Methods, systems, and storage mediums for managing content storage and selection

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments relate to methods, systems, and storage mediums for managing content storage and selection activities. The method includes aggregating content from content providers and presenting the content to a content device. The method also includes monitoring consumption of storage space with respect to storage capacity in the content device, relocating content contained in the storage space of the content device when a predetermined condition is met, and providing access to relocated content. The relocation is operable for freeing up the storage space of the content device.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for managing content storage and selection, comprising:
 aggregating content, remotely by an off-site host system, from a plurality of content providers;   providing the content to at least one consumer user content device;   monitoring, remotely by the off-site host system, consumption of a storage space of the at least one consumer user content device residing locally in a consumer user system, with respect to storage capacity in the at least one consumer user content device receiving the content, wherein the at least one consumer user content device contains a fixedamount of storage space, the monitoring based upon the type of the at least one consumer user content device;   selecting content contained in the storage space for relocation, wherein the content for relocation is selected based on at least one of how long the content has been stored in the storage device, size of the content, a content device user's selection, and an inference based upon most frequently accessed content;   relocating, remotely by the off-site host system, the content contained in the fixed amount of storage space of the at least one consumer user content device when a predetermined condition is met, wherein relocating the content frees up the fixed amount of storage space of the at least one consumer user content device; and   providing a user interface, by the off-site host system, to the consumer user content device, the user interface operable for building a content library listing content contained in the storage space of the at least one consumer user content device and the relocated content, wherein a content storage and selection application maintains a single copy of a content item in a database and replicates the single copy for each user content device that includes the content item in its content library;   wherein the relocating content contained in the storage space includes:   removing the content from the storage space; and   providing a link in the content library to the relocated content removed from the storage space, the link providing access to the relocated content.   
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 associating the content library with a user account;   providing access to the content library;   providing access to the relocated content;   monitoring a plurality of activities conducted by a content device user via transactions occurring in the content library associated with the content device user;   comparing the plurality of activities conducted by the content device user with a plurality of other activities conducted by users of other content devices via transactions occurring in corresponding content libraries of the other content devices;   determining relationships between the plurality of activities conducted by the content device user and the plurality of other activities conducted by users of other content devices;   generating a listing of recommended content items based on determined relationships; and   presenting the listing to the content device user, wherein access to the content library includes providing an owner of the user account and a non-owner of the user account with access to the content library associated with the user account.   
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , wherein access by the non-owner includes at least one of:
 viewing listings in the content library,   accessing content identified in the content library, and   charging a fee for accessed content.   
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the content includes at least one of:
 audio;   video;   images;   text;   premium channel programming;   cable programming;   broadcast network programming;   radio programming;   digital music; and   pay-per-view programming.   
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the consumer user content devices include:
 a personal computer;   a cellular telephone;   a personal digital assistant; and   a television.   
     
     
       6. A system for managing content storage and selection activities, comprising:
 an off-site database for storing content;   an interface to an at least one consumer user content device receiving content from a content provider over a communications network; and   an off-site host system performing:   aggregating content from a plurality of content providers;   providing the content to at least one consumer user content device;   remotely monitoring, via a content storage and selection application, consumption of a storage space of the at least one consumer user content device residing locally in a consumer user system, with respect to storage capacity in the at least one consumer user content device;   selecting content contained in the storage space for relocation, wherein the content for relocation is selected based on at least one of how long the content has been stored in the storage device, size of the content, a content device user's selection, and an inference based upon most frequently accessed content;   relocating, remotely by the off-site host system, the content contained in the storage space of the at least one consumer user content device to the off-site database via the communications network when a predetermined condition is met;   building a content library listing the content contained in the storage space and the relocated content, via the interface, wherein a content storage and selection application maintains a single copy of a content item in a database and replicates the single copy for each user content device that includes the content item in its content library;   wherein the relocating content contained in the storage space includes:   removing the content from the storage space; and   providing a link in the content library to the relocated content removed from the storage space, the link providing access to the relocated content.   
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 6 , wherein the content storage and selection application further performs:
 associating the content library with a user account;   providing access to the content library;   providing access to the relocated content;   monitoring a plurality of activities conducted by a content device user via transactions occurring in the content library associated with the content device user;   comparing the plurality of activities conducted by the content device user with a plurality of other activities conducted by users of other content devices via transactions occurring in corresponding content libraries of the other content devices;   determining relationships between the plurality of activities conducted by the content device user and the plurality of other activities conducted by users of other content devices;   generating a listing of recommended content items based on determined relationships; and   presenting the listing to the content device user, wherein access to the content library includes providing an owner of the user account and a non-owner of the user account with access to the content library associated with the user account.   
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 7 , wherein access by the non-owner includes at least one of:
 viewing listings in the content library,   accessing content identified in the content library,   adding content to another content library associated with the non-owner,   charging a fee for accessed content, and   compensating a content owner for accessed content.   
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 6 , wherein the content includes at least one of:
 audio;   video;   images;   text;   premium channel programming;   cable programming;   broadcast network programming;   radio programming;   digital music; and   pay-per-view programming.   
     
