Distributed TV access system
Distributed navigation of broadcast signals is provided through an on-line application connected through a second network connection. A customer receives the broadcast signals through a first network connection, and navigates the broadcast TV content through an on-line application by a browser connected through a second network connection. The present on-line application provides flexible and re-configurable content services, which will need to be customized once for each service provider, but will render consistently on a variety of PC and non-PC client devices. Further, the present on-line application can provide targeted advertising by maintaining an advertising profile for each viewer, determined in part by recording data about the navigating of the content of the broadcast signals, and by recording a plurality of selections of the viewer transmitted to the on-line application. The on-line capability further provides ease for roaming access.
1. A method for roaming broadcast content,
in a system comprising a roaming client system and a first system, which includes a bridge device, the roaming client system having a browser connected to an on-line application at a server for client registration and for content navigation, the roaming client system can be coupled to the first system to deliver the broadcast signals through a first network connection, and the browser in the roaming client system is coupled to the on-line application through a second network connection, and wherein the bridge device acts as an interface between a first digital right management domain and a second digital right management domain,
the method performed at the roaming client system comprising:
registering, through a processor, the browser of the roaming client system, through the second network connection, to the on-line application and enabling the exchange of digital right management (DRM) credentials as a pre-requisite for accessing the broadcast content;
navigating, through the browser of the roaming client system, the broadcast content of the broadcast signals using the on-line application;
receiving, upon content selection, custom navigation data from the on-line application, wherein the custom navigation data includes at least an identification of an appropriate content source for the selected broadcast content;
acquiring the selected broadcast content from the identified content source;
requesting a DRM authorization for the selected broadcast content by transmitting the DRM data associated with the received broadcast content, from the browser to the on-line application at the server, wherein the DRM data associated with the received broadcast content identify at least the broadcast content, the DRM registration of the roaming client system requesting the broadcast content and the source of the broadcast content;
decrypting, upon reception of a DRM authorization message from the on-line application at the server, the selected broadcast content, wherein the DRM authorization message includes at least a decryption key and the associated content rights assuming that the roaming client system is entitled to receive the broadcast content from the identified content source of the broadcast content;
and
rendering the desired content, selected through the navigating of the broadcast signals to a desired format onto the roaming client system after obtaining the required DRM authorization.
2. A method as in claim 1 wherein the selected broadcast content is authorized by the on-line application at the server to be retrieved by the roaming client system from the first system through the first network connection.
3. A method as in claim 1 wherein the selected broadcast content is authorized by the on-line application at the server to be retrieved by the roaming client system from the bridge device through a remote connection.
4. A method as in claim 1 wherein the selected broadcast content is authorized by the on-line application at the server to be retrieved by the roaming client system from a copy in a storage unit of the roaming client system, after the copy was made through a local connection with the bridge device.
5. A method as in claim 1 wherein the selected broadcast content is authorized by the on-line application at the server to be retrieved by the roaming client system from a copy at the server of the on-line application.
6. A method at an on-line application at a server for roaming client broadcast signals,
in a system comprising a roaming client system and a first system which includes a bridge device, the roaming client system having a browser connected to an on-line application for registration of the roaming client system and for navigation of a content of the broadcast signals, the first system being coupled to deliver the broadcast signals through a first network connection, the browser coupled to the on-line application through a second network connection, and wherein the bridge device acts as an interface between a first digital right management domain and a second digital right management domain,
the method comprising:
registering, through a processor, the browser of the roaming client system to the on-line application at the server, wherein the registering includes at least the exchange of digital right management (DRM) credentials as a pre-requisite for accessing the broadcast content;
responding, by the on-line application, to requests from the browser to navigate content of broadcast TV signals available to the roaming client system;
transmitting, upon content selection, custom navigation data for the roaming client system, wherein the custom navigation data includes at least an identification of an appropriate content source for the selected broadcast content, from the on-line application at the server to the browser; and
transmitting, upon reception of a DRM authorization request, a DRM authorization message, wherein the DRM authorization message includes at least a decryption key and the associated content rights assuming the roaming client system is entitled to receive the broadcast content from the identified content source of the broadcast content, from the on-line application at the server to the browser.
7. A method as in claim 6 wherein the selected broadcast content is authorized by the on-line application at the server to be retrieved by the roaming client system from the first system through the first network connection.
8. A method as in claim 6 wherein the selected broadcast content is authorized by the on-line application at the server to be retrieved by the roaming client system from the bridge device through a remote connection.
9. A method as in claim 6 wherein the selected broadcast content is authorized by the on-line application at the server to be retrieved by the roaming client system from a copy in a storage unit of the roaming client system, after the copy was made through a local connection with the bridge.
