# US 2019/0356945 A1 · Systems and methods for managing local storage of on-demand content > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0356945 A1 - Document ID: US20190356945A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/531,900 - Filed: 2019-08-05 - Published: 2019-11-21 - Earliest claimed: 2005-09-30 - Assignees: Rovi Guides, Inc. - Applicants: Rovi Guides, Inc. - Inventors: Michael D. Ellis; Robert A. Knee; Michael L. Craner - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190356945A1 ## CPC - H04N 21/4335: Housekeeping operations, e.g. prioritizing content for deletion because of storage space restrictions {(storage management, e.g. defragmentation G06F3/0604; unloading stored programs G06F9/445; storage management in file systems G06F16/10; buffering arrangements in a network node or in an end terminal in packet networks H04L49/90)} - H04N 5/913: for scrambling {; for copy protection} - H04N 7/1675: {Providing digital key or authorisation information for generation or regeneration of the scrambling sequence (pseudo-random number generators in general G06F7/58)} - H04N 7/17318: {Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests} - H04N 21/2541: {Rights Management (protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10; security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08)} - H04N 21/42623: {involving specific decryption arrangements} - H04N 21/4331: {Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback} - H04N 21/44222: {Analytics of user selections, e.g. selection of programmes or purchase activity (monitoring of user selections in data processing systems G06F11/34; arrangements for monitoring the user's behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33)} - H04N 21/4627: Rights management {associated to the content (security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08)} - H04N 21/47202: {for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand} - H04N 21/6336: directed to decoder - H04N 21/8355: involving usage data, e.g. number of copies or viewings allowed - H04N 21/8456: {by decomposing the content in the time domain, e.g. in time segments} - H04N 2005/91328: {the copy protection signal being a copy management signal, e.g. a copy generation management signal [CGMS]} - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract On-demand systems and methods are provided to manage locally-stored on-demand content. A user's equipment controls the deletion of and/or access to on-demand content from a local storage device based on constraining criteria that may include rental conditions, dynamic factors, and keys. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 1-23. (canceled) ### Claim 24 A method for managing at least a portion of on-demand content provided by an on-demand server and stored in a storage device that is local to an on-demand client, the method comprising: receiving an on-demand rental condition, from a remote server, which constrains deletion of the at least a portion of the on-demand content that is stored on the storage device, in accordance with an on-demand provider's rental policies, wherein the on-demand rental condition is defined without input from a user and specifies a maximum total viewing time for the on-demand content allowed by the on-demand provider, wherein the maximum total viewing time is a total time the content plays; providing a plurality of viewing sessions for the content, wherein each viewing session is separated by a period of time; and controlling deletion of the at least a portion of the on-demand content as a function of the on-demand rental condition and the plurality of viewing sessions. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24, wherein the on-demand rental condition further specifies at least one usage limit specifying a maximum number of on-demand contents stored in the storage device at a given time, and further comprising: receiving a second request to access a second on-demand content; and restricting access to the second request in response to determining that the number of on-demand contents currently stored in the storage device has reached the at least one usage limit. ### Claim 26 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24, further comprising: receiving a dynamic factor which constrains deletion of the at least a portion of the on-demand content stored on the storage device based on conditions of equipment on which the on-demand client is implemented; and controlling deletion of the at least a portion of the on-demand content as a function of the dynamic factor. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The method of claim 26, wherein the dynamic factor specifies determining whether the user is watching the on-demand content, determining whether the storage device is available, or determining whether the at least a portion of the on-demand content meets a keep criterion. ### Claim 28 (depends on 26) The method of claim 26, wherein controlling deletion of the at least a portion of the on-demand content on the storage device comprises: determining that a user of the on-demand client is not actively watching the at least a portion of the on-demand content; and deleting the at least a portion of the on-demand content from the storage device in response to the determining. ### Claim 29 (depends on 26) The method of claim 26, wherein controlling deletion of the at least a portion of the on-demand content on the storage device comprises: determining that a user of the on-demand client is not watching the at least a portion of the on-demand content and that space on the storage device is needed for other system activities; and deleting the at least a portion of the on-demand content from the storage device in response to the determining. ### Claim 30 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24, wherein controlling