Patent ID: 8707375
Filing Date: 2014-04-22
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. A method comprising: searching, by a video distribution service comprising a processor, a network to identify a plurality of viewers having devices storing a plurality of items of video on demand content; receiving, by the video distribution service, a request for a first item of video on demand content from a requestor device, wherein the first item of video on demand content comprises personalized video content; identifying, by the video distribution service, a geographical location of the requestor device in response to a billing address of the requestor; searching, by the video distribution service, an index of the plurality of viewers to identify a source viewer having a device of the plurality of viewers having devices storing the first item of video on demand content and being within a proximity to the geographical location of the requestor device by comparing distances between the geographical location of the requestor device and geographical locations of devices of the plurality of viewers against a predetermined distance threshold; providing a key, by the video distribution service, to permit the requestor device to directly connect to peer-to-peer communication services of the device of the source viewer; instructing, by the video distribution service, the requestor device to obtain a first portion of the first item of video on demand content from the device of the source viewer and a second portion of the first item of video on demand content from the video distribution service; distributing a license key to the requestor device, wherein the license key is required to view the first item of video on demand content, and wherein the device of the source viewer does not possess the license key; facilitating, by the video distribution service, a peer-to-peer connection between the requestor device and the device of the source viewer to deliver a first portion of the first item of video on demand content to the requestor device; providing, by the video distribution service, the second portion of the first item of video on demand content; and instructing, by the video distribution service, the device of the source viewer to remove the first item of video on demand content from memory according to one of metadata or policy provided with the first item of video on demand content by a video on demand content server.