Method and apparatus for managing multimedia content

A method for gifting media content, using an end-user device, over one or more networks, each of the one or more networks including one or more servers, at least one server comprising a common storage partition for storing media content and a plurality of end-user storage partitions for maintaining end-user associations to some of the media content stored in the common storage partition, the method comprising:

• transmitting, from the end-user device to one of the one or more servers, a first request, wherein the first request identifies media content to be purchased by the first end-user and to be gifted from the first-end user to a second end-user;
• receiving, at the end-user device from one of the one or more servers, a response indicating availability of the identified media content;
• and
• transmitting, from the end-user device, a second request, wherein the second request is a request to associate the identified media content with an end-user storage partition associated with the second end-user.

An end-user device capable of communicating with a network of one or more servers including a common storage partition and a plurality of end-user storage partitions for maintaining end-user associations to media content stored in the common storage partition, the end-user device comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a user interface for a user to identify media content, to purchase the identified media content, and to gift the identified media content to a second end-user,
• wherein the user interface indicates availability of the identified media content;
• and
• wherein the processor transmits a second request from the end-user, the second request being a request to associate the identified media content with one of the end-user storage partitions associated with the second end-user.

A method for storing media content on a service provider network including one or more servers, the one or more servers comprising a common storage partition and a plurality of end-user storage partitions for maintaining associations to media content stored in the common storage partition, the method comprising:

• receiving at one of the one or more servers a request to store requested media content;
• determining, in response to the request to store requested media content, whether the requested media content is stored in the common storage partition;
• in response to a determination that the requested media content is stored in the common storage partition, associating the requested media content with one of the end-user storage partitions associated with the said end-user;
• and
• in response to a determination that the requested media content is not stored in the common storage partition:
• retrieving the requested media content;
• storing the requested media content in the common storage partition;
• and
• associating the requested media content with one of the end-user storage partitions associated with the said end-user.

A network of one or more servers comprising:

• a common storage partition;
• a plurality of end-user storage partitions for maintaining associations to media content stored in the common storage partition;
• and
• a content management module for managing storage of said media content, the content management module operative to:
• receive a request to store requested media content;
• determine, in response to the request to store media content, whether the requested media content is stored in the common storage partition;
• in response to a determination that the requested media content is stored in the common storage partition, associate the requested media content with one of the end-user storage partitions associated with the said end-user;
• and
• in response to a determination that the requested media content is not stored in the common storage partition:
• retrieve the requested media content;
• store the requested media content in the common storage partition;
• and
• associate the requested media content with one of the end-user storage partitions associated with the said end-user.