Media on demand via peering

Abstract

A non-autonomous peer network includes a network of media devices, each device having a storage for storing media content, a processor, a communications port to allow the processor to interact with the network, and a media port to allow the processor to deliver the media content to a user. The network also has a media module to authenticate each device to allow it to receive content and control download of media to a requesting one of the devices, wherein control includes an ability to direct other devices to transfer media content to the requesting device.

1 . A non-autonomous peer network, comprising: 
 a network of user media devices, each device comprising: 
 a storage for storing media content;  
 a processor,  
 communications port to allow the processor to interact and exchange data with the network; and  
 a media port to allow the processor to deliver the media content to a user; and  
   a media module to: 
 authenticate each user media device to allow it to receive content; and  
 control download of media to a requesting one of the user media devices,  
   wherein control includes an ability to direct other authenticated user media devices to transfer media content to the requesting user media device, and to direct each user media device to receive content from other authenticated user media devices.    
   
   
       2 . The network of  claim 1 , the media module further to inform the requesting device of addresses for source devices for the content.  
   
   
       3 . The network of  claim 1  further comprising a license module.  
   
   
       4 . The network of  claim 1  further comprising a billing module.  
   
   
       5 . The network of  claim 1  further comprising an advertisement module.  
   
   
       6 . The network of  claim 1  further comprising a menu/interface module.  
   
   
       7 . The network of  claim 1  further comprising an authentication module.  
   
   
       8 . The network of  claim 1  further comprising at least one database.  
   
   
       9 . The network of  claim 8 , the at least one database including one selected from the group comprised of: a personalization database, a media propagation management database, and an advertisement propagation management database.  
   
   
       10 . The network of  claim 1 , the network of media devices further comprising a network of television set top boxes.  
   
   
       11 . The network of  claim 10 , the network of television set top boxes further comprising a network of digital video recorders.  
   
   
       12 . A method of authenticating a user in a non-autonomous peer network, comprising: 
 receiving a request from a user media device;    verifying the user media devices; and    directing a menu/interface module to grant a session to the user media device making the user media device available as a non-autonomous peer to other authenticated user devices in the network such that the non-autonomous peer may be directed to exchange content with other authenticated user devices.    
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising granting a secure session with the user media device.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 12  receiving a request from a user media device further comprising receiving a request from a television set top box.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 12  verifying the user media device further comprising authenticating the user media device using one selected from the group comprised of: a hardware key, a smart card, and a SIM card.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 19 , the method further comprising: 
 receiving the query from a menu/interface module;    generating a user interface for a user populated with information from a personalization database based upon data for the user;    receiving media file locations for media files to be displayed on the user interface;    integrating the media file locations into the user interface; and    delivering the user interface to the menu/interface module.    
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , the method further comprising delivering the user interface to the user.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 16 , receiving media file locations further comprising: 
 querying propagation management modules to verify nearest locations of media files; and    receiving the nearest locations.    
   
   
       19 . A method of personalizing content for a user in a non-autonomous peer network, comprising: 
 receiving a query for content to be propagated to a user media device;    determining if peer copies exist of the content on other authenticated user media devices on the network;    if peer copies exist, centrally authorizing other previously authenticated user media device to transfer the content from the other authenticated user media devices to the user device; and    sending an authentication for the other previously authenticated user media devices to the user media device directing the user media device to allow transmission from the other user media devices.    
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , receiving a query further comprising receiving a query at an advertisement propagation management module.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 19 , receiving a query further comprising receiving a query at a media propagation management module.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 19  further comprising receiving content at a user media device and caching it in the user device.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 19  further comprising downloading the content from a propagation management module, if no peer copies exist.  
   
   
       24 . A method of granting a license for media content, comprising: 
 receiving a user query from a user media device for a media file upon a user playback attempt;    determining if a license is available for the media file;    if a license is available, transmitting a key to the user media device upon the user playback attempt.    
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 24  further comprising queuing the user query until a free license exists, if no free license exists.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 24  further comprising generating a new license, if no free license exists.  
   
   
       27 . A method of providing content to a user media device, comprising: 
 receiving a user query for a media file from a user media device at a media module;    determining if peer copies exist for the media file, wherein a peer copy is a copy residing on another user media device in the network;    if peer copies exist: 
 using the media module to determine connection speeds between the peers and the user media device;  
 prioritizing download segments of the media file based upon the connection speeds between the peers at the media module;  
 providing authorization from the media module for download of the segments of the media file from the peers; and  
 receiving verification of a complete download.  
   
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 27 , downloading the segments of the media file further comprising: 
 determining properties of the download; and    determining a time at which the user can begin to experience contents of the media file, based upon the properties of the download.    
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 27  further comprising: 
 authenticating a download to a user media device if no peer copies exist;    downloading the media file from a media module to the user media device; and    receiving verification of the download from the user media device.    
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 27  further comprising granting a license for the media file to the user media device.  
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 30 , granting license further comprising: 
 receiving a user query from a user media device for a media file;    determining if a free license exists for the media file; and    if a free license exists, transmitting a key to the user media device.    
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 30  further comprising queuing the user query until a free license exists, if no free license exists.  
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 19  further comprising encrypting each segment from each peer individually.  
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising selecting advertisement content based upon demographics of the user stored in the personalization database and integrating the advertisement content into the user interface.  
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 24  further comprising allowing the user to store the media file for any length of time the user desires.