Abstract:
A system and method for remotely activating and remotely initiating retrieval of a content data file using a mobile communications device with public network access; a remote polling cycle and a playback device for retrieval of the content data file; and, a notification of file retrieval completion sent to the user of the system by the an electronic message to the device of the user&#39;s choice. The system and method remotely manage delivery of dynamic online content on various playback devices. The system and method perform remote activation, initialization, and notification, of content data file retrieval utilizing wireless communication devices having an application interface.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     This non-provisional application claims priority to the provisional application for patent Ser. No. 60/596,346 which was filed on Sep. 19, 2005 which is incorporated by reference and the aforesaid application is commonly owned by the same inventors. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates generally to the field of dynamic online content data file retrieval, and more specifically to a system and method for mobile retrieval of electronic content for separate delivery.  
         [0003]     Mobile devices communicating through Wireless Application Protocols (WAP) and Internet Protocols (IP) have significantly improved remote transfer and reception of data from a multitude of sources. Devices, such as cell phones, personal computers, or PC, and personal digital assistants, or PDA, run a plurality of markup language applications from the touch of a button, communicate with various middleware programs that allow for a broad range of functionality. However the functionality to provide and to manage online based content download services for remotely located third party playback devices stills remains limited. For example, a playback device connected behind a personal firewall has its download capability restricted. This loss in functionality appears as inability to manage dynamically based online content download services and limits users of such services to remain in the same room as the playback device when connecting for a download.  
         [0004]     Today&#39;s video on-demand content network architecture shows content owner established rules that allow for the constant changes in the amount of content available for download thereby causing the dynamics in the service. Typical video on-demand content based business rules are measured in the amount of time that a particular piece of content remains active on a system. This time is called content windowing and typically causes a particular piece of content to remain available from one to several weeks before removal. Rules that call for the expiration of content keep service providers actively changing menu structures, and adding and removing content through content windowing to follow licenses from content owners, and intermediate providers and distributors. These changes prevent a predetermination or choice by subscribers, or users, relating to selecting remotely a content data file, or CDF, through automated applications that process static, or non-dynamic, content data. More recent technology allows for a broad range of uses on today&#39;s communications networks using applications installed on mobile communications devices. An ability to manage such devices from a remote location has also expanded among the entertainment industry, such as gaming, music, and movie trailers. With the introduction of wireless technologies, mobile applications have been a primary source for data communications over cellular networks allowing for peer-to-peer connection via PDA, handheld gaming consoles and advanced mobile phones.  
         [0005]     Such peer-to-peer communications allow these devices to share data, providing one user the ability to send another user content like a music file or movie file to view and to hear for a time period as licensed by the provider of the content. These networks also allow for the user to manage a mobile communications device from a PC sitting behind a personal firewall.  
         [0006]     Due to the viruses, spyware, and Internet Worms, users needed to install a personal firewall to protect their data and identities. Most of today&#39;s firewalls, as delivered, allow user initiated connections through the device. Most homes today contain multiple PC connected to the Internet. Such devices as wireless routers also contain a personal firewall configuration that allows for minimum user intervention and for issuing of private Internet Protocol (IP) addresses to the additional PC on the network via a DHCP server integral, or installed, with the router. This type of configuration is known as a private network due to the inability to route such private addresses to the Internet. Configuring these devices to allow inbound connections from a mobile communications device to manage playback devices like DVD players, VCR&#39;s, set top boxes and media centers makes things more complex for users, often puzzled by VCR clocks.  
         [0007]     Software modules have been developed for unattended mode fetching of content data information as in updates for publications or software subscriptions, commonly seen as automatic update features. These modules allow for little user intervention and solve the problem of remotely initiating transactions through a personal firewall. However these modules limit the user&#39;s ability to remotely choose content based on a dynamically changing library of content data thereby restricting user choice to the application installed on the local device. The patent to Nemirofsky et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,880,769 shows a smart card system for transactions via a television. Like your invention, this smart card sends and receives information by a television signal to arrange for video and other services. Unlike your invention, this smart card receives information optically and communicates over the telephone lines using a modem to a central remote service. The television transmits the optical information, visible and non-visible to the smart card. This patent provides a television signal reading smart card and modem which is not your invention.  
