Motion picture distribution system and related method

Abstract

A motion picture distribution system, the system including a central computer, an exhibitor computer, a communication channel, and a back channel. The central computer is located at a central site and configured to distribute a digital version of the motion picture. The exhibitor computer is located at an exhibitor location that is remote from the central site. The exhibitor computer is configured both to receive the digital version of the motion picture from the central computer, and to display the motion picture. The communication channel is configured to facilitate the electronic transfer of the digital version of the motion picture from the central computer to the exhibitor computer. The back channel is coupled between the central computer and the exhibitor computer, and configured to allow for the transfer of information between the exhibitor computer and the central computer.

1 . A motion picture distribution system, the system comprising: 
 a. a central computer located at a central site and configured to distribute a digital version of the motion picture;    b. an exhibitor computer located at an exhibitor location that is remote from the central site, and configured both to receive the digital version of the motion picture from the central computer, and to display the motion picture;    c. a communication channel configured to facilitate the electronic transfer of the digital version of the motion picture from the central computer to the exhibitor computer; and    d. a back channel coupled between the central computer and the exhibitor computer that is configured to allow for the transfer of information between the exhibitor computer and the central computer.    
   
   
       2 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the central computer is configured to receive the motion picture from a remote source, and to generate the digital version of the motion picture based on a compressed, encoded, and encrypted version of the motion picture.  
   
   
       3 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the exhibitor computer is configured to decrypt, decode, and decompress the digital version of the motion picture.  
   
   
       4 . The system according to  claim 3 , wherein the exhibitor computer transfers authentication information regarding the exhibitor location to the central computer through the back channel before the motion picture is decrypted by the exhibitor computer.  
   
   
       5 . The system according to  claim 3 , wherein the exhibitor computer is configured to read and verify a smartcard, and the exhibitor computer enables decryption of the digital version of the motion picture only after the exhibitor computer verifies the smartcard.  
   
   
       6 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the exhibitor computer is an edge server configured to receive, decrypt, decode, and decompress the digital version of the motion picture.  
   
   
       7 . The system according to  claim 6 , wherein the system further includes: 
 a. a local server located at the exhibitor location, coupled to the edge server, and configured to store the motion picture before the motion picture is displayed; and    b. a display system located at the exhibitor location, coupled to the local server, and configured to display the motion picture;    c. wherein the edge server transfers the motion picture to the local server, and the local server, in turn, transfers the motion picture to the display system.    
   
   
       8 . The system according to  claim 6 , wherein the system further includes: 
 a. a RAID array located at the exhibitor location, coupled to the edge server, and configured to store the motion picture before the motion picture is displayed; and    b. a display system located at the exhibitor location, coupled to the RAID array, configured to receive the motion picture from the RAID array, and configured to display the motion picture.    
   
   
       9 . The system according to  claim 6 , further comprising a conditional access system that is embedded within the communication channel and used to authenticate the edge server before the edge server receives the digital version of the motion picture.  
   
   
       10 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the communication channel is a network or a satellite communication channel.  
   
   
       11 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the communication channel is the Internet, and the central computer transfers the central computer transfers the digital version of the motion picture to the exhibitor location over the Internet using an Internet protocol or a digital video broadcast protocol.  
   
   
       12 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the central computer segments the digital version of the motion picture into packets, and electronically transfers the packets to the exhibitor computer on a packet-by-packet basis using a streaming methodology or a store and forward methodology.  
   
   
       13 . The system according to  claim 12 , wherein the central computer transfers a digital key to the exhibitor computer via the back channel, and the exhibitor computer uses the digital key to facilitate the reassembly of the packets.  
   
   
       14 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the back channel is established via the Internet, a phone connection, or a wireless connection.  
   
   
       15 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the central computer is configured to receive information from the exhibitor computer selected from the group consisting of information regarding delivery confirmation of the digital version of the motion picture, format integrity information of the digital version of the motion picture, exhibitor location confirmation information, information regarding movement of the motion picture from the exhibitor computer to a display system that is coupled to the exhibitor computer, the exhibition date of the motion picture, the exhibition time of the motion picture, the exhibition complex at the exhibitor location where the motion picture is displayed, the screening room in the exhibitor complex where the motion picture is displayed, the box office receipts associated with a specific exhibition time of the motion picture, information related to discrepancies with a display system that is coupled to the exhibitor computer, information regarding storage contention issues at the exhibitor location, information regarding the need to retransmit the digital version of the motion picture from the central computer to the exhibitor computer, and confirmation information regarding the deletion of a motion picture stored at the exhibitor location.  
   
   
       16 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the central computer is configured to prompt the exhibitor computer to purge a motion picture stored at the exhibitor location.  
   
   
       17 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the exhibitor computer is configured to automatically delete a motion picture from the exhibitor location after a predetermined period of time.  
   
   
       18 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein: 
 a. the digital version of the motion picture includes a visual file, an audio file, and a metadata file; and    b. the metadata file includes an encoded set of key attributes that are used during decryption of the digital version of the motion picture.    
   
