Remote management of TV viewing options in a media exchange network
View Patent ↗A system supporting the remote management of options related to media consumption in a media exchange network. A system may comprise a set top box communicatively coupled to a television display and storage. The set top box may be used for the consumption of media via a communication network. In such a system, server software may enable the remote modification, via a communication network, of options related to the consumption of media by a user of the set top box. The media consumed may be one or more of digital audio, a digital still image, digital video, and digital data. Other aspects may be seen in a personal computer monitor and personal computer circuitry, communicatively coupled to a storage and a communication network. A system may also enable the modification of TV viewing options via a telephone voice response system.
1. An apparatus for remote management of options related to media consumption comprising:
a media processing device coupled to a network configured to provide viewing options to schedule media for display by a media consuming device at a first location;
a media storage configured to store the media for display by the media consuming device;
wherein the media processing device is configured to provide access to the viewing options to a remote device at a second location via the network to schedule media for display by the media consuming device at the first location, in which the second location is remote from the first location, when a user inputted identifier is received from the remote device; and
wherein the media processing device supports the remote device at the second location to control scheduling of the media for display by the media consuming device at the first location.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the media includes media from a broadcast provider.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the media includes media from an on-demand provider.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the media storage is part of the media consuming device.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the media processing device comprises at least one of: a computer or a set-top box.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the viewing options include at least one of: customization of personal media channel schedule; customization of parental controls; customization of personal program preferences; or scheduling pay-per-view events.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the media processing device comprises a television.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the media includes audio, a still image, video, real-time video, or data, or a combination thereof.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the viewing options to select the media includes selecting personal media to construct a personal media channel.
10. An apparatus for remote management of options related to media consumption comprising:
a media server configured to provide viewing options to schedule media for display by a media consuming device at a first location;
wherein the media server is configured to receive an identifier from a remote device at a second location and provide access to the viewing options to the remote device at the second location to schedule media for display by the media consuming device at the first location, in which the second location is remote from the first location; and
wherein the media server is configured to support the remote device at the second location to control scheduling of the media for display by the media consuming device at the first location.
11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the identifier is an access code.
12. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the identifier is a user identifier.
13. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the identifier includes an access code and information identifying the remote device.
14. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the viewing options are displayed as a media guide.
15. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the viewing options are displayed as a media channel schedule.
16. A method for remote management of options related to media consumption comprising:
providing viewing options to schedule media for display by a media processing device at a first location;
receiving an identifier from a remote device at a second location via a network;
providing access to the viewing options to the remote device at the second location via the network to schedule media for display by the media consuming device at the first location, in which the second location is remote from the first location; and
receiving a selection of the options from the remote device at the second location to control scheduling of the media for display by the media processing device at the first location when the identifier is a valid identifier.
17. The method of claim 16 , further including receiving the media from a broadcast provider.
18. The method of claim 16 , further including receiving the media from an on-demand provider.
19. The method of claim 16 , further including displaying the options as a media guide.
20. The method of claim 16 , further including transmitting the options for display as a media channel schedule at the remote device at the second location.