Distributed media content transfer and access management

A media content management server comprising:

• non-volatile data storage media storing:
• a media content library comprising a set of media content items;
• association data associating users with personal electronic devices;
• itinerary data indicating vehicles that the users are scheduled to travel on;
• first content item data identifying media content items currently stored on a vehicle;
• and second content item data identifying media content items desired to be stored on the vehicle;
• a network interface;
• and control circuitry configured to:
• identify a first user scheduled to travel on the vehicle based on the itinerary data;
• determine a first personal electronic device of the first user based on the association data;
• identify at least a portion of a media content item of the set of media content items, the at least a portion identified based on a determination that:
• a user associated with the first personal electronic device is associated through itinerary data with a travel route including travel on a first vehicle and a second vehicle;
• and the at least a portion of the media content item is not currently stored at the first vehicle and is not currently stored at the second vehicle;
• select the at least a portion of the media content item based at least in part on a comparison of the first content item data and the second content item data;
• establish a second connection with a first network access terminal of a first media delivery system associated with the first vehicle over a second communication network using a wireless communication interface;
• establish a third connection with a second network access terminal of a second media delivery system associated with the second vehicle over a third communication network using the wireless communication interface;
• and provide the at least a portion of the media content item to the first personal electronic device over a first network using the network interface to allow for local transferring of the at least a portion of the media content item by the first personal electronic device to a content delivery system of the vehicle over a second network when the first user is onboard the vehicle and transfer the at least a portion of the media content item from a non-volatile data storage media to the second media delivery system over the third communication network using the wireless communication interface;
• and after said transferring the at least a portion of the media content item to the second media delivery system, delete the at least a portion of the media content item from the non-volatile data storage media.

A content delivery system for a vehicle, the content delivery system comprising:

• non-volatile data storage media configured to store a media content library;
• a network access terminal;
• and a media content management server, the media content management server comprising control circuitry configured to:
• establish a connection with a first personal electronic device over a first communication network using the network access terminal;
• receive at least a portion of a media content item from the media content management server over the first communication network, the at least a portion of the media content item identified based on a determination that:
• a user associated with the first personal electronic device is associated through itinerary data with a travel route including travel on a first vehicle and a second vehicle;
• and the at least a portion of the media content item is not currently stored at the first vehicle and is not currently stored at the second vehicle;
• establish a second connection with a first network access terminal of a first media delivery system associated with the first vehicle over a second communication network using a wireless communication interface;
• establish a third connection with a second network access terminal of a second media delivery system associated with the second vehicle over a third communication network using the wireless communication interface;
• store the at least a portion of the media content item in the non-volatile data storage media;
• receive a request for access to a content item of the media content library associated with the at least a portion of the media content item from a media presentation device;
• and provide at least part of the at least a portion of the media content item to the media presentation device in response to the request by transferring the at least a portion of the media content item from a non-volatile data storage media to the second media delivery system over the third communication network using the wireless communication interface;
• and after said transferring the at least a portion of the media content item to the second media delivery system, delete the at least a portion of the media content item from the non-volatile data storage media.

A method of delivering media content on a vehicle, the method comprising:

• by control circuitry of an onboard media delivery system installed in a vehicle:
• establishing a connection with a first personal electronic device disposed within the vehicle over a first network using a network access unit of the onboard media delivery system;
• receiving at least a portion of a media content item from the first personal electronic device over the first network, the at least a portion of the media content item received at the first personal electronic device from a media management server and identified based on a determination that:
• a user associated with the first personal electronic device is associated through itinerary data with a travel route including travel on a first vehicle and a second vehicle;
• and the at least a portion of the media content item is not currently stored at the first vehicle and is not currently stored at the second vehicle;
• establish a second connection with a first network access terminal of a first media delivery system associated with the first vehicle over a second communication network using a wireless communication interface;
• establishing a third connection with a second network access terminal of a second media delivery system associated with the second vehicle over a third communication network using a wireless communication interface;
• storing the at least a portion of the media content item as part of a media content library in a non-volatile data store disposed within the vehicle;
• receiving a request for access to a content item of the media content library associated with the at least a portion of the media content item from a media presentation device disposed within the vehicle;
• and providing at least part of the at least a portion of the media content item to the media presentation device in response to the request by transferring the at least a portion of the media content item from a non-volatile data storage media to the second media delivery system over the third communication network using the wireless communication interface;
• and after said transferring the at least a portion of the media content item to the second media delivery system, deleting the at least a portion of the media content item from the non-volatile data storage media.