US 10,257,564 B2 · Distributed non-real-time content

Abstract

A method is provided for a reception apparatus to access non-real-time (NRT) content. The method includes receiving, by the reception apparatus, a selection of the NRT content included in a digital television broadcast signal broadcast by a content source. The reception apparatus determines whether the selected NRT content is stored in a memory of the reception apparatus. When the selected NRT content is determined not to be stored in the memory, the reception apparatus determines whether the selected NRT content can be downloaded from an external device that is accessible via a communication network. When the selected NRT content is determined to be downloadable from an external device that is accessible via the communication network, the reception apparatus downloads the selected NRT content from the external device.

Drawings

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Drawings

Claims18

Dependent claims

A reception apparatus, comprising:

receiver circuitry configured to receive content included in a digital television broadcast signal broadcast from a content source;
a memory configured to store the content;
at least one processor configured to
receive or determine a selection of the content included in the digital television broadcast signal broadcast from the content source,
determine whether the same period of selected content, which is available to be downloaded from the digital television broadcast signal, is available to be downloaded from at least one external device that previously downloaded the same period of selected content from the digital television broadcast signal, the at least one external device being accessible via a communication network,
when the at least one processor determines that the same period of the selected content is available to be downloaded from the at least one external device that is accessible via the communication network, to download the same period of the selected content from the at least one external device via communication circuitry configured to communicate with the communication network, and
when the at least one processor determines that the same period of the selected content is not available for download from the at least one external device that is accessible via the communication network, to download the same period for the selected content from the digital television broadcast signal broadcast by the content source, wherein
the at least one processor is configured to
determine whether the same period of the selected content is available to be downloaded from the at least one external device associated with a same network prefix as the reception apparatus, and
determine whether the same period of the selected content is available to be downloaded from the at least one external device associated another network prefix that is different from the network prefix of the reception apparatus when the same period of the selected content is determined not to be available to be downloaded from the at least one external device associated with the same network prefix as the reception apparatus.

7 more elements

A method of a reception apparatus for accessing content, the method comprising:

receiving, by receiver circuitry of the reception apparatus, a digital television broadcast signal broadcast by a content source;
receiving or determining, by a processor of the reception apparatus, a selection of the content included in the digital television broadcast signal;
determining, by the processor, whether the same period of the selected content which is available to be downloaded from the digital television broadcast signal is available to be downloaded from at least one external device that previously downloaded the same period of selected content from the digital television broadcast signal, the at least one external device being accessible via a communication network;
when the same period of the selected content is determined to be available for download from the at least one external device that is accessible via the communication network, downloading via communication circuitry of the reception apparatus the same period of the selected content from the at least one external device, and
when the same period of the selected content is determined not to be available for download from the at least one external device that is accessible via the communication network, downloading the same period of the selected content form the digital television broadcast signal broadcast by the content source, wherein
the determining whether the same period of the selected content, which is available to be downloaded from the digital television broadcast signal, is available to be downloaded from the at least one external device includes
determining whether the same period of the selected content is available to be downloaded from the at least one external device associated with a same network prefix as the reception apparatus, and
determining whether the same period of the selected content is available to be downloaded from the at least one external device associated another network prefix that is different from the network prefix of the reception apparatus when the same period of the selected content is determined not to be available to be downloaded from the at least one external device associated with the same network prefix as the reception apparatus.

5 more elements

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having embedded therein instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method of a reception apparatus for accessing content, the method comprising:

causing receiver circuitry of the reception apparatus to receive a digital television broadcast signal broadcast by a content source;
receiving or determining a selection of the content included in the digital television broadcast sisal broadcast by the content source;
determining whether the same period of the selected content which is available to be downloaded from the digital television broadcast signal is available to be downloaded from at least one external device that previously downloaded the same period of selected content from the digital television broadcast signal, the at least one external device being accessible via a communication network;
when the same period of the selected content is determined to be available to be downloaded from the at least one external device that is accessible via the communication network, downloading via communication circuitry of the reception apparatus the same period of the selected content from the at least one external device, and
when the same period of the selected content is determined not to be available to be downloaded from the at least one external device that is accessible via the communication network, downloading the same period of the selected content from the digital television broadcast signal broadcast by the content source, wherein
the determining whether the same period of the selected content which is available to be downloaded from the digital television broadcast signal is available to be downloaded from the at least one external device includes
determining whether the same period of the selected content is available to be downloaded from the at least one external device associated with a same network prefix as the reception apparatus, and
determining whether the same period of the selected content is available to be downloaded from the at least one external device associated another network prefix that is different from the network prefix of the reception apparatus when the same period of the selected content is determined not to be available to be downloaded from the at least one external device associated with the same network prefix as the reception apparatus.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Description11,538 words

