# US 8,751,672 B2 · Personal video channels

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- Number: US 8,751,672 B2
- Document ID: US8751672B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 11/471,674
- Filed: 2006-06-21
- Published: 2007-12-27
- Granted: 2014-06-10
- Earliest claimed: 2006-06-21
- Assignees: Verizon Data Services Inc.
- Applicants: Shadman Zafar; Ruchir Rodrigues; Shafiq Kassam; Enrique Ruiz-Velasco
- Inventors: Shadman Zafar; Ruchir Rodrigues; Shafiq Kassam; Enrique Ruiz-Velasco
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8751672B2

## CPC

- H04L 61/457: {containing identifiers of data entities on a computer, e.g. file names}
- H04L 63/10: {for controlling access to devices or network resources}
- H04L 65/611: for multicast or broadcast (systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06)
- H04L 67/104: Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks
- H04L 67/1068: {Discovery involving direct consultation or announcement among potential requesting and potential source peers}
- H04L 9/3215: {using a plurality of channels (network architectures or network communication protocols using different networks H04L63/18)}
- H04L 12/2834: {Switching of information between an external network and a home network (access arrangements H04L12/2856)}
- H04L 65/612: for unicast
- H04L 67/62: Establishing a time schedule for servicing the requests
- H04L 67/63: Routing a service request depending on the request content or context
- H04L 69/14: Multichannel or multilink protocols
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)

## Abstract

Systems and methods provide personal channels from a network-capable user terminal. A first user terminal may receive a request from a second user terminal for access to a personal channel created by a user and stored on the first user terminal in association with media content. In response to the request, the first user terminal may access the media content associated with the requested personal channel and provide the media content to the first user terminal over the network. A data center accessible by both the first and second user terminals may facilitate the access to the personal channel by storing information associated with the personal channel, including terminal identifiers and metadata, and providing a searchable catalog interface to identify personal channels to view.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method implemented by a first user terminal associated with a first user, the method comprising:
storing at least one media content item at the first user terminal;
storing information for a personal channel at the first user terminal, where the information is associated with the at least one media content item;
transmitting the information for the personal channel to a data center;
receiving, from a second user terminal associated with a second user, a request for access to the personal channel, the request being transmitted by the second user terminal to the first user terminal, provided that the data center determines that the second user terminal is permitted to access the personal channel;
retrieving the at least one media content item associated with the personal channel;
establishing a direct communication link between the first user terminal associated with the first user and the second user terminal associated with the second user; and
transmitting the at least one media content item associated with the personal channel from the first user terminal associated with the first user over the established direct communication link to the second user terminal associated with the second user.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
creating the personal channel on the first user terminal, including:
associating the at least one media content item stored in the first user terminal with the personal channel;
storing metadata describing the personal channel; and
providing the metadata to the data center.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein creating the personal channel further includes enabling editing at the first user terminal to edit the at least one media content item.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein associating the at least one media content item includes uploading the media content item from a user device.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the information for the personal channel defines an audience for the personal channel based on a viewer age rating.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the first user terminal stores a plurality of personal channels, and wherein each of the plurality of personal channels is associated with a plurality of media content items.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the at least one media content item includes one of streaming the at least one media content item in real-time to the second user terminal and transmitting the at least one media content item as a complete file to the second user terminal.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the request for access to the personal channel is based on a selection from a catalog, the catalog including personal channel metadata identifying a subject, channel name, viewer rating, and number of viewer reviews for the personal channel.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the catalog is an interactive television programming guide listing personal channels together with broadcast television channels.

