WO2007125461A1

WO2007125461A1 - Sharing content among personal video records

Info

Publication number: WO2007125461A1
Application number: PCT/IB2007/051413
Authority: WO
Inventors: Liang Gan; Jingwei Tan; Weiran Wang; Donghai Yu
Original assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
Priority date: 2006-04-28
Filing date: 2007-04-19
Publication date: 2007-11-08
Also published as: JP2009535882A

Abstract

The invention relates generally to sharing content among personal video records. It provides a method of sharing a broadcast content, comprising the steps of: receiving a request from a user for sharing the broadcast content recorded/to be recorded by a personal video recorder with the user, checking whether the user is a legitimate one of using the broadcast content; if the user is a legitimate one of using the broadcast content, sending the content to the user. The invention helps the user get access to the broadcast content recorded/to be recorded by a personal video recorder for the broadcast content he/she has the right to use. Meanwhile, it also helps protect the broadcaster's right of the broadcast content by preventing the personal video recorder to distribute the recorded broadcast content.

Description

SHARING CONTENT AMONG PERSONAL VIDEO RECORDS

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates generally to a personal video record, in particular, but not exclusively, to digital right management for sharing content among PVRs.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Philips Electronics markets a personal video recorder (PVR) that is powered by the TiVo service. The PVR allows a user to pause, rewind, slow-motion, and even frame-forward and back live TV. Fast forward with "SmartScan" lets the user choose what to watch or skip.

The PVR is compatible with direct broadcast satellite, cable and antenna. The PVR digital video recorder is connected between a TV set and cable box (digital or analog), satellite receiver, and/or antenna. Via the user's existing phone line, the PVR downloads up-to-date program information such as an electronic program guide (EPG) from the TiVo service. The service further lets the user manage and create his/her own TV schedule with automatic digital recordings of favourite shows that are saved to a hard disk drive (HDD) without having the user explicitly set a timer.

WO 02080552 filed on 15 March 2002 by KONINKL PHILIPS ELECTRONICS NV for VIRTUAL PERSONALIZED TV CHANNEL. This document relates to a data management system creates a personalized content information channel for an end user by enabling to automatically play out a plurality of concatenated content information segments.

These segments or programs have been selected on the basis of a criterion independent of a respective resource of respective ones of the segments. The concatenation enables a substantially continuous, or back-to-back, play-out as if the personalized channel were a conventional TV or radio channel. Respective resources comprise, for example, respective TV channels with live broadcasts, a recording device for time- shifting the play out of at least a specific one of the programs so as to have it fit into the concatenation of the programs per personalized channel or recorded content information, e. g., as stored on a PVR or on a DVD in a DVD jukebox, on a CD or a solid state memory, as a video-on- demand service, etc.

User may have more than two favorite programs on the air to be recorded at the same time. However the capability of the PVR of the user may not be enough to match the need for the user to record more than two favorite programs sometime, either due to the limited tuner of the PVR or due to the limited storage of the PVR.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention gives users more flexibility and enjoyable viewing experience by allowing users to share broadcast content among PVRs.

One desire of the invention is to provide a method of sharing a broadcast content, comprising the steps of: receiving a request from a user for sharing the broadcast content recorded/to be recorded by a PVR with the user, checking whether the user is a legitimate one of watching the broadcast content; if the user is a legitimate one of watching the broadcast content, sending the content to the user.

In one embodiment according to the invention, if the user is not a legitimate one of watching the broadcast content, notifying the user the refusal of sharing the broadcast content.

The invention could help the user get access to the broadcast content recorded/to be recorded by a PVR if he/she has the right to watch it. Meanwhile, it also help protect the broadcaster's right of the broadcast content by preventing the PVR to distribute the recorded broadcast content illegitimately. In another embodiment according to the invention, the checking step comprises the steps of: verifying whether the broadcast content is from a free channel; if the broadcast content is from a free channel, determining the user is a legitimate one of watching the broadcast content.

The checking step may also comprise the step of: checking whether the request includes an authentication information indicating the user is a legitimate one of watching the broadcast content.

The checking step may also comprise the steps of: generating an authentication request for checking whether the user is a legitimate one of watching the broadcast content, sending the authentication request to the broadcaster of the broadcast content; receiving an authentication response from the broadcaster; and determining whether the user is a legitimate one of watching the broadcast content according to the authentication response.

In still another embodiment according to the invention, wherein the broadcast content is to be broadcasted, further comprising the step of: determining whether the broadcast is scheduled to be recorded by the PVR; and if yes, recording the broadcast content. If the broadcast content has not been scheduled to be recorded by the PVR, comprising the step of: scheduling the recording of the broadcast content.