   
       19 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the system uses enhanced forward error correction during the electronic transfer of the digital version of the motion picture from the central computer to the exhibitor computer.  
   
   
       20 . A motion picture distribution system, the system comprising: 
 a. a central computer located at a central site and configured to distribute a digital version of the motion picture;    b. an exhibitor computer located at an exhibitor location that is remote from the central site, and configured to receive the digital version of the motion picture from the central site, and to display the motion picture;    c. an aggregation computer located at an aggregation site that is remote from both the central site and the exhibitor location, and the aggregation computer is coupled between the central computer and the exhibitor computer;    d. a first communication channel configured to facilitate the electronic transfer of the digital version of the motion picture from the central computer to the aggregation computer;    e. a second communication channel coupled between the aggregation computer and the exhibitor computer, and configured to facilitate the electronic transfer of the digital version of the motion picture from the aggregation computer to the exhibitor computer; and    f. a back channel coupled between the central computer and the exhibitor computer that is configured to allow for the transfer of information between the exhibitor computer and the central computer.    
   
   
       21 . The system according to  claim 20 , wherein the central site is configured to receive the motion picture from a remote source, and to generate the digital version of the motion picture based on a compressed, encoded, and encrypted version of the motion picture.  
   
   
       22 . The system according to  claim 20 , wherein the exhibitor computer is configured to decrypt, decode, and decompress the digital version of the motion picture.  
   
   
       23 . The system according to  claim 20 , wherein the first communication channel a network or a satellite communication channel.  
   
   
       24 . The system according to  claim 20 , wherein the second communication channel is a wide area network.  
   
   
       25 . The system according to  claim 20 , wherein the back channel is established via the Internet, a phone connection, or a wireless connection.  
   
   
       26 . The system according to  claim 20 , wherein the digital version of the motion picture remains encrypted until the exhibitor computer is authorized to decrypt the digital version of the motion picture.  
   
   
       27 . The system according to  claim 20 , wherein the exhibitor computer is an edge server configured to receive, decrypt, decode, and decompress the digital version of the motion picture.  
   
   
       28 . The system according to  claim 27 , wherein the system further includes: 
 a. a local server located at the exhibitor location, coupled to the edge server, and configured to store the motion picture before the motion picture is displayed; and    b. a display system located at the exhibitor location, coupled to the local server, and configured to display the motion picture;    c. wherein the edge server transfers the motion picture to the local server, and the local server, in turn, transfers the motion picture to the display system.    
   
   
       29 . The system according to  claim 27 , wherein the system further includes: 
 a. a RAID array located at the exhibitor location, coupled to the edge server, and configured to store the motion picture before the motion picture is displayed; and    b. a display system located at the exhibitor location, coupled to the RAID array, configured to receive the motion picture from the RAID array, and configured to display the motion picture.    
   
   
       30 . A method for distributing a motion picture, the method comprising: 
 a. providing a central computer located at a central site, the central computer configured to distribute a digital version of the motion picture;    b. providing an exhibitor computer located at an exhibitor location that is remote from the central site, the exhibitor computer configured both to receive the digital version of the motion picture from the central computer, and to display the motion picture;    c. providing a communication channel configured to facilitate the electronic transfer of the digital version of the motion picture from the central computer to the exhibitor computer;    d. providing a back channel that is coupled between the central computer and the exhibitor computer, and configured to allow for the transfer of information between the exhibitor computer and the central computer;    e. receiving the motion picture at the central computer from an external source;    f. compressing, encoding, and encrypting the motion picture into the digital version of the motion picture using the central computer;    g. transmitting the digital version of the motion picture from the central computer to the exhibitor computer through the communication channel; and    h. transmitting information between the exhibitor computer and the central computer via the back channel.    
   
   
       31 . The method according to  claim 30 , wherein the communication channel is a network or a satellite communication channel.  
   
   
       32 . The method according to  claim 30 , further comprising segmenting the digital version of the motion picture into packets using the central computer before the central computer electronically transfers the digital version of the motion picture to the exhibitor computer.  
   
   
       33 . The method according to  claim 30 , further comprising storing the digital version of the motion picture on the exhibitor computer.  
   
   
       34 . The method according to  claim 30 , further comprising: 
 a. providing a RAID array at the exhibitor location that is coupled to the exhibitor computer; and    b. storing the motion picture on the RAID array.    
   
   
       35 . The method according to  claim 30 , further comprising decrypting, decoding, and decompressing the digital version of the motion picture using the exhibitor computer.  
   
   
       36 . The method according to  claim 30 , further comprising: 
 a. providing a display system that is coupled to the exhibitor computer; and    b. displaying the motion picture at the exhibitor location using the display system.    
   
   
       37 . The method according to  claim 30 , further comprising: 
 a. transmitting an encoded key from the central computer to the exhibitor computer; and    b. decrypting the digital version of the motion picture at the exhibitor location using the encoded key.    
   
   
       38 . The method according to  claim 30 , further comprising: 
 a. providing a smart card for use at the exhibitor location; and    b. using the smartcard to enable decryption of the digital version of the motion picture at the exhibitor's location.