Patent ID: 9264773
Filing Date: 2016-02-16
CPC Classification: H04N

Claim Text:
1. A method comprising: providing, by a network device, a network-side, program clearinghouse service for television service providers and their respective users, wherein the network-side, program clearinghouse service includes directing their respective users to devices that at least one of stream or download programs to mobile devices after their respective users have been authenticated and authorized on behalf of the television service providers; transmitting, by a multiple system operator device of a television service provider, to the network device, user entitlement information pertaining to all users of a multiple system operator service provided by the television service provider, wherein the user entitlement information includes the users' subscriptions pertaining to all programs offered by the television service provider via the multiple system operator service, wherein the programs include television programs associated with television service packages, on-demand programs, and at least one of television programs or on-demand programs recorded by the users on digital video recording devices, and wherein the multiple system operator device stores the programs; receiving, by the network device and from the multiple system operator device, the user entitlement information pertaining to the users of the multiple system operator service; receiving, by the network device, requests from the users of the multiple system operator service via mobile devices to access the programs; determining, by the network device, whether access is permitted by the users of the multiple system operator service in response to receiving the requests; providing, by the network device, in response to determining that access is permitted, user interface program libraries that permit the users of the multiple system operator service to select programs to view based on the user entitlement information associated with each user; receiving, by the network device, selections of programs via the user interface program libraries; providing, by the network device, network addresses of devices that will at least one of stream or download the programs to the mobile devices associated with the users of the multiple system operator service, based on the selections of the programs; aggregating, by the network device, viewership information pertaining to the users of the multiple system operator service, wherein the viewership information includes information indicating programs viewed by the users; and disseminating, by the network device, the viewership information to another network device.