Methods, systems and computer program products for providing a media file to a designated set-top box

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a source set-top box comprising a processor, a first request to add a destination set-top box to a contact list of a first user, the source set-top box being managed by a first user;

transmitting, by the source set-top box, a second request to the destination set-top box managed by a second user to validate the first request to add the destination set-top box to the contact list;

receiving, by the source set-top box, a first response from the destination set-top box, the first response comprising a denial message or an acceptance message;

adding, by the source set-top box, the destination set-top box to the contact list when the first response is the acceptance message;

receiving, by the source set-top box, a third request to provide a media file and an identification of the destination set-top box when the response is the acceptance message;

determining, by the source set-top box, if the destination set-top box has sufficient memory space available to receive the media file in response to the third request;

requesting a conditional delivery, wherein the delivery is conditional upon the destination set-top box obtaining an indication that the media file is ready be observed responsive to determining that the destination set-top box has the sufficient memory; and

maintaining, by the source set-top box, the contact list at the source set-top box without change when the first response is the denial message.

2. The method of claim 1 , comprising converting, by the source set-top box, the media file to a format suitable for the destination set-top box to generate a converted media file, wherein the converted media file is sent in an interactive television multimedia format.

3. The method of claim 1 , comprising converting, by the source set-top box, the media file to a format suitable for the destination set-top box to generate a converted media file, wherein the converted media file comprises a reformatted media file.

4. The method of claim 3 , comprising sending the converted media file to the destination set-top box.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the third request further comprises a request to provide the media file to another destination set-top box from the contact list.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the request to add the destination set-top box to the contact list further comprises receiving, by the source set-top box, the identification of the destination set-top box.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying the media file further comprises storing, by the source set-top box, the media file in a memory of the source set-top box.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising converting, by the source set-top box, the media file to a format suitable for the destination set-top box when the destination set-top box is determined to have sufficient memory based on actions taken by the second user.

9. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a system comprising a processor, from a source set-top box managed by a first user a first request to provide an identified media file to a destination set-top box managed by a second user;

receiving, by the system, from the source set-top box a second request to add the destination set-top box to a contact list of the first user;

transmitting, by a network, a third request to the destination set-top box to validate the second request to add the destination set-top box to the contact list;

receiving, by the system, a response from the destination set-top box, the response comprising a denial message or an acceptance message;

adding, by the system, the destination set-top box to the contact list when the response is the acceptance message;

receiving, by the system, from the source set-top box a third request to provide the identified media file and an identification of the destination set-top box when the response is the acceptance message;

determining, by the network, if the destination set-top box has sufficient memory space available to receive the media file in response to the third request;

requesting a conditional delivery, where the delivery is conditional upon the destination set-top box obtaining an indication that the media file is ready be observed;

converting, by the system, the identified media file to a format suitable for the destination set-top box to generate a converted media file when the destination set-top box is determined to have sufficient memory and the indication is received;

transmitting, by the system, according to the identification, the converted media file to a server for transmission of the converted media file to the destination set-top box when the destination set-top box is determined to have sufficient memory and the indication is received; and

maintaining, by the source set-top box, the contact list at the source set-top box without change when the response is the denial message.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the format comprises an interactive television multimedia format.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein converting the identified media file comprises converting the identified media file to the interactive television multimedia format.

12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

transmitting, by the network, an authorization request to the destination set-top box when the response is the acceptance message; and

receiving, by the network, a second response to the authorization request, the second response comprising an authorization message to transmit the identified media file to the destination set-top box,

wherein transmitting the identified media file further comprises transmitting the identified media file based on the second response.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein transmitting the identified media file based on the second response to the authorization request further comprises:

requesting that the destination set-top box increase memory capacity when it is determined that the destination set-top box does not have sufficient memory space available to receive the identified media file.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the identified media file is received from equipment used by a user and wherein receiving the second response to the authorization request further comprises submitting, by the network, a notification that indicates the identified media file has not been provided to the destination set-top box when the second response indicates transmitting the media file to the destination set-top box is not authorized.

15. The method of claim 9 , comprising submitting a notice indicating that the identified media file has not been provided to the destination set-top box when the response is the denial message.

16. A computer-readable storage device comprising instructions, which when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

identifying a media file;

receiving a first request to add a destination set-top box managed by a first user to a contact list of a second user;

transmitting a second request to the destination set-top box to validate the first request to add the destination set-top box to the contact list;

receiving a response from the destination set-top box, the response comprising a denial message or an acceptance message;

adding the destination set-top box to the contact list when the response is the acceptance message;

receiving the media file and an identification of the destination set-top box when the response is the acceptance message;

determining if the destination set-top box has sufficient memory space available to receive the media file when the response is the acceptance message;

requesting a conditional delivery, where the delivery is conditional upon the destination set-top box obtaining an indication that the media file is ready be observed;

converting the media file to a format suitable for the destination set-top box to generate a converted media file when the destination set-top box is determined to have sufficient memory when the indication that the media file is ready to be observed is obtained; and

sending the converted media file and the identification of the destination set-top box to a server for transmission of the converted media file to the destination set-top box when the destination set-top box is determined to have sufficient memory based on actions taken by the first user.

17. The computer-readable storage device of claim 16 , wherein identifying the media file further comprises receiving a third request to provide the media file to another destination set-top box from the contact list.

18. The computer-readable storage device of claim 16 , wherein receiving the first request to add the destination set-top box to the contact list further comprises receiving the identification of the destination set-top box.

19. The computer-readable storage device of claim 16 , wherein the converted media file comprises a reformatted media file, wherein sending the converted media file comprises sending the reformatted media file to the destination set-top box.

20. The computer-readable storage device of claim 16 , wherein the operations further comprise maintaining the contact list without change when the response is the denial message.