IPTV follow me content system and method

1. A system for distributing access-restricted content in an internet protocol-based television environment, the system comprising:

a decoder unit, in operative communication with a network and locatable in the network by an internet protocol address, and configured to:

receive a key from a key store configured to store the key, the key being associated with a set of access rights for an account; and

transmit, over the network, entitlement information relating to the set of access rights; and

a network entitlement handler unit, in operative communication with the network, and configured to:

receive, over the network from the decoder unit, a request for a requested content set;

receive, over the network, a set of access-restricted content, the set of access-restricted content having limited accessibility based at least in part on the set of access rights and comprising at least a portion of the requested content set;

receive the internet protocol address corresponding to the requesting decoder unit; and

transmit the set of access-restricted content over the network to the network address using the internet protocol.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of portable entitlement keys, each entitlement key comprising:

the key store;

a key provider unit, in operative communication with the key store, and configured to provide the key associated with the key store to the decoder unit; and

a portable chassis, operatively coupled with the key store and the key provider unit.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the portable chassis encloses at least one of the key store or the key provider unit.

4. The system of claim 2 , wherein the key provider unit is further configured to:

be compatible with a plurality of decoder units; and

provide the key to the plurality of decoder units.

5. The system of claim 2 , wherein the decoder unit comprises a port, the port being configured to:

provide an electromagnetic interface for at least a portion of the portable chassis such that the decoder unit may receive the key from the key provider unit through the port.

6. The system of claim 2 , wherein the decoder unit comprises a port, the port being configured to:

provide an electromagnetic interface for at least a portion of the portable chassis such that the decoder unit may receive the key from the key provider unit through the port; and

provide a physical interface for at least a portion of the portable chassis such that at least a portion of the portable chassis may be removably coupled to the decoder unit at the port.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein:

the decoder unit is further configured to receive a requesting key from the key store associated with a requesting account; and

the network entitlement handler unit is further configured to:

receive the entitlement information relating to the set of access rights associated with the requesting account;

determine, based at least in part on the entitlement information, whether the requesting account has an entitlement to receive the requested content set; and

transmit the transmitted portion of the requested content set only if the requesting account has the entitlement to receive the requested content set.

8. The system of claim 2 , wherein:

the decoder unit comprises a port configured to:

removably couple the portable chassis with the decoder unit; and

receive a requesting key from the key provider unit; and

the network entitlement handler unit is further configured to:

receive the entitlement information relating to the set of access rights associated with the requesting account;

determine, based at least in part on the entitlement information, whether the requesting account has an entitlement to receive the requested content set; and

transmit the transmitted portion of the requested content set only if the requesting account has the entitlement to receive the requested content set, wherein at least a portion of the entitlement information relates to whether the portable chassis is coupled with the decoder unit at the port.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein:

the set of access rights is further associated with at least one user, the at least one user having authority to use the account;

the decoder unit is further configured to receive a first key from the key store associated with a requesting account; and

the network entitlement handler unit is further configured to receive a second key, operable to verify the authority to use the account.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the network entitlement handler unit is further configured to receive the second key from the decoder unit.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the requested content set comprises configuration information, at least a portion of the configuration information being uniquely associated with the account.

12. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a content store, comprising stored content uniquely associated with the account, wherein the requested content set comprises at least a portion of the stored content.

13. The system of claim 1 , further comprising an encrypter unit, in operative communication with the network entitlement handler unit, and configured to encrypt at least a portion of the requested content set before transmitting the transmitted portion of the requested content set over the network.

14. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a network tester unit, in operative communication with the network and the network entitlement handler unit, and further configured to:

determine a set of characteristics relating to the network before transmitting the transmitted portion of the requested content set over the network; and

alter the transmitted portion of the requested content set based at least in part on the determination of the set of characteristics.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein:

determining the set of characteristics relating to the network comprises determining the throughput of the network; and

altering the transmitted portion of the requested content set comprises:

determining a compatible portion of the requested content set which can be effectively transmitted over the network based at least in part on the determination of the throughput of the network; and

transmitting only the compatible portion of the requested content set over the network.

16. The system of claim 14 , wherein:

determining the set of characteristics relating to the network comprises determining that at least a portion of the requested content set comprises incompatible content, the incompatible content being incompatible with at least a portion of the set of characteristics; and

altering the transmitted portion of the requested content set comprises, before transmitting the transmitted portion of the requested content set over the network, altering at least the incompatible content to make the transmitted portion of the requested content set compatible with the set of characteristics.

17. The system of claim 14 , wherein:

determining the set of characteristics relating to the network comprises determining a geographic location of the network address relating to the decoder unit; and

altering the transmitted portion of the requested content set comprises, before transmitting the requested content set over the network, altering at least a portion of the requested content set based at least in part on the geographic location of the network address relating to the decoder unit.

18. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a network tester, in operative communication with the network and the network entitlement handler unit, and further configured to:

determine a set of characteristics relating to the network before transmitting the transmitted portion of the requested content set over the network; and

alter the transmission scheme based at least in part on the determination of the set of characteristics.

19. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a computer readable medium, the computer readable medium comprising the decoder unit and being in operative communication with the key store, the key store being stored on a computer readable storage device.

20. The system of claim 1 , wherein the decoder unit comprises a television set-top box.

21. The system of claim 1 , wherein the decoder unit comprises a software decoder on a personal computer.