10. A method as in claim 6 wherein the selected broadcast content is authorized by the on-line application at the server to be retrieved by the roaming client system from a copy at the server of the on-line application.
11. A non-transitory machine readable medium containing executable computer program instructions which when executed cause a machine to perform a method for roaming broadcast signals,
in a system comprising a roaming client system and a first system, which includes a bridge device, the roaming client system having a browser for connecting to an on-line application at a server for registration of the roaming client system and for navigation of a content of the broadcast signals, the first system being coupled to deliver the broadcast signals through a first network connection, the browser coupled to the on-line application through a second network connection, and wherein the bridge device acts as an interface between a first digital right management domain and a second digital right management domain,
the method performed at the roaming client system comprising:
registering the browser of the roaming client system, through the second network connection, to the on-line application and enabling the exchange of digital right management (DRM) credentials as a pre-requisite for accessing the broadcast content;
navigating, through the browser of the roaming client system, the content of the broadcast signals using the on-line application;
receiving, upon content selection, custom navigation data from the on-line application, wherein the custom navigation data includes at least an identification of an appropriate content source for the selected broadcast content;
acquiring the selected broadcast content from the identified content source;
requesting a DRM authorization for the selected broadcast content by transmitting the DRM data associated with the received broadcast content from the browser to the on-line application at the server, wherein the DRM data associated with the received broadcast content identify at least the broadcast content, the DRM registration of the roaming client system requesting the broadcast content and the source of the broadcast content;
decrypting, upon reception of a DRM authorization message from the on-line application at the server the selected broadcast content, wherein the DRM authorization message includes at least a decryption key and the associated content rights assuming that the roaming client system is entitled to receive the broadcast content from the identified content source of the broadcast content;
and
rendering the desired content, selected through the navigating, of the broadcast signals to a desired format onto the roaming client system after obtaining the required DRM authorization.
12. A medium as in claim 11 wherein the selected broadcast content is authorized by the on-line application at the server to be retrieved by the roaming client system from the bridge device through a remote connection.
13. A medium as in claim 11 wherein the selected broadcast content is authorized by the on-line application at the server to be retrieved by the roaming client system from the first system through the first network connection.
14. A medium as in claim 11 wherein the selected broadcast content is authorized by the on-line application at the server to be retrieved by the roaming client system from a copy in a storage unit of the roaming client system, after the copy was made through a local connection with the bridge device.
15. A medium as in claim 11 wherein the selected broadcast content is authorized by the on-line application at the server to be retrieved by the roaming client system from a copy at the server of the on-line application.
16. A non-transitory machine readable medium containing executable computer program instructions which when executed, cause a machine to perform a method at an on-line application at a server for roaming client broadcast signals,
in a system comprising a roaming client system and a first system which includes a bridge device, the roaming client system having a browser connected to an on-line application for registration of the roaming client system and for navigation of a content of the broadcast signals, the first system being coupled to deliver the broadcast signals through a first network connection, the browser coupled to the on-line application through a second network connection, and wherein the bridge device acts as an interface between a first digital right management domain and a second digital right management domain,
the method comprising:
registering the browser of the roaming client system to the on-line application at the server, wherein the registering includes at least the exchange of digital right management (DRM) credentials as a pre-requisite for accessing the broadcast content;
responding, by the on-line application, to requests from the browser to navigate content of broadcast TV signals available to the roaming client system;
transmitting, upon content selection, custom navigation data for the roaming client system, wherein the custom navigation data includes at least an identification of an appropriate content source for the selected broadcast content, from the on-line application at the server to the browser; and
transmitting, upon reception of a DRM authorization request, a DRM authorization message, wherein the DRM authorization message includes at least a decryption key and the associated content rights assuming the roaming client system is entitled to receive the broadcast content from the identified content source of the broadcast content, from the on-line application at the server to the browser.
17. A medium as in claim 16 wherein the selected broadcast content is authorized by the on-line application at the server to be retrieved by the roaming client system from the first system through the first network connection.
18. A medium as in claim 16 wherein the selected broadcast content is authorized by the on-line application at the server to be retrieved by the roaming client system from the bridge device through a remote connection.
19. A medium as in claim 16 wherein the selected broadcast content is authorized by the on-line application at the server to be retrieved by authorized by the on-line application at the server to be retrieved by the roaming client system from a copy in a storage unit of the roaming client system, after the copy was made through a local connection with the bridge.
20. A medium as in claim 16 wherein a copy of the selected broadcast content is authorized by the on-line application at the server to be retrieved by the roaming client system from a copy at the server of the on-line application.