Another desire of the invention is to provide a computer program product for sharing a broadcast content, the computer program product comprising: code for receiving a request from a user for sharing the broadcast content recorded/to be recorded by a PVR with the user; code for checking whether the user is a legitimate one of watching the broadcast content; code for sending the content to the user if the user is a legitimate one of watching the broadcast content.

Still another desire of the invention is to provide an apparatus for sharing a broadcast content, comprising: a receiver for receiving a request from a user for sharing the broadcast content recorded/to be recorded by a PVR with the user; a checker for checking whether the user is a legitimate one of watching the broadcast content; a sender for code for sending the content to the user if the user is a legitimate one of watching the broadcast content. Still another desire of the invention is to provide a PVR, the PVR comprises: a tuner for receiving a transport stream including a broadcast content; a demultiplexer for demultiplexing the transport stream into a packetized elementary stream; a decoder for decoding the packetized elementary stream; a storing medium for storing the packetized elementary stream; and an apparatus for sharing the broadcast content that includes a receiver for receiving a request from a user for sharing the broadcast content recorded/to be recorded by a PVR with the user; a checker for checking whether the user is a legitimate one of watching the broadcast content; a sender for code for sending the content to the user if the user is a legitimate one of watching the broadcast content.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other aspects of the invention will become apparent from and will be elucidated with respect to the implementations and embodiments described hereinafter and with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a flow chart showing the process of sharing a broadcast content in an embodiment according to the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a flow chart showing the process of checking step shown in Fig. 1 in an embodiment according to the present invention;

Fig. 3 schematically shows an apparatus for sharing a broadcast content in an embodiment according to the present invention;

Fig. 4 schematically shows an apparatus for a PVR in an embodiment according to the present invention.

Same reference numerals are used to denote similar parts throughout the figures. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT

Further description is given below referencing to the attached drawings.

Fig. 1 is a flow chart showing the process of sharing a broadcast content in an embodiment according to the present invention.

Firstly, receives a request from a user for sharing the broadcast content recorded/to be recorded by a PVR with the user (SIlO).

The request for sharing the broadcast content includes content information of the broadcast content. For example, the content information can be Service Information (SI). In DVB-SI, there is a table called EIT for describing each episode broadcasted in the same channel. Each episode is indicated via unique event id, for each episode(event), its start_time and duration are indicated as well. The name of the event and other information (parente rating, producer, etc.) could be found in DVB-SI as form 1.

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Form 1 The content information can also be ECG (electronic content guide) in the TV Anytime, ECG is defined to present available content to the consumer, allowing selection of desired content. The search criteria on the broadcast content includes content identification information (e.g. title, ISDN), channel ID or other information (e.g. provider, date, media type, rating, actor/director, etc.)

The request for sharing the broadcast content may also includes an authentication information which indicating the user is a legitimate one of watching the broadcast content. For example, a certificate which indicates the right of the user to watching broadcast content of a channel during a specific period. For example, if the user has subscribed HNTV for year 2006, he/she may get a certificate for this subscription to prove his/her right.

The request could be sent by a user over a network. This network could be any type of communication network. For example, network implemented in accordance with standards, such as IEEE 802.3, Ethernet 10/100 on Category 5, HPNA, Home Plug, IEEE 802. Hx, IEEE 1394, and USB 1.1/2. 0.

Secondly, checks whether the user is a legitimate one of watching the broadcast content (S120).

Checking whether the user is a legitimate one of watching the broadcast content recorded or to be recorded by the PVR protects the broadcast content from being redistributed to an unauthorized user.

The process of S 120 will be illustrated in detail in Fig.2.

If the user is not a legitimate one of watching the broadcast content according to S 120, then notifies the user that his request for sharing the broadcast content is denied (S 180).

If the user is a legitimate one of watching the broadcast content, next step, finds the broadcast content (Step 130). There are three situations of the content:

The first situation is that the broadcast content is stored on a storage medium of the PVR (S140). The broadcast content is retrived from the storage medium and sent to the user over the network (S 170). The sending technology could be streaming or other known transferring technology e.g. FTP (File Transfer Protocol), HTTP (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol), etc.

Different PVR may record broadcast content in different format, such as in high definition format, or in standard definition format. There is a need of including the step of transforming the broadcast content into the format compatible with the display device of the user.

