Abstract:
A method and system for communication of information in a distributed media network includes receiving an indication of the availability of new media in the media network. A first device of a first user in the media network attempts to predict whether the new media will likely be selected at a future time by the first user, and if so, selectively retrieves the new media for a possible future playback of the new media by the first user.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS/INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE 
       [0001]    The present U.S. Utility patent application claims priority pursuant to 35 U.S.C. §120 as a continuation of U.S. Utility application Ser. No. 10/675,653, entitled “Media Processing System Automatically Offering Access to Newly Available Media in a Media Exchange Network”, filed Sep. 30, 2003, which claims priority pursuant to 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/432,472, entitled “Personal Inter-Home Media Exchange Network”, filed Dec. 11, 2002, and U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/443,894, entitled “Access and control of media peripherals via a media processing system”, filed Jan. 30, 2003, and U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/443,996, entitled “Media processing system automatically offering access to newly available media in a media exchange network”, filed Jan. 30, 2003, and U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/457,179, entitled “Server architecture supporting a personal media exchange network”, filed Mar. 25, 2003, all of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entirety and made part of the present U.S. Utility patent application for all purposes. 
         [0002]    This application also makes reference to:
   U.S. application Ser. No. 10/657,390, entitled “Personal Inter-Home Media Exchange Network”, filed Sep. 8, 2003, issued as U.S. Pat. No. 7,496,647 on Feb. 24, 2009; and   U.S. application Ser. No. 10/660,267, entitled “Personal Access and Control of Media Peripherals on a Media Exchange Network”, filed Sep. 11, 2003, issued as U.S. Pat. No. 7,496,665 on Feb. 24, 2009.   
 
         [0005]    All of the above stated applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    Certain embodiments of the invention relate to information storage. More specifically, certain embodiments of the invention relate to a media processing system offering access to newly available media in a media exchange network. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    A personal computer (PC) employing a web browser is often used by a user to grant permission to a third party to provide awareness of newly available media, data, and/or services provided by that third party. The third party may then send updates to the user, via email, to make the user aware of the newly available media, data, and/or services. For example, a user may give permission to a book publisher to make the user aware of new books that are published and/or distributed in a certain category. Exemplary categories may include science, arts, business, investments, health, literature, home, gardening and spirituality. Interactive TV services are sometimes provided via set-top-boxes using a similar kind of browser and, essentially, merely replicates the same web site functionality provided by a PC. 
         [0008]    Often, a user may not be aware of third party web sites that are available via the Internet and any corresponding type of media, data, and/or services that may be provided. Furthermore, a user or subscriber may be informed of any newly available media, data, and/or services that may have been posted to those web sites. A user or subscriber may typically have to use a search engine service to look for web sites in order to locate and identify available media, data, and/or services that may be interest to the user. This can be a time-consuming and frustrating exercise, especially if the user is searching for media, data, and/or services that do not exist or may not be readily available on the Internet. In instances where a user may have knowledge that certain data may be located on a particular web site, the user often has to go to that web site using his PC and/or browser in order to find out what may be newly available. 
         [0009]    Also, a PC is often used to access media stored on a media peripheral via a wired link. The accessing of media stored on such media peripherals involves tasks such as exchanging media meta information, uploading of media to a media peripheral and downloading of media from the media peripheral. Exemplary media meta information may include media file names, sizes, dates, resolution and format. As a result, a user or subscriber may have the capability to extract media for printing, routing, or processing, or for load media for playback or review. In this regard, the overall process for accessing and/or exchanging information is a manual process that may require significant user interaction and time. 
         [0010]    For example, in the case of using a digital camera, a user may not remember if any recent digital pictures are currently stored on the camera and have not yet been downloaded to his PC. As a result, the user: (1) removes the digital camera from its case; (2) attaches a cable between the PC and the digital camera; (3) powers up the digital camera; (4) places the camera in a download mode; (5) runs a PC application that copies any image files from the digital camera to the PC via the cable; (6) powers down the digital camera; (7) removes the cable; (8) places the camera into its case; (9) exits the PC application, and then searches through the downloaded digital pictures on his PC to see if there are any new pictures in the bunch. This process is very tedious and time consuming, and, especially when problems arise, requires a fairly savvy user. 
         [0011]    Further limitations and disadvantages of conventional and traditional approaches will become apparent to one of skill in the art, through comparison of such systems with some aspects of the present invention as set forth in the remainder of the present application with reference to the drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of an exemplary media exchange network supporting automatic access to newly available media, data, and services in accordance with various aspects of the present invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 2A  is a flowchart illustrating a first embodiment of a method for automatically accessing newly available media, data, and services on the media exchange network of  FIG. 1 , in accordance with various aspects of the present invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 2B  is a flowchart illustrating a second embodiment of a method for automatically accessing newly available media, data, and services on the media exchange network of  FIG. 1 , in accordance with various aspects of the present invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  is a schematic block diagram of a first exemplary media exchange network in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  is a schematic block diagram of performing personal media exchange over a second exemplary media exchange network in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  is a schematic block diagram of performing third-party media exchange over a third exemplary media exchange network in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0018]      FIG. 6  is an exemplary illustration of a TV guide channel user interface in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0019]      FIG. 7  is an exemplary illustration of several instantiations of a TV guide channel user interface of  FIG. 4  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0020]      FIG. 8  is an exemplary illustration of a TV guide channel user interface showing several options of a pushed media in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0021]      FIG. 9A  is a schematic block diagram of a media processing system (MPS) interfacing to media capture peripherals in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0022]      FIG. 9B  illustrates an alternative embodiment of a media processing system (MPS) in accordance with various aspects of the present invention. 
