Mechanism for transference of media meta-data

1. A home media device configured to receive media content from a network and provide user access to the media content, the home media device comprising:

a network receiving port configured to receive media content from the network, wherein prior to being received by the home media device, the media content received from the network has been altered from an original program to be customized for the home media device to provide user access via a display connected to the home media device;

a communication port configured to communicate with a user device connected to the home media device to thereby receive the media content at the user device from the network through the home media device;

a memory device; and

a processor coupled to the communication port to control communications, and coupled to the memory device to have access to the memory, the processor being configured to:

store the media content in the memory device,

store a meta-data file in the memory device for media customization, the meta-data file including information facilitating reproduction of the media content on the user device, and an identifier identifying a type of the information in the meta-data file,

receive a request for the media content from the user device via the communication port,

transmit an indication indicating the availability of the information in the meta-data file facilitating reproduction of the media content, to the user device via the communication port, the indication identifying a specific meta-data file associated with the media content file, and

transfer the media content and the meta-data file including the information facilitating reproduction of the media content from the home media device to the user device via the communication port, in response to receiving the request for the media content from the user device.

2. The home media device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive, via the communication port, instructions from a content provider or from the user device, and generate the meta-data file based on the received instructions,

the instructions instructing the home media device on how to generate information in the meta-data file so as to facilitate specific reproduction features of the media content.

3. The home media device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to receive, via the communication port, the meta-data file from a content provider, the meta-data file being generated by the content provider based on media reproduction features supported by the content provider.

4. The home media device of claim 1 , wherein the home media device is configured as a set-top box with digital video recording (DVR) capabilities, a network gateway with video recording capabilities, or a network DVR.

5. The home media device of claim 1 , wherein the identifier identifies that the meta-data file includes at least one of: 1) times of targeted advertisement service transitions in the media content for switching between reproduction of a program and reproduction of advertisements included in the media content, 2) thumbnail information that includes thumbnails or identifies frames associated with thumbnails in the media content that are to be displayed by the user device to perform a specific reproduction feature of the media content, 3) frame numbers that identify frames of video to skip to in the media content for performing trick play on the media content, and 4) frame numbers that identify frames of video, and scene description information to perform chaptering on the media content.

6. The home media device of claim 1 , wherein the home media device generates the meta-data file and the identifier to customize the media content to a specified reproduction scenario.

7. The home media device of claim 1 , wherein the home media device stores and sends another meta-data file to the receiving device, the other meta-data file associated with at least one of the media content and another media content, and used for another media customization.

8. The home media device according to claim 1 , wherein the home media device is located on the network and the communication port of the home media device is configured to communicate with the user device over the network.

9. A user device, configured to receive media content from a network through a home media device and provide user access to the media content, comprising:

a communication port configured to communicate with a home media device connected to the user device to thereby send the media content from the network to the user device;

a memory device; and

a processor coupled to the communication port to control communications and coupled to the memory device to have access to the memory, the processor being configured to:

transmit, via the communication port, a request for media content to the home media device, wherein the media content has been altered from an original program to be customized for user access via a display connected to the home media device,

receive playback indication indicating the availability of media customization information in a meta-data file facilitating reproduction of the media content, from the home media device via the communication port, the playback indication identifying a specific meta-data file associated with the media content file,

receive the requested media content and the meta-data file from the home media device, via the communication port,

responsive to the received playback indication, extract an identifier from the meta-data file identifying the type of information in the meta-data file, and extract the information facilitating reproduction from the meta-data file, and

reproduce the media content based at least in part on the information facilitating reproduction extracted from the meta-data file, in a manner indicated by the identifier.

10. The user device of claim 9 , wherein:

the playback indication is received, via the communication port, prior to the media content and the meta-data file being received via the communication port, and

the user device uses the playback indication to identify a meta-data file associated with the media content and used for facilitating reproduction of the media content.

11. The user device of claim 9 , wherein the identifier allows the user device to identify the type of meta-data information in the received meta-data file, and allows the user device to determine how to use the meta-data information to facilitate reproduction of the media content.

12. The user device of claim 9 , wherein:

the user device is at least one of a smartphone or a personal computer with video recording capabilities, and

the home media device is at least one of a set-top box with digital video recording (DVR) capabilities or a network gateway with video recording capabilities.

13. The user device of claim 9 , wherein:

the identifier identifies that the meta-data file includes at least one of: 1) targeted advertisement service transitions that identify times for switching between a program and advertisements included in the media content, where the user device switches between the program and the advertisements according to the identified times, 2) thumbnail information that includes or identifies frames in the media content, and the user device displays the thumbnails, 3) numbers that identify frames in the media content for performing trick play on the media content, and

the user device uses the frame numbers to perform the trick play, and 4) frame numbers that identify frames of video, and scene description information to perform chaptering on the media content.

14. The user device of claim 9 , wherein:

the user device transmits a request for the meta-data file to the home media device, the request specifying what customization information should be included in the meta-data file.

15. The user device of claim 9 , wherein:

the user device receives another meta-data file, the other meta-data file associated with at least one of the media content and another media content.

16. The home media device according to claim 9 , wherein the home media device is located on the network and the communication port of the user media device is configured to communicate with the home media device over the network.

17. A method of providing media content from a home media device which is configured to receive media content from a network and provide user access to the media content, comprising:

storing, in a memory device of the home media device, media content; wherein prior to the storing, the media content has been altered from an original program to be customized for user access via a display connected to the home media device;

storing, in the memory device of the home media device, a meta-data file including information to facilitate reproduction of the media content on a user device connected to the home media device to thereby receive the media content from the network through the home media device, and an identifier identifies a type of the information in the meta-data file,

transmitting, by a processor of the home media device via a communication port of the home media device, playback indication to the user device indicating that reproduction of the media content would be facilitated by use of the information in the meta-data file, the playback indication identifying a specific meta-data file associated with the media content file, and

transferring, by the processor of the home media device via the communication port of the home media device, the media content and the meta-data file to the user device, in response to receiving a request, via the communication port, for the media content from the user device,

wherein the playback indication instructs a processor of the user device to extract the identifier from the meta-data file identifying the type of information in the meta-data file, and extract the type of information in the meta-data file, and

the user device reproduces the media content based at least in part on the information extracted from the meta-data file, in a manner indicated by the identifier.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:

generating, by the processor of the home media device, the meta-data file in response instructions received, via the communication port, from a content provider that provided the media content or the receiving device; or

receiving, via the communication port by the home media device, the meta-data file from a content provider that provided the media content, the content provider having generated the meta-data file.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the identifier allows the receiving device to identify the type of information in the meta-data file and determine how to use the meta-data information to facilitate reproduction of the media content.

20. The method of claim 17 , wherein:

the meta-data file is generated by a processor of the home media device to include targeted advertisement service transition information that identifies times for switching between a program and advertisements included in the media content, and

a processor of the media receiving device switches between the program and the advertisements according to the identified times.

21. The method of claim 17 , wherein the meta-data file is generated by a processor of the home media device to include thumbnail information that includes or identifies frames in the media content for displaying thumbnails, and a processor of the media receiving device displays the thumbnails.

22. The method of claim 17 , wherein the meta-data file is generated by a processor of the home media device to include frame numbers that identify frames in the media content for performing trick play on the media content, and a processor of the media receiving device uses the frame numbers to perform the trick play.

23. A method according to claim 17 , wherein the home media device is located on the network and the communication port of the home media device is configured to communicate with the user device over the network.