The second situation is that the broadcast content is being broadcasted (S 150). Then determines whether the broadcast content is being recorded on a storage medium of the PVR (S 152). There are two types of storage medium, volatile memory and non- volatile memory. Volatile memory is memory that loses its contents when the computer or hardware device loses power, such as a RAM (as a buffer). Non- volatile memory, sometimes abbreviated as NVRAM, is memory that keeps its contents even if the power is lost such as a hard disk, a DVD RW, an EPROM, an EEPROM, a Flash memory.

If the broadcast content is being recorded on a storage medium of the PVR, sends the broadcast content to the user over the network (S170).

If the broadcast content is not being recorded, checking whether the PVR is idle (S 154). If yes, recording the content according to the content information (S 156).

To record a program, the PVR may need to assign a tuner to the client, allocate space on the storage medium to record the broadcast content, and store the broadcast content on the storage medium during a time scheduled for the broadcast content. The PVR could have the function of resolving any conflicts that arise in assigning available tuners or spaces for recording broadcast content.

If the PVR is not idle, notifies the user that his request to sharing the broadcast content is denied (S 180).

The third situation is that the broadcast content is to be broadcasted ( S160 ) .Then determines whether the broadcast content has already been scheduled by the owner of the PVR to be recorded on the PVR at the time when the content is to be broadcasted (S 162). If so, records the content according to the content information at the time when the content is being broadcasted (S 168). Retaining the recorded broadcast content on a storage medium till the proper time of sending the broadcast content to the user if necessary. (Since the user requested the broadcast content may not be always available over the network.) Then sends the broadcast content to the user over the network (S 170).

Any conflicts may arise during the recording of broadcast content. During the period of recording the broadcast content, when the PVR receiving a recording task with a higher priority of current task of recording the content, for example, the record task from the home network the PVR belongs to. The PVR may notify the user and pause the recording process over the network.

If the broadcast content has not been scheduled to be recorded on the PVR at the time when the content is being broadcasted, determines whether the PVR is idle at the time when the broadcast content to be broadcasted (S 164).

If the PVR is idle at that time, schedules the recording of the broadcast content according to the content information at the time when the content is to be broadcasted (S 166). And records the broadcast content at the time when the content is being broadcasted (S 168). After recording, sends the broadcast content to the user over the network (S 170).

If the PVR is not idle at that time, notifies the user that his request to sharing the broadcast content is denied (S 180).

One application scenario of the invention is to create a virtual channel of a popular series, which are being broadcasted by different broadcast channels at similar time slots. Normally, one broadcast channel only broadcast 2 episodes in one night.

For example, channel CCTV-I broadcasts episode 3 to episode 4 of "Ma Da Shuai" from 8:00 PM to 9:30 PM, in the same day STV-I broadcasts "episode 5 to episode 6 of "Ma Da Shuai" from 8:30 PM to 10:00 PM, and BJTV-2 may also broadcast episode 7 to episode 8 of "Ma Da Shuai" in8:50 PM to 10:20 PM. If the total number of episodes of "Ma Da Shuai" is 20, it takes 10 days for each physical channel to broadcast out all the episodes. But take the CCTV-I, STV-I, BJTV-2 as a group, the 20 episodes are broadcasted in less than 10 days.

The user may be interested in the "Ma Da Shuai" and would like to see all episodes of "Ma Da Shuai" in a shorter time period. According to the invention, user could get the "Ma Da Shuai" which is stored in, being recording or to be recorded in the storage medium of others' PVRs if the user is verified as a legitimate one of watching the broadcast content. Thus generates a networked virtual channel of series "Ma Da shuan".

When the user tunes into the networked virtual channel "Ma Da Shuai", he can view more episodes compared with normal virtual channel of PVR which is only based on the content recorded by the user. And it makes no difference between watching from this kind of virtual channel and watching from a broadcast channel to the user.

Fig. 2 is a flow chart showing the process of checking step S 120 shown in Fig. 1 in an embodiment according to the present invention.

The step of checking whether the user is a legitimate one of watching the broadcast content may comprise one or several of the following steps:

(1) checks whether the broadcast content is from a free channel (S 121). Verifying whether the broadcast content is from a free channel, for example free news channel

CCTV- 1. If the broadcast content is from a free channel, determines the user is a legitimate one of watching the broadcast content.

(2) checks whether the request includes an authentication information which indicating the user is a legitimate one of watching the broadcast content(S122).

The authentication information could be a certificate which indicates the user is a subscriber of a specific broadcast channel of the broadcast content. The user may be granted a certificate by a broadcaster or an operator to watch the broadcast content because he has paid or subscribed for the channel, e.g., CNN, HBO, BBC, Musicbox, and get the authorization to use the content for a certain period, for example, from July 1,2005 to June 30,2006. The authentication information could also be a specific certificate which the user has paid only for a particular broadcast content of special channel and got the authorization to watch the particular broadcast content. The particular broadcast content could be a video-on- demand (VOD) content or a pay-per-view (PPV) content in a specific period.