         [0008]     In the prior art, the publication to Barzebar et al., No. 02/0044199, shows a television remote control that serves as a telephone. As in the present invention, the patented control receives and transmits a telephone call. The control has a speaker that rings and receives the user&#39;s voice. The control provides the caller&#39;s voice signal to the television audio for broadcast into a room. In contrast to the present invention, this control works within infra red range of the television. This publication discloses a remote control used as a telephone for voice communication near a television, while the present invention uses a cell phone to order content for display onto a television.  
         [0009]     The publication to Yuen, No. 02/0052197, describes another system that links a television to a central site by telephone. As in the present invention, this publication has a user purchase a television program through a remote control. The control sends a buy signal to the television circuitry which places a telephone call to a central site for ordering and delivery of a program. However, this publication again uses the remote control but not a cell phone, and the telephone system to transmit order information then it mentions a confirmation message.  
         [0010]     The publication to Rakib, No. 02/0059637, has a gateway in a residential entertainment setting that communicates with a headend that has content. This publication describes a satellite receiver and a CPU coupled with a hard drive. The hard drive records video downloaded by the CPU similar to present day TiVO. This publication describes an infrared remote control, likely meaning under 20 foot range or a residential setting. The CPU does communicate by conventional modem and cable modem. The publication makes little mention of remote access by cell phone.  
         [0011]     Then the publication to Mizutani et al., No. 02/0138846, has a two part communication system that measures media quality and prices the media by it. The system has an authentication means as in the present invention and it delivers media digitally using an IP protocol. The publication does not claim remote accessibility to operate the system and does not indicate scheduling or delivery of the media as in the present invention.  
         [0012]     The publication to Lupulescu et al., No. 03/0030751, shows a cell phone used to order a pay per view movie from a satellite television provider. Similar to the present invention, this publication has a cell phone with software that allows a user to remotely select, order, and pay for video content. The software also has an email delivery feature to remind a user about the start of a movie. The cell phone is described as WAP enabled. In contrast to the present invention, this publication does not describe any features on a set top box. However, this publication approaches the cell phone features of the present invention.  
         [0013]     The publication to Weber et al., No. 03/0236843, has an assembled radio broadcast for a user. As in the present invention, the publication provides content selected by the user through a group of smart receivers. The receivers each follow a feed (music, video, or ad) and the smart part of the publication combines selections from each feed to match a user&#39;s playlist. However, the publication does not describe remote ordering of playlist content by a cell phone. The multiple feeds and receivers of this publication separate it from the present invention.  
         [0014]     Urakoshi has a publication No. 02/0117841 describing a digital receiver that does not charge users for non delivery of programs. The receiver has software that monitors the preview of a program and then charges the user if the program has sufficient quality. The publication mentions a remote transmitter  10  that is likely an infra red controller. This publication does not describe remote access and payment by cell phone beyond infra red range in the present invention.  
         [0015]     And similar to the Lupulescu publication, Benco et al. shows a wireless content ordering system in publication No. 05/0278766. This system uses a cell phone, or Bluetooth device, to communicate with a set top box for ordering video content. This system can detect if a user is using the cell phone and switch to another channel to place a content order. This system displays the content available on a television but not the cell phone.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0016]     The system and method of the present invention are devices and software that allow users to download electronic content to one player device from another device located remote from the player.  
         [0017]     The present invention remotely manages dynamic online content delivery generally related to content data file playback devices, or playback devices. It broadly relates to a system and method for remote activation, initialization, notification, of content data file retrieval utilizing wireless communication channels over public networks accessed from a mobile communication device having a mobile application interface.  
         [0018]     In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a system remotely activates content data file retrieval. A mobile communications device, having public network access, allows users, located outside of the range of the remote content data file playback device to select the content data file. The mobile application interface of the present invention remotely displays a personal electronic document over the wireless communication channels, simulating the remote content data file playback device via an Interactive Program Guide. The personal electronic document has a structure for the users to navigate through content data file categories that follow a readable clear text naming convention. As the mobile communications device and the remote content data file playback device do not share the same address conventions, selection information passes over a remote WEB application server across the public network to synchronize the information with a relational database. The relational database is remotely queried by the remote content data file playback device&#39;s polling cycle application.  