deletion of the at least a portion of the on-demand content on the storage device comprises: determining that the user of the on-demand client is not watching the at least a portion of the on-demand content, that space on the storage device is needed for other system activities, and that the space used by the at least a portion of the on-demand content on the storage device is less than a specified minimum keep threshold; and deleting the at least a portion of the on-demand content from the storage device in response to the determining. ### Claim 31 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24, wherein the on-demand rental condition is received by processing circuitry from at least one of an on-demand server and a third-party rights-management server. ### Claim 32 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24, wherein the on-demand rental condition is a function of a rating of the on-demand content. ### Claim 33 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24, further comprising: receiving a key according to which the at least a portion of the on-demand content may be decrypted; decrypting the at least a portion of the on-demand content as a function of the key; and playing back the decrypted at least a portion of the on-demand content. ### Claim 34 A system for managing at least a portion of on-demand content provided by an on-demand server and stored in a storage device that is local to an on-demand client, the system comprising: control circuitry configured to: receive an on-demand rental condition, from a remote server, which constrains deletion of the at least a portion of the on-demand content that is stored on the storage device, in accordance with an on-demand provider's rental policies, wherein the on-demand rental condition is defined without input from a user and specifies a maximum total viewing time for the on-demand content allowed by the on-demand provider, wherein the maximum total viewing time is a total time the content plays; provide a plurality of viewing sessions for the content, wherein each viewing session is separated by a period of time; and control deletion of the at least a portion of the on-demand content as a function of the on-demand rental condition and the plurality of viewing sessions. ### Claim 35 (depends on 34) The system of claim 34, wherein the on-demand rental condition further specifies at least one usage limit which specifies a maximum number of on-demand contents stored in the storage device at a given time, and wherein the control circuitry is further configured to: receive a second request to access a second on-demand content; and restrict access to the second request in response to the determination that the number of on-demand contents currently stored in the storage device has reached the at least one usage limit. ### Claim 36 (depends on 34) The system of claim 34, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to: receive a dynamic factor which constrains deletion of the at least a portion of the on-demand content stored on the storage device based on conditions of equipment on which the on-demand client is implemented; and control deletion of the at least a portion of the on-demand content as a function of the dynamic factor. ### Claim 37 (depends on 36) The system of claim 36, wherein the dynamic factor specifies a determination of whether the user is watching the on-demand content, a determination of whether the storage device is available, or a determination of whether the at least a portion of the on-demand content meets a keep criterion. ### Claim 38 (depends on 36) The system of claim 36, wherein, to control deletion of the at least a portion of the on-demand content on the storage device, the control circuitry is further configured to: determine that a user of the on-demand client is not actively watching the at least a portion of the on-demand content; and delete the at least a portion of the on-demand content from the storage device in response to the determination. ### Claim 39 (depends on 36) The system of claim 36, wherein, to control deletion of the at least a portion of the on-demand content on the storage device, the control circuitry is further configured to: determine that a user of the on-demand client is not watching the at least a portion of the on-demand content and that space on the storage device is needed for other system activities; and delete the at least a portion of the on-demand content from the storage device in response to the determination. ### Claim 40 (depends on 34) The system of claim 34, wherein, to control deletion of the at least a portion of the on-demand content on the storage device, the control circuitry is further configured to: determine that the user of the on-demand client is not watching the at least a portion of the on-demand content, that space on the storage device is needed for other system activities, and that the space used by the at least a portion of the on-demand content on the storage device is less than a specified minimum keep threshold; and delete the at least a portion of the on-demand content from the storage device in response to the determination. ### Claim 41 (depends on 34) The system of claim 34, wherein the on-demand rental condition is received by processing circuitry from at least one of an on-demand server and a third-party rights-management server. ### Claim 42 (depends on 34) The system of claim 34, wherein the on-demand rental condition is a function of a rating of the on-demand content. ### Claim 43 (depends on 34) The system of claim 34, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to: receive a key according to which the at least a portion of the on-demand content may be decrypted; decrypt the at least a portion of the on-demand content as a function of the key; and play back the decrypted at least a portion of the on-demand content.