Summary426 words

#Field of the Invention

#Embodiments described herein relate generally to storing and accessing content. More particularly, embodiments described herein relate generally to the storing and accessing of non-real-time (NRT) content broadcast from a content source.

#Background

Brief description of the drawings16 figures

#A more complete appreciation of the invention and many of the attendant advantages thereof will be readily obtained as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

#FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary system for storing and/or accessing NRT content;

#FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an exemplary reception apparatus;

Detailed description10,861 words

#While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail specific embodiments, with the understanding that the present disclosure of such embodiments is to be considered as an example of the principles and not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiments shown and described. In the description below, like reference numerals are used to describe the same, similar or corresponding parts in the several views of the drawings.

#The terms “a” or “an”, as used herein, are defined as one or more than one. The term “plurality”, as used herein, is defined as two or more than two. The term “another”, as used herein, is defined as at least a second or more. The terms “including” and/or “having”, as used herein, are defined as comprising (i.e., open language). The term “coupled”, as used herein, is defined as connected, although not necessarily directly, and not necessarily mechanically. The term “program” or “computer program” or similar terms, as used herein, is defined as a sequence of instructions designed for execution on a computer system. A “program”, or “computer program”, may include a subroutine, a program module, a script, a function, a procedure, an object method, an object implementation, in an executable application, an applet, a servlet, a source code, an object code, a shared library/dynamic load library and/or other sequence of instructions designed for execution on a computer system.

#The term “program”, as used herein, may also be used in a second context (the above definition being for the first context). In the second context, the term is used in the sense of a “television program”. In this context, the term is used to mean any coherent sequence of audio/video content such as those which would be interpreted as and reported in an electronic program guide (EPG) as a single television program, without regard for whether the content is a movie, sporting event, segment of a multi-part series, news broadcast, etc. The term may also be interpreted to encompass commercial spots and other program-like content which may not be reported as a program in an electronic program guide.

Facts

Application

14/046,566Filed 4 Oct 2013 · us provisional application

Priority

24 Jan 2013

Published

US 2014/0208375 A124 Jul 2014

Granted

9 Apr 2019

Term ends

4 Oct 2033

Estimated · how

20 years from earliest known nonprovisional domestic filing plus recorded patent term adjustment. Maintenance-fee lapses, terminal disclaimers and statutory extensions have not been checked. The continuity chain may be incomplete; this is not an enforceability determination.

Classification5 codes

H04N 21/433
Processing of content or additional data, e.g. demultiplexing additional data from a digital video stream; Elementary client operations, e.g.…:…
H04N 21/4325
Content retrieval operation from a local storage medium, e.g. hard-disk: by playing back content from the storage medium
H04N 21/4622
Content or additional data management e.g. creating a master electronic programme guide from data received from the Internet and a Head-end or…:…
H04N 21/482
End-user applications: end-user interface for programme selection

Timeline

24 Jan 2013Priority claimedParent application 61/756,279
4 Oct 2013Application filedUS 14/046,566
17 Dec 2013Assigned to Sony Corporationassignment of assignor's interest
24 Jul 2014PublishedUS 2014/0208375 A1
18 Jan 2017Assigned to Saturn Licensing LLCassignment of the entire interest subject to an agreement recited in the document
9 Apr 2019GrantedUS 10,257,564 B2
12 Oct 2026TodayWithin its term
4 Oct 2033Term endsEstimated

Distributed non-real-time content

Life of this patent

Distributed non-real-time content

Life of this patent

Life of this patent

Abstract

Drawings

Drawings

Claims18

Description11,538 words

Drawings

Classification5 codes

Life of this patent

Description11,538 words