         [0019]     Also in the preferred embodiment of the invention, a method remotely activates content data file retrieval. The method comprises generating a request for a personal electronic document when the user initiates a session using the mobile application interface. The mobile application interface displays the personal electronic document in a high-level markup language format transmitted from a WEB application server with a list of content data file categories and navigational buttons to select the content data file. The submission of the content data file travels with a user session ID to a personal electronic document profile relational database where the submitted information is then transmitted to a second relational database that updates the personal electronic document profile information with the address of the content data file and queues the file for retrieval.  
         [0020]     In an alternate embodiment of the invention, a method retrieves remotely a content data file and notifies a user thereof. The method has the steps:  
         [0021]     1 a remote content data file playback device initiating a prescheduled polling cycle application that has the network layer address information of the personal electronic document profile information relational database,  
         [0022]     2 a secure connection to authenticate the remote content data file playback device,  
         [0023]     3 the polling cycle application locating the content data file computer hashed address storage location within the personal electronic document profile information content address data field,  
         [0024]     4 initiating a second session on the remote content data file playback device in which resides the network layer address of the content storage node array resulting from a query of the content data file,  
         [0025]     5 issuing file retrieval commands in a second session over the secure connection for retrieving the content data file,  
         [0026]     6 sending transport layer acknowledgements from the remote content data file playback device to acknowledgement data fields within the personal electronic document profile information relational database upon completion of file retrieval thereby transmitting session information and notification messages to the network layer address of the electronic messaging server, and  
         [0027]     7 processing session information on the electronic messaging server and transmitting electronically formatted messages to the user&#39;s preferred method of notification within his personal electronic document profile information.  
         [0028]     The primary object of the invention is remote content data file retrieval, using the mobile communications device on a public network access to wireless communication channels.  
         [0029]     Another object of the invention is using a mobile application interface to browse through personal electronic documents to select a content data file for retrieval by the remote playback device.  
         [0030]     Another object of the invention is notification through communication of file retrieval completion by an electronic message sent to the user&#39;s device of choice.  
         [0031]     These and other objects may become more apparent to those skilled in the art upon review of the summary of the invention as provided herein. In addition, the invention will be better understood upon undertaking a study of the description of its preferred embodiment, in view of the drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0032]     The drawings constitute a part of this specification and include exemplary embodiments to the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. It is to be understood that in some instances various aspects of the invention may be shown enlarged to ease understanding of the invention.  
         [0033]     In referring to the drawings,  
         [0034]      FIG. 1  shows an example of an overall system diagram of the preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0035]      FIG. 2  shows a diagram illustrating the information path from the mobile communications device and the synchronization of information from the personal electronic document through the WEB application server to the personal electronic profile information relational database;  
         [0036]      FIG. 3  shows a diagram illustrating the information update paths through the WEB Application Engine and the functions of the notification element; and,  
         [0037]      FIG. 4  shows a flow chart of the initiated polling cycle application of the remote content data file playback device. 
     
    
       [0038]     The same reference numerals refer to the same parts throughout the various figures.  
       DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0039]     The present invention may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific details disclosed herein are not limiting, but rather form a basis for the claims. Further, in the detailed description to follow, the acronyms:  
         [0040]     CDF, MAI, PED, PEDP, PEDPI will be used to describe the following:  
         [0041]     Content Data File, Mobile Application Interface, Personal Electronic Document, Personal Electronic Document Profile, Personal Electronic Document Profile Information, respectively.  
         [0042]      FIG. 1  illustrates an overall system diagram of an embodiment of the present invention. In this example a mobile communications device  205  serves as a gateway device to connect through the Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS) network  215  to access the Internet  220 . The MAI  210  initiates, upon request of the user for seeking a PED  265  hosted by the WEB application server  260  where the user may browse and select content advertised by the provider. The mobile communications device  205  may be a cellular telephone, PDA, or a handheld gaming unit and may have the capability to display HTML, XML, XHTML, or WAP formatted documents, and capability to process wireless RF signals. Once the user submits his selection, the WEB application server  260  communicates with the relational database  230  to synchronize information to the PEDP  245  through configured DB API Drivers  310 , later described in  FIG. 2 . Before data synchronizes to the PEDPI  240 , the selected content address is checked against the Metadata database  235 .  
