Communicating media content from a DVR to a portable device

1. A method for communicating media content stored on a digital video recorder (DVR) protected by a first digital rights management (DRM) system to a portable multimedia device (PMD) using a second DRM system, wherein the first DRM system differs from said second DRM system, said method comprising using one or more processors to perform steps of:

(a) receiving a request for communication of a media content item stored on the DVR to the PMD;

(b) employing a portable content key to encrypt the media content item to a PMD format suitable content version; and

(c) communicating the encrypted PMD format suitable content version to the PMD along with a portable content identifier (ID), wherein the portable content ID comprises a unique identification value assigned to the media content item.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising using the one or more processors to perform steps of:

communicating a request for the portable content key associated with a portable content ID of the stored media content item to a license server; and

receiving the portable content key associated with the portable content ID from the license server prior to step (b).

3. The method according to claim 2 , further comprising:

employing a secure protocol for one or both of communicating the request for the portable content key and receiving the portable content key.

4. The method according to claim 2 , further comprising:

in the license server,

generating the portable content key in response to receipt of the request for the portable content key associated with the content ID of the media content item; and

communicating the portable content key to the DVR.

5. The method according to claim 4 , further comprising:

storing the generated portable content key in a database.

6. The method according to claim 2 , further comprising:

receiving DRM rules associated with the media content item from the DVR and storing the DRM rules associated with the media content item.

7. The method according to claim 5 , further comprising:

determining that the media content item has been deleted from the DVR;

communicating an indication to the license sever that the media content item has been deleted from the DVR; and

in the license server, deleting the portable content key from the database.

8. The method according to claim 4 , further comprising:

in the license server,

encrypting the portable content key; and

wherein communicating the portable content key further comprises communicating the encrypted portable content key; and

wherein receiving the portable content key further comprises receiving the encrypted portable content key, said method further comprising:

decrypting the encrypted portable content key prior to step (b).

9. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

generating the portable content key in the DVR prior to step (b); and

communicating the portable content key to a license server, wherein the license server is configured to store the portable content key.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the media content item stored on the DVR is encrypted, said method further comprising:

receiving a DVR content key; and

decrypting the media content item using the DVR content key prior to step (b).

11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein one or more of steps (a)-(c) are performed by a rights manager.

12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the rights manager comprises an apparatus that is separable from the DVR.

13. A rights manager for transforming a media content from a first digital rights management (DRM) format suitable for a digital video recorder (DVR) to a second DRM format suitable for a portable multimedia device (PMD), said rights manager comprising a processor, wherein the processor further comprises:

a module for receiving a media content identification (ID) of the media content stored on the DVR;

a module for receiving a DVR content key of the media content stored on the DVR;

a module for decrypting the DVR format suitable content version of a media content item using a DVR content key;

a module for encrypting a PMD format suitable content version of a media content item using a portable content key; and

a module for communicating the encrypted PMD format suitable content version to the PMD along with a portable content identifier (ID), wherein the portable content ID comprises a unique identification value assigned to the media content item.

14. The rights manager according to claim 13 , wherein the processor further comprises:

a module for interfacing directly with the PMD.

15. The rights manager according to claim 13 , wherein the rights manager is an apparatus that is separate and distinct from the DVR.

16. The rights manager according to claim 13 , wherein the rights manager is integrated into the DVR.

17. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium on which is embedded one or more computer programs, said one or more computer programs implementing a method for communicating media content stored on a digital video recorder (DVR) protected by a first DRM system to a portable multimedia device (PMD) using a second DRM system, wherein the first DRM system differs from said second DRM system, said one or more computer programs comprising a set of instructions for:

(a) receiving a request for communication of a media content item stored on the DVR to the PMD;

(b) employing a portable content key to encrypt the media content item to a PMD format suitable content version; and

(c) communicating the encrypted PMD format suitable content version to the PMD along with a portable content identifier (ID), wherein the portable content ID comprises a unique identification value assigned to the media content item.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 17 , said one or more computer programs further including a set of instructions for:

generating the portable content key in one of the DVR and the license server.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 17 , said one or more computer programs further including a set of instructions for:

communicating a request for the portable content key associated with a content identification (ID) of the stored media content to a license server; and

receiving the portable content key associated with the content ID from the license sever prior to step (b).

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 19 , said one or more computer programs further including a set of instructions for:

employing a secure protocol in communicating the request for the portable content key to the license server.