(3) generates an authentication request for checking whether the user is a legitimate one of watching the broadcast content(S213), sends the authentication request to the broadcaster of the broadcast content(S214), receives an authentication response from the broadcaster (S215), determines whether the user is a legitimate one of watching the broadcast content according to the authentication response (S216).

The authentication request could also be sent to a distribution operator that managing the distribution of the broadcast content, such as a cable operator.

The broadcaster or the operator may maintain a database of authentication information of the users. The authentication information of the users indicates whether the user is a legitimate one of watching the broadcast content. The authentication response is generated according to the authentication information.

If the database shows the user is a subscriber to the channel having the broadcast content from July 1,2005 to June 30,2006, and if the broadcast content is to be broadcasted on May 1, 2006, it can be decided that the user is a legitimate one of watching the broadcast content.

Even if the database shows the user was a subscriber to the channel having the broadcast content from July 1,2005 to December 31,2005, and if the broadcast content was broadcasted on November 11, 2005, it can be decided that the user is a legitimate one of watching the broadcast content. Fig. 3 schematically shows an apparatus 30 for sharing a broadcast content in an embodiment according to the present invention. The apparatus 30 could be a part of media center of a home network, or a part of a PVR.

Apparatus 30 comprises: a receiver 312,a checker 320 and a sender 314. Apparatus 30 further comprises a notifier 370, a finder 330, a scheduler 340, a buffer 350 and a hard disk 360.

Receiver 312 receives a request from a user for sharing the broadcast content recorded/to be recorded by a PVR with the user.

Checker 320 checks whether the user is a legitimate one of watching the broadcast content. Preferably, the checker 320 includes a first checking unit 322, a second checking unit 324 and a third checking unit 326.

The first checking unit 322 checks whether the broadcast content is from a free channel. The first checking unit 322 verifies whether the broadcast content is from a free channel, for example, a free news channel. If the broadcast content is from a free channel, determines the user is a legitimate one of watching the broadcast content.

The second checking unit 324 checks whether the request includes an authentication information which indicating the user is a legitimate one of watching the broadcast content.

The authentication information could be a certificate which indicates the user is a subscriber of the broadcast content, i.e. a movie channel, a sports channel. The authentication information could also be a specific certificate which the user paid only for a particular broadcast content, for example a video-on-demand (VOD) content or a pay-per- view (PPV) content in a specific period.

The third checking unit 326 checking whether it can get authentication information from a broadcaster that indicates the user is a legitimate one of watching the broadcast content. The third checking unit 326 generates an authentication request for checking whether the user is a legitimate one of watching the broadcast content, sends the authentication request to the broadcaster of the broadcast content, and receives an authentication response from the broadcaster, then determines whether the user is a legitimate one of watching the broadcast content according to the authentication response.

If the checker 320 determines the user is a legitimate one of watching the broadcast content, the finder 330 will find the status of the broadcast content in the PVR.

If the broadcast content is recorded content, such as content stored in the Hard Disk of the PVR, sends it to the user via the sender 314. It is understandable that the broadcast content recorded by the PVR could also be stored in other storage medium which is not a part of PVR.

If the broadcast content is being broadcasted, and the buffer of the PVR which receives packetized elementary stream (PES) is buffering the broadcast content, sends it to the user via the sender 314. Another way is till the broadcast content is stored in a non- volatile memory (e.g. a hard disk) of the PVR, sends it to the user via the sender 314.

If the broadcast content is to be broadcasted, checks the scheduler 340 to determines whether the broadcast content has been scheduled to be recorded on the PVR at the time when the content is being broadcasted. If so, records the content according to the content information at the time when the content is being broadcasted.

If the scheduler 340 determines that the broadcast content has not been scheduled to be recorded on the PVR and the PVR is not idle at that time, send a response to the notifier 370 and the notifier 370 notifies the user of the refusal via sender 314. If the scheduler 340 determines that the broadcast content has not been scheduled to be recorded on the PVR and the PVR is idle at that time, the scheduler 340 schedules the recording of the broadcast content.

The sender 314 sends the content to the user if the user is a legitimate one of watching the broadcast content. The receiver 312 and the sender 314 could be a part of any current or future wired/wireless communication network transceiver 310, such as internet connection, intranet connection, GSM, etc..