         [0043]     At scheduled intervals, the playback device  250  initiates a secure communications channel, or VPN  225  through the Internet  220  to check the PEDPI  240  for updated information using the Update Profile Information Flag  435 , later described in  FIG. 3 .  
         [0044]     Upon finding the Update Profile Information Flag  435  set within the PEDPI  240 , the playback device  250  then checks the Update Content Address Location data field  560  for the storage address of the CDF. After successful location and retrieval of the CDF from the Content Storage Node Array  255 , the playback device  250  sends acknowledgements to the WEB Application server  260  activating the Update Notification Flag  420 . The WEB application server  260  receives retrieval acknowledgement from the playback device  250 . The information then passes to both the PEDPI  240  and the Electronic Messaging server  270  through the use of the respectable API&#39;s and thereby notifies the user that the CDF is stored on the playback device  250 , ready for viewing or listening. The playback device  250  may be a DVD player, VCR, Media Center, Digital Set Top, PVR, DVR or any device capable of displaying audio/video CDF, having VCR like functions and the ability to store CDF within directories, and a means for processing network communication protocols.  
         [0045]     Yet, mobile devices  205  continue to advance and support greater volumes of XHTML and standard HTML code as processing power in handsets increases. It is likely WML will be phased out in the future. The present invention utilizes mobile devices  205  that can retrieve applications which run locally on the device. These local applications display advanced web driven menu&#39;s that use the HTTP protocol to communicate to a web application server. In one embodiment of the locally application, the user simply dials into a soft switch, such as an Astricks Server from the mobile communications device  205 . The user and any CDF can be determined using a combination of Automatic Number Identification (ANI) information and user answered prompts. This information then authenticates the user and matches the user to an account, including a preselected cellular email address that the application communicates upon. Next, following the email delivery of an application to a mobile device  205 , the user follows the link to initiate the installation of the application. This application displays the necessary pages hosted by the web application server. The navigation through the content menu emulates existing program guides, presently shown on cable or CATV systems. The navigation also authenticates the user upon its launch. The present invention embodies two ways to communicate to the web applications server without using an application gateway device that will translate one protocol to the other as in WML or WAP capable devices.  
         [0046]      FIG. 2  is illustrates the information path from the mobile communications device  205  and the synchronization of information from the PED  265  through the WEB application server  260  to the PEDPI database  230  in the present invention. The user of the mobile communications device  205  initiates a session to the PED  265  on a wireless communications channel  330  over the Universal Telecommunications Mobile System (UTMS) network  300  for routing through the network gateway devices to the Internet address  300  of the WEB application server  260 .  
         [0047]     The PED  265  is created using such markup languages as HTML, XML, XHTML, WAP based pages and XSLT that are viewable on a browser client that the MAI  210  uses to display the PED  265 . At the far end of the communications path, the WEB application server  260  communicates to the PEDP database  230  and updates content selection through the use of the DB API Drivers  310 . The DB API Drivers  310  interfaces the communications from the WEB Application Engine  400  to the database language structure to pass commands and Flags to be processed by the database. As information passes from the PED  265  through the WEB Application Server  260  to the PEDP database  230 , a second transaction is initiated by the DB Logic  320  to pass the information updates to the PEDPI database  230 .  
         [0048]      FIG. 3  describes the information update paths through the Applications Engine  400  and the functions of the notification element in the preferred embodiment. As the user of the PED  265  selects a CDF for retrieval two events occur:  
         [0049]     1) the PED CDF Selection Field  425  is populated with the Clear Text Title  430  of the selected CDF and two, the Update Notification Flag  435 ; and,  
         [0050]     2) the Update CDF Address Location Flag  440  are queued for submission to the WEB Application Engine  400 .  