     
       10. The system of  claim 6 , wherein the consumer user content devices include:
 a personal computer;   a cellular telephone;   a personal digital assistant; and   a television.   
     
     
       11. A storage medium encoded with machine-readable program code providing content storage and selection services, the program code including instructions causing a host system to implement a method, comprising:
 aggregating content, remotely by an off-site host system, from a plurality of content providers;   providing the content to at least one consumer user content device;   monitoring, remotely by the off-site host system, consumption of a storage space of the at least one consumer user content device residing locally in a consumer user system, with respect to storage capacity in the at least one consumer user content device receiving the content, wherein the at least one consumer user content device contains a fixed amount of storage space, the monitoring based upon the type of the at least one consumer user content device;   selecting content contained in the storage space for relocation, wherein the content for relocation is selected based on at least one of how long the content has been stored in the storage device, size of the content, a content device user's selection, and an inference based upon most frequently accessed content;   relocating, remotely by the off-site host system, the content contained in the fixed amount of storage space of the at least one consumer user content device when a predetermined condition is met, wherein relocating the content frees up the fixed amount of storage space of the at least one consumer user content device; and   providing a user interface, by the off-site host system, to the consumer user content device, the user interface operable for building a content library listing content contained in the storage space of the at least one consumer user content device and the relocated content, wherein a content storage and selection application maintains a single copy of a content item in a database and replicates the single copy for each user content device that includes the content item in its content library;   wherein the relocating content contained in the storage space includes:   removing the content from the storage space; and   providing a link in the content library to the relocated content removed from the storage space, the link providing access to the relocated content.   
     
     
       12. The storage medium of  claim 11 , further comprising instructions for:
 associating the content library with a user account;   providing access to the content library;   providing access to the relocated content;   monitoring a plurality of activities conducted by a content device user via transactions occurring in the content library associated with the content device user;   comparing the plurality of activities conducted by the content device user with a plurality of other activities conducted by users of other content devices via transactions occurring in corresponding content libraries of the other content devices;   determining relationships between the plurality of activities conducted by the content device user and the plurality of other activities conducted by users of other content devices;   generating a listing of recommended content items based on determined relationships; and   presenting the listing to the content device user, wherein access to the content library includes providing an owner of the user account and a non-owner of the user account with access to the content library associated with the user account.   
     
     
       13. The storage medium of  claim 12 , wherein access by the non-owner includes at least one of:
 viewing listings in the content library,   accessing content identified in the content library,   adding content to another content library associated with the non-owner,   charging a fee for accessed content, and   compensating a content owner for accessed content.   
     
     
       14. The storage medium of  claim 11 , wherein the content includes at least one of:
 audio;   video;   images;   text;   premium channel programming;   cable programming;   broadcast network programming;   radio programming;   digital music; and   pay-per-view programming.   
     
     
       15. The storage medium  claim 11 , wherein the consumer user content devices include:
 a personal computer;   a cellular telephone;   a personal digital assistant; and   a television.   
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 2 , wherein access by the non-owner includes adding content to another content library associated with the non-owner. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 2 , wherein access by the non-owner includes compensating a content owner for accessed content. 
     
     
       18. A method, comprising:
 aggregating content, remotely by an off-site host system, from a plurality of content providers;   providing, by the off-site host system, the content to at least one consumer user content device;   monitoring, remotely by the off-site host system, consumption of a storage space of the at least one consumer user content device residing locally in a consumer user system;   selecting, by the off-site host system, particular content contained in the storage space for relocation, wherein the selection is based on at least one of: how long the particular content has been stored in the storage space, size of the particular content, a selection by a user of the at least one consumer user content device, and an inference based upon most-frequently accessed content; and   relocating, remotely by the off-site host system, the particular content contained in the storage space of the at least one consumer user content device when a predetermined condition is met,   wherein relocating the particular content contained in the storage space includes:
 removing the particular content from the storage space; and 
 providing a link in a content library to the relocated content removed from the storage space, the link providing access to the relocated content.  
   
     
     
       19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:
 receiving, by the off-site host system from the at least one consumer user content device, a request to access a particular content item; and   authenticating, by the off-site host system, the request to determine whether to grant access to the particular content item.    
     
     
       20. The method of claim 19, wherein the authenticating includes validating an identifier and password of a user associated with the request.  
     
     
       21. The method of claim 19, wherein the authenticating includes validating an identifier, included with the request, of the at least one consumer user content device.  
     
     
       22. The method of claim 18, further comprising:
 providing, by the off-site host system, a user interface to the at least one consumer user content device that is displayable for presenting a content library that lists content contained in the storage space of the at least one consumer user content device and relocated content.    
     