The invention can also be implemented by means of a suitably programmed computer provided with a computer program for sharing a broadcast content. The computer program product for a computer program product for sharing a broadcast content, the computer program product comprising: code for receiving a request from a user for sharing the broadcast content recorded/to be recorded by a PVR with the user; code for checking whether the user is a legitimate one of watching the broadcast content; code for sending the content to the user if the user is a legitimate one of watching the broadcast content.

Such a computer program product may be stored in a storage carrier.

These portions of program code may be provided to a processor to produce a machine, such that the code that executes on the processor create means for implementing the functions specified as above.

PVR 40 comprises: a tunner 410, a demultiplexer 420, a decoder 430, a storage medium 440 and a sharing apparatus 30.

The tunner 410 receives a transport stream including a broadcast content.

The demultiplexer 420 demultiplexes the transport stream into a packetized elementary stream, and outputting the packetized elementary stream.

The audio/video decoder 430 decodes the audio and video of the packetized elementary stream and send it to the displayer for display. Storing medium 440 stores the packetized elementary stream.

Apparatus 30 for sharing the broadcast content with a user. The apparatus 30 gets the packetized elementary stream from the demultiplexer 420 or from the storing medium 440. The apparatus 30 comprising: a receiver 312 for receiving a request from a user for sharing the broadcast content recorded/to be recorded by a PVR with the user; a checker 320 for checking whether the user is a legitimate one of watching the broadcast content; a sender 314 for sending the content to the user if the user is a legitimate one of watching the broadcast content.

It should be noted that the above-mentioned embodiments illustrate rather than limit the invention and that those skilled in the art will be able to design alternative embodiments without departing from the scope of the appended claims. In the claims, any reference signs placed between parentheses shall not be constructed as limiting the claim. The word 'comprising' does not exclude the presence of elements or steps not listed in a claim. The word "a" or "an" preceding an element does not exclude the presence of a plurality of such elements. The invention can be implemented by means of hardware comprising several distinct elements and by means of a suitable programmed computer. In the unit claims enumerating several means, several of these means can be embodied by one and the same item of hardware. The usage of the words first, second and third, etcetera do not indicate any ordering. These words are to be interpreted as names.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A method for sharing a broadcast content, comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving a request from a user for sharing the broadcast content recorded/to be recorded by a personal video recorder with the user,

(b) checking whether the user is a legitimate one of watching the broadcast content;

(c) if the user is a legitimate one of watching the broadcast content, sending the content to the user.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of:

(d) if the user is not a legitimate one of watching the broadcast content, notifying the user the refusal of sharing the broadcast content.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step (b) comprising the steps of: verifying whether the broadcast content is from a free channel, if the broadcast content is from a free channel, determining the user is a legitimate one of watching the broadcast content.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step (b) comprising the step of: checking whether the request includes an authentication information indicating the user is a legitimate one of watching the broadcast content.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the authentication information indicates the user is a subscriber of the broadcast content.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step (b) comprising the steps of: generating an authentication request for checking whether the user is a legitimate one of watching the broadcast content, sending the authentication request to the broadcaster of the broadcast content; receiving an authentication response from the broadcaster; and determining whether the user is a legitimate one of watching the broadcast content according to the authentication response.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the authentication response indicates the user is a subscriber of the broadcast content.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the broadcast content is to be broadcasted, further comprising the step of:

(e) determining whether the broadcast content has been scheduled to be recorded by the personal video recorder; and

(f) if yes, recording the broadcast content.

9. The method of claim 8, if the broadcast content is not scheduled to be recorded by the personal video recorder, comprising the step of:

(g) scheduling the recording of the broadcast content.

10. A computer program product for sharing a broadcast content, the computer program product comprising: code for receiving a request from a user for sharing the broadcast content recorded/to be recorded by a personal video recorder with the user, code for checking whether the user is a legitimate one of watching the broadcast content; code for sending the content to the user if the user is a legitimate one of watching the broadcast content.

11. A storage carrier containing the computer program product as claimed in claim 10.

12. An apparatus for sharing a broadcast content, comprising: a receiver for receiving a request from a user for sharing the broadcast content recorded/to be recorded by a personal video recorder with the user, a checker for checking whether the user is a legitimate one of watching the broadcast content; a sender for sending the content to the user if the user is a legitimate one of watching the broadcast content.

13. A personal video recorder comprises: a tuner for receiving a transport stream including a broadcast content; a demultiplexer for demultiplexing the transport stream into a packetized elementary stream; a decoder for decoding the packetized elementary stream; a storing medium for storing the packetized elementary stream; and an apparatus for sharing the broadcast content as claimed in claim 12.