System, method and article of manufacture for remote control and navigation of local content
View Patent ↗A system, method and article of manufacture are provided for remotely controlling content stored on a local computer connected to a network system such as the Internet. The invention allows content such as DVD Video content to be locked so that play can only be accomplished through verification of user identity and also allows augmentation and supplementation of the content provided by the video from a remote server. In addition, upon verification of user client credentials, the present invention allows the locally stored content to be supplemented with additional content delivered over the network system. Furthermore, the present invention allows content stored locally on a client device to be remotely controlled to play synchronously on a plurality of client devices.
1. A method for remotely controlling content at a client device comprising the steps of:
receiving credentials from the client device at a server;
authenticating the credentials at the server; and
sending, in response to the authenticating, an unlock sequence to the client device, wherein the unlock sequence triggers the client device to locate the content for playback at the client device.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of receiving credentials comprises receiving credentials from a burst cut area of a removable medium, wherein the content is located on the removable medium.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of sending comprises sending the unlock sequence to the client device, wherein the unlock sequence is a function of the credentials, thereby triggering the client device to locate particular content as a function of the credentials.
4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
comparing a date the credentials are received with a valid time period for the content;
wherein the step of sending is in response to both the step of authenticating rendering an authentication and the step of comparing indicating that the date is within a valid time period for the content.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of sending comprises sending the unlock sequence to the client device wherein the client device comprises a Digital Versatile Disc (DVD) player that operates according to a DVD-Video Specification, wherein the content is stored on a Digital Versatile Disk (DVD).
6. The method of claim 5 wherein the step of sending the unlock sequence comprises sending navigation commands that set a general parameter register at the DVD player to a particular value in response to the authenticating, wherein the general parameter register is inherent in the DVD-Video specification, wherein the content has been authored such that when the general parameter register is set to the particular value, a post command is generated in the client device that directs the client device to the content.
7. A computer readable medium encoded with code segments for controlling content remotely, the computer readable medium comprising:
a code segment for receiving credentials from the client device at a server;
a code segment for authenticating the credentials at the server; and
a code segment for sending, in response to the authenticating, an unlock sequence to the client device, wherein the unlock sequence triggers the client device to locate the content for playback at the client device.
8. The computer readable medium of claim 7 , wherein the code segment for receiving credentials comprises a code segment for receiving credentials from a burst cut area of a removable medium, wherein the content is located on the removable medium.
9. The computer readable medium of claim 7 , wherein the code segment for receiving credentials comprises a code segment for receiving credentials from a burst cut area of a removable medium, wherein the content is located on the removable medium.
10. The computer readable medium of claim 7 , wherein the code segment for sending comprises a code segment for sending the unlock sequence to the client device, wherein the unlock sequence is a function of the credentials, thereby triggering the client device to locate particular content as a function of the credentials.
11. The computer readable medium of claim 7 further comprising:
a code segment for comparing a date the credentials are received with a valid time period for the content;
wherein the code segment for sending comprises a code segment for sending the unlock sequence in response to both the code segment for authenticating rendering an authentication and the code segment for comparing indicating that the date is within a valid time period for the content.
12. The computer readable medium of claim 7 , wherein the code segment for sending comprises a code segment for sending the unlock sequence to the client device wherein the client device comprises a Digital Versatile Disc (DVD) player that operates according to a DVD-Video Specification, wherein the content is stored on a Digital Versatile Disk (DVD).
13. The computer readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the code segment for sending the unlock sequence comprises a code segment for sending navigation commands that set a general parameter register at the DVD player to a particular value in response to the code segment for authenticating rendering an authentication, wherein the general parameter register is inherent in the DVD-Video specification, wherein the content has been authored such that when the general parameter register is set to the particular value a post command is generated in the client device that directs the client device to the content.
14. A method for accessing local content at a client device;
sending credentials from the client device to a remote server;
receiving, in response to the credentials being authenticated at the remote server, an unlock sequence;
locating the content in response to receiving the unlock sequence; and
accessing the content.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the step of sending credentials comprises sending credentials from a burst cut area of a removable medium, wherein the content is located on the removable medium.
16. The method of claim 14 wherein the step of receiving the unlock sequence comprises receiving values for general parameter registers;
wherein the step of locating comprises generating a post command to direct the client to the content.
17. The method of claim 14 wherein the step of locating the content comprises locating a particular portion of the content as a function of the unlock sequence, wherein the unlock sequence is a function of the credentials.
18. The method of claim 14 further comprising the step of:
comparing a date the credentials are received with a valid time period for the content;
wherein the step of sending is in response to both the step of authenticating rendering authentication and the step of comparing indicating that the date is within a valid time period for the content.
19. The method of claim 14 , wherein the code segment for sending credentials comprises a code segment for sending credentials from a burst cut area of a removable medium, wherein the content is located on the removable medium.
20. The method of claim 14 wherein the code segment for receiving the unlock sequence comprises a code segment for receiving values for general parameter registers;
wherein the code segment for locating comprises a code segment for generating a post command to direct the client to the content.
21. The method of claim 14 wherein the code segment for locating the content comprises a code segment for locating a particular portion of the content as a function of the unlock sequence, wherein the unlock sequence is a function of the credentials.
22. A computer readable medium encoded with code segments for accessing local content at a client device, the computer readable medium comprising:
a code segment for sending credentials from the client device to a remote server;
a code segment for receiving, in response to the credentials being authenticated at the remote server, an unlock sequence;
a code segment for locating the content in response to receiving the unlock sequence; and
a code segment for accessing the content.