### Claim 10

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storage device storing instructions executable by a first user terminal associated with a first user comprising a processor, the instructions configured to cause the processor to:
store at least one media content item at the first user terminal;
store information for a personal channel at the first user terminal, where the information is associated with the at least one media content item;
transmit the information for the personal channel to a data center;
receive, from a second user terminal associated with a second user, a request for access to the personal channel, the request being transmitted by the second user terminal to the first user terminal, provided that the data center determines that the second user terminal is permitted to access the personal channel;
retrieve the at least one media content item associated with the personal channel;
establish a direct communication link between the first user terminal associated with the first user and the second user terminal associated with the second user; and
transmit the at least one media content item associated with the personal channel from the first user terminal associated with the first user over the established direct communication link to the second user terminal associated with the second user.

### Claim 11

A system, comprising:
a network communicatively coupled to a plurality of user terminals including a first user terminal associated with a first user and a second user terminal associated with a second user; and
a data center connected to the network and accessible by the plurality of user terminals;
wherein the data center is configured to:
receive from the first user terminal a message including personal channel information associated with a personal channel accessible at the first user terminal, the personal channel being associated with at least one media content item,
store the personal channel information in a data store including a first user terminal identifier,
receive, from the second user terminal, a request for the personal channel information,
determine whether the second user terminal is permitted to access the personal channel, based on the personal channel information received from the first user terminal, and
provide the personal channel information to the second user terminal in response to the request, when the second user terminal is permitted to access the personal channel,
wherein the second user terminal transmits a request to access the personal channel to the first user terminal, and in response, the first user terminal associated with the first user establishes a direct communication link to the second user terminal associated with the second user and transmits the at least one media content item over the established direct communication link to the second user terminal associated with the second user.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, wherein the data center is further configured to:
generate a catalog, the catalog including personal channel metadata identifying a subject, channel name, viewer rating, and number of viewer reviews for the personal channel; and
provide the catalog to the second user terminal.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The system of claim 12, wherein the catalog is an interactive television programming guide listing personal channels together with broadcast television channels.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, wherein the personal channel information defines an audience for the personal channel based on a viewer age rating.

### Claim 15 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, wherein the data center is further configured to store information associated with a plurality of personal channels accessible from the plurality of user terminals.

### Claim 16

A method implemented by a data center, the method comprising:
receiving over a network from a first user terminal associated with a first user a message including personal channel information associated with a personal channel accessible at the first user terminal, the personal channel being associated with at least one media content item;
storing the personal channel information in a data store including a first user terminal identifier;
receiving over the network from a second user terminal associated with a second user a request for the personal channel information;
determining whether the second user terminal is permitted to access the personal channel, based on the personal channel information received from the first user terminal; and
providing the personal channel information to the second user terminal in response to the request, when the second user terminal is permitted to access the personal channel,
wherein the second user terminal transmits a request to access the personal channel to the first user terminal, and in response, the first user terminal associated with the first user establishes a direct communication link to the second user terminal associated with the second user and transmits the at least one media content item over the established direct communication link to the second user terminal associated with the second user.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, further comprising:
generating a catalog, the catalog including personal channel metadata identifying a subject, channel name, viewer rating, and number of viewer reviews for the personal channel; and
providing the catalog to the second user terminal.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein the catalog is an interactive television programming guide listing personal channels together with broadcast television channels.

### Claim 19 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein the personal channel information defines an audience for the personal channel based on viewer age rating.

### Claim 20

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storage device storing instructions executable by a data center comprising a processor, the instructions configured to cause the processor to:
receive over a network from a first user terminal associated with a first user a message including personal channel information associated with a personal channel accessible at the first user terminal, the personal channel being associated with at least one media content item;
store the personal channel information in a data store including a first user terminal identifier;
receive over the network from a second user terminal associated with a second user a request for the personal channel information;
determine whether the second user terminal is permitted to access the personal channel, based on the personal channel information received from the first user terminal; and
provide the personal channel information to the second user terminal in response to the request, when the second user terminal is permitted to access the personal channel,
wherein the second user terminal transmits a request to access the personal channel to the first user terminal, and in response, the first user terminal associated with the first user establishes a direct communication link to the second user terminal associated with the second user and transmits the at least one media content item over the established direct communication link to the second user terminal.