         [0051]     The WEB Application Engine  400  processes the flags to the appropriate WEB client API  405  which then passes the flags to the DB API Drivers  310  where the flags are processed using DB Logic  320 . In particular, the Update CDF Address Location Flag  440  is processed by the DB API Drivers  310  for locating the Clear Text Title  430  mapping to the computer hashed CDF address stored on the Metadata Database  235 . The mapped address of the CDF address is then sent back to the DB API Drivers  310  to be processed to the PEDP  245  and then synchronized with the PEDPI  240  along with the Update Profile Information Flag  435  using DB Logic  320  where the CDF address location will be stored in the Content Data File location field  560 .  
         [0052]     Upon file retrieval completion  415  of the CDF, the playback device  250  will send acknowledgement in the form of an Update Notification Flag  420  to the appropriate WEB client API  405  within the Web application Engine  400  to initiate the notification process. This process includes the Update Notification Flag  420  being sent to the DB API Drivers  310  where it is then be processed by DB Logic  320  to the PEDPI  240 . DB Logic  320  determines the user&#39;s preferred method of notification and returns to the WEB application Engine  400  with the appropriate information to communicate the preferred method of notification to the notification client API  410 . The user has previously configured an account, accessed by the notification client API  410 , for delivery of the notification to the user. The notification client API  410  communicates directly with the Electronic Messaging Server  270  to process the preferred method of delivery using either Email  445 , short message service  450 , PBX  455  protocols, and the like.  
         [0053]     And,  FIG. 4  is a flow chart of the initiated polling cycle application of the playback device  250  used by an alternate embodiment of the present invention. As the playback device  250  is remote, or separated, from the user at the time of CDF selection, a process retrieves the selected CDF for playback. Prescheduled by the user, this process starts by execution of application  500  and terminates in application  600  in this figures. Upon the activation of the polling cycle application  500  the playback device  250  immediately proceeds to operation  510 . In operation  510  the playback device  250  initiates a VPN connection across the Internet  220  and authenticates itself using the appropriate software as configured under the VPN client installed on the playback device  250 .  
         [0054]     Thereafter in operation  530 , the polling cycle application initiates a communication session with the PEDPI database  230  and verifies the PEDPI  240  for the activation of the Update Profile Information Flag  435  and proceeds to operation  540 . Upon finding that the Update profile information flag  435  has not been activated, the polling cycle application proceeds to operation  550  and ends the session by terminating the connection; however if in operation  540  the Update Profile Information Flag  435  has been set, the polling cycle application proceeds to operation  560 . Thereafter, checking the PEDPI  240  for the CDF Location Field to determine the storage location of the CDF, the polling cycle application begins transferring a file with the Content storage node array  255  in operation  570  using such appropriate file transfer protocols as FTP GET commands and alternatively HTTP GET, SFTP GET and TFTP GET and the like commands. The polling cycle application then proceeds to verify the integrity of the file transfer by comparing the checksums in operation  580 . Upon failure of file transfer, operation  580  restarts the polling cycle application in application  500 . Following a successful file transfer in operation  580 , the polling cycle application proceeds to operation  590  by sending acknowledgement upstream to the PEDPI  240  setting the Update Notification Flag  420 , and signifies the notification of file retrieval completion to the user thereby ending the session in operation  600 .  
         [0055]     Variations or modifications of the subject matter of this invention may occur to those skilled in the art upon reviewing the disclosure provided herein. Such variations or modifications are intended to be encompassed within the scope of the invention as described herein. While the invention has been described in connection with a preferred embodiment, it is not intended to limit the scope of the invention to the particular form set forth, but on the contrary, it is intended to cover such alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. The description of the preferred embodiment and of the drawings showing the same are provided herein for illustrative purposes only.  
         [0056]     From the aforementioned description, a system and method for the mobile retrieval of electronic content for separate delivery. The system and method are uniquely capable of managing electronic content download separately and remotely from a playback device. The system and its various components may be manufactured from many materials including but not limited to polymers, silicone, high density polyethylene HDPE, polypropylene PP, polyethylene terephalate ethylene PETE, polyvinyl chloride PVC, nylon, ferrous and non-ferrous metals, their alloys and composites.  
         [0057]     The phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. Therefore, the claims include such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and the scope of the present invention.