1 , wherein the causation of the first computerized user device to assume the server device role at least in part comprises:
enablement of the second computerized user device to access a schedule of content available at the first computerized user device;
receipt, at the first computerized user device from the second computerized user device, of data indicative a user selection of the second digital content; and
causation of transmission of at least a portion of the second digital content from the first computerized user device to the second computerized user device, the causation of the transmission based at least in part on the data indicative of the user selection.

9. The first computerized user device of claim 8 , wherein:
the access of the schedule of content available at the first computerized user device comprises access of a schedule of content available at the first computerized user device at a future time; and
the causation of the first computerized user device to assume the server device role further comprises:
causation of automatic reservation of one or more media storage resources of the first computerized user device for recordation of the second digital content; and
causation of automatic recordation of the second digital content by the first computerized user device at the future time.

10. Computerized apparatus configured for data communication with a plurality of computerized entities over a local area communication network, the computerized apparatus comprising:
a first data communication interface configured for data communication with at least one of the plurality of computerized entities via the local area communication network;
a second data communication interface configured for data communication with at least a content delivery network;
data storage apparatus; and
processor apparatus configured for data communication with each of the first data communication interface, the second data communication interface, and the data storage apparatus, the data storage apparatus having at least one computer program stored thereon, the at least one computer program comprising a plurality of instructions which are configured to, when executed by the processor apparatus, cause the computerized apparatus to:
establish an ad hoc communication channel between the computerized apparatus and the plurality of computerized entities via at least the local area communication network;
receive data representative of a first user request to access, via at least the computerized apparatus, first digital content stored at a first one of the plurality of computerized entities;
based at least in part on the data representative of the first user request, enable a rendering functionality at the computerized apparatus;
receive at least a portion of the first digital content from the first one of the plurality of computerized entities, the at least portion of the first digital content transmitted based at least in part on the data representative of the first user request;
receive data representative of a second user request to access, via at l

Assignees

• Time Warner Cable Entpr Llc

Inventors

• Sarosi George W
• Cholas Chris

Classifications

• H04L65/612 Primary

  for unicast · CPC title

• H04L65/765 Primary

  intermediate · CPC title

• H04L65/605 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04L65/4084

  Electricity · mapped topic