     
       23. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having program instructions stored thereon that are capable of causing a host system to perform a set of operations, wherein the host system is remote to a consumer user content device, and wherein the set of operations comprise:
 aggregating content from a plurality of content providers;   providing the content to the consumer user content device;   monitoring consumption of a storage space of the consumer user content device residing locally in a consumer user system;   selecting particular content contained in the storage space for relocation, wherein the selection is based on at least one of: how long the particular content has been stored in the storage space, size of the particular content, a selection by a user, and an inference based upon most-frequently accessed content; and   relocating the particular content contained in the storage space of the consumer user content device when a predetermined condition is met,   wherein relocating the particular content contained in the storage space includes:
 removing the particular content from the storage space; and 
 providing a link in a content library to the relocated content removed from the storage space, the link providing access to the relocated content.  
   
     
     
       24. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the consumer user content device is associated with an account owner, and wherein the set of operations further comprise:
 in response to receiving a request from the consumer user content device to access a particular content item of the content, performing an authentication of the request; and   in response to the authentication indicating the request was not made by the account owner, determining whether permissions exist to access the particular content item.    
     
     
       25. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 24, wherein determining whether permissions exist to access the particular content item includes determining whether accessing the particular content item carries a subscriber fee.  
     
     
       26. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 24, wherein the set of operations further comprise:
 in response to determining that permission exists to access the particular content item, granting access to the particular content item.    
     
     
       27. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the set of operations further comprise:
 providing a user interface to the consumer user content device, wherein the user interface is operable for building the content library that lists content contained in the storage space of the consumer user content device and relocated content.    
     
     
       28. A system, comprising:
 at least one processor; and   memory having program instructions stored thereon that are executable by the at least one processor to cause the system to perform operations comprising:
 aggregating content from a plurality of content providers; 
 providing the content to a consumer user content device, wherein the consumer user content device is remote to the system; 
   monitoring consumption of a storage space of the consumer user content device residing locally in a consumer user system;   selecting particular content contained in the storage space for relocation, wherein the selection is based on at least one of: how long the particular content has been stored in the storage space, size of the particular content, a selection by a user, and an inference based upon most-frequently accessed content; and   relocating the particular content contained in the storage space of the consumer user content device when a predetermined condition is met,   wherein relocating the particular content contained in the storage space includes:
 removing the particular content from the storage space; and 
 providing a link in a content library to the relocated content removed from the storage space, the link providing access to the relocated content.  
   
     
     
       29. The system of claim 28, wherein the operations further comprise:
 monitoring a first plurality of activities conducted by the user with respect to the content library;   comparing the first plurality of activities with a second plurality of activities conducted by users of other consumer user content devices with respect to content libraries of the other consumer user content devices; and   determining relationships between the first plurality of activities and the second plurality of activities.    
     
     
       30. The system of claim 29, wherein the operations further comprise:
 generating a listing of recommended content items based on determined relationships; and   presenting the listing to the consumer user content device.    
     
     
       31. The system of claim 28, wherein the operations further comprise:
 in response to receiving a request from the consumer user content device to access a particular content item of the content, performing an authentication of the request; and   in response to the authentication indicating the request was not made by an account owner associated with the consumer user content device, determining whether permissions exist to access the particular content item.    
     
     
       32. The system of claim 28, wherein the operations further comprise:
 providing a user interface to the consumer user content device that is displayable for presenting the content library that lists content contained in the storage space of the consumer user content device and relocated content.    
     
     
       33. A system, comprising:
 at least one processor; and   memory having program instructions stored thereon that are executable by the at least one processor to cause the system to perform operations comprising:
 receiving content from an off-site host system; 
 monitoring consumption of a storage space of the system; 
 selecting particular content contained in the storage space for relocation, wherein the selection is based on at least one of how long the particular content has been stored in the storage space, size of the particular content, a user's selection, and an inference based upon most-frequently accessed content; 
 relocating, to the off-site host system, the particular content contained in the storage space of the system when a predetermined condition is met; and 
 causing a user interface to be displayed that presents a content library that lists content contained in the storage space of the system and relocated content, wherein the content library includes a link to the relocated content removed from the storage space.  
   
     
     
       34. The system of claim 33, wherein the operations further comprise:
 sending, to the off-site host system, a request to access a particular content item of the content, wherein the request specifies an identifier and password of a user associated with the system.    
     
     
       35. The system of claim 33, wherein the operations further comprise:
 sending, to the off-site host system, a request to access a particular content item of the content, wherein the request specifies an identifier of the system usable for authentication of the system at the off-site host system.    
     
     
       36. The system of claim 33, wherein the operations further comprise:
 presenting a listing of recommended content items that is generated based on relationships determined between a first plurality of activities conducted by the user of the system and a second plurality of activities conducted by users of other systems.    
     
     
       37. The system of claim 33, wherein the predetermined condition is met when a remaining storage amount of the storage space falls below a storage threshold value.