Method and system for authorizing playback from multiple devices
View Patent ↗A system and method for using content on multiple devices includes a head end associating a first user device and a second user device with a user account and authorizing the first user device and the second user device to receive content. The first user device forms a selection signal corresponding to a first content. The head end communicates the first content to the first user device corresponding to the selection signal. The first user device displays the first content on a first display associated therewith. The second user device receives the first content and displays the first content on a second display associated with the second user device.
1. A method comprising: associating a first user device and a second user device with a user account at a head end;
authorizing the first user device and the second user device to receive content; selecting a first content title for a first content from the first user device to form a selection signal;
communicating the first content to the first user device corresponding to the selection signal;
storing the first content in a memory of the first user device;
displaying the first content on a first display associated with the first user device by playing back the first content from the memory;
while displaying the first content on the display associated with the first user device,
continually communicating a playback position status signal corresponding to a last viewed playback position of the first content and a first user device identifier from the first user device to the head end;
generating a position selection screen display at the second user device comprising the first user device identifier for selecting the last viewed playback position of the first user device;
communicating a playback position selection signal to a storage device storing the first content therein, said storage device separate from the first user device;
displaying the first content at the second user device beginning at the last viewed position in response to the playback position selection signal.
2. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein prior to displaying, communicating the first content from the storage device to the second user device.
3. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein prior to displaying, communicating the first content from the storage device to the second user device in a multi-room viewing configuration.
4. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein prior to displaying, communicating the first content from the storage device to the second user device in a multi-room viewing configuration through a local area network.
5. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein further comprising communicating the first content to the storage device located within the second user device.
6. The method as recited in claim 5 wherein further comprising, prior to displaying, retrieving the first content from the first storage device of the second user device.
7. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising associating the first user device with a user account in response to a location determination.
8. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein communicating first content to the second user device comprises communicating location metadata of the first content to the second user device, and obtaining the first content at the second user device using the location metadata.
9. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein communicating first content to the second user device comprises communicating a unique identifier of the first content to the second user device and searching for the first content at a content source using the second user device based upon the unique identifier.
10. A system comprising:
a head end associating a first user device and a second user device with a user account and authorizing the first user device and the second user device to receive content;
said first user device forming a selection signal corresponding to a first content;
said head end communicating the first content to the first user device corresponding to the selection signal;
said first user device storing the first content in a memory of the first user device, playing back the content from the memory, displaying the first content on a first display associated therewith and continually communicating a playback position status signal corresponding to a last viewed playback position of the first content and a first user device identifier from the first user device to the head end while displaying the first content in the first display;
a storage device separate from the first user device storing the first content therein;
and said second user device generating a position selection screen display at the second user device comprising the first user device identifier for selecting the last viewed playback position of the first user device and communicating a playback position selection signal to the storage device receiving the first content from the storage device beginning at the last viewed position in response to the playback position selection signal and displaying the content on a display associated with the second user device.
11. The system as recited in claim 10 wherein the storage device communicates the first content to the second user device in response to the selection signal.
12. The system as recited in claim 11 wherein the storage device communicates the first content to the second user device in a multi-room viewing configuration in response to the selection signal.
13. The system as recited in claim 10 wherein the storage device communicates the first content to the second user device in a multi-room viewing configuration through a local area network in response to the selection signal.
14. The system as recited in claim 10 wherein the second user device comprises the storage device.