           [0023]      FIG. 10  is a schematic block diagram of a PC and an MPS interfacing to a server on a media exchange network in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0024]      FIG. 11  is a schematic block diagram of a PC interfacing to personal media capture devices and remote media storage on a media exchange network in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0025]    Certain embodiments of the present invention relate to the availability of media, data, and services on a media exchange network. In particular, certain embodiments of the present invention relate to providing automatic access to newly available media, data, and services by a media processing system (MPS) in a media exchange network. 
         [0026]    Aspects of the invention provide a method and system for communication of information in a distributed media network. The communication of information may include detecting availability of new media, data and/or service within the distributed network. A media processing system having an interest in monitoring the newly available media, data and service may be identified and notified of the newly available media, data and/or service. The newly available media, data and/or service may be compared with data in a media profile associated with the media processing system to determine whether there is a match. If there is a match, the media processing system may be notified of the match. Although the data in the media profile associated with the media processing system may be predefined, the media profile may also be dynamically updated and account for real time changes. 
         [0027]      FIG. 1  is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of an exemplary media exchange network  100  supporting automatic access to newly available media, data, and services in accordance with various aspects of the present invention. Specifically, a media exchange network  100  may be a communication network, which may include a first media processing system (MPS)  101  situated at a first location  102  such as a user&#39;s home of the media exchange network  100  and a second MPS  103  situated at a second location  104  such as a family member&#39;s home. The media exchange network  100  may also include a third (3 rd ) party media provider  105 , a PC  106  situated at third location  107  such as a friend&#39;s home, and an Internet-based media exchange network infrastructure  108 . The MPS&#39;s  101  and  103 , the PC  106 , and the third (3 rd ) party media provider  105  may each connect to the Internet-based media exchange network infrastructure  108  to allow communication between the various components  101 ,  103 ,  105 , and  106 . The first location  102 , the user&#39;s or subscriber&#39;s home, may also include a media peripheral  109  interfacing, via a wired or wireless connection, to the MPS  101 . 
         [0028]    The MPS  101  comprises a MES (media exchange software) platform  110  and the MPS  103  comprises a similar MES platform  111 . In general, a MES platform provides certain functionality within a MPS such as the ability to search for media, data, and/or services on a media exchange network. Also, a MES platform provides the capability for a user or subscriber to construct a user profile and register their MPS on the media exchange network. 
         [0029]    A media processing system may also comprise a set-top-box (STB), a PC, and/or a television with a media management system (MMS). A media management system may also be referred to as a media exchange software (MES) platform. Notwithstanding, a media management system may include a software platform operating on at least one processor that may provide certain functionality including user interface functionality, distributed storage functionality, networking functionality, and automatic control and monitoring of media peripheral devices. For example, a media management system may provide automatic control of media peripheral devices, automatic status monitoring of media peripheral devices, and inter-home media processing system routing selection. A media processing system may also be referred to as a media-box and/or an M-box. Any personal computer may indirectly access and/or control any media peripheral device in instances where the personal computer may include a media management system. Such access and/or control may be accomplished through various communication pathways via the media processing system or outside of the media processing system. A media processing system may also have the capability to automatically access and control any media peripheral device without user interaction and/or with user intervention. A personal computer (PC) may include media exchange software running on or being executed by the personal computer and may be referred to as a media processing system. The media processing system may also include a speech recognition engine that may be adapted to receive input speech and utilize the input speech control various functions of the media processing system. 
         [0030]    Each of the elements or components of the network for communicating media or media exchange network may be identified by a network protocol address or other identifier which may include, but is not limited to, an Internet protocol (IP) address, a media access control (MAC) address and an electronic serial number (ESN). Examples of elements or components that may be identified by such addresses or identifiers may include media processing systems, media management systems, personal computers, media or content providers, media exchange software platforms and media peripherals. 
         [0031]    The various components of the media exchange network may be adapted to or have the capability to store digital media and data. For example, the third (3 rd ) party media provider  105  may include a server that may store movies in a digital video format such as MPEG and its variants. The media peripheral  109  may comprise a digital camera storing pictures in digital image form. The PC  106  may store music as MP3 or .wav files, for example, at friend&#39;s home  107 . The MPS  103  at location  104 , the family member&#39;s home, may store family photos in a digital image format, such as JPEG, GIF or bitmap. 
         [0032]    The MPS&#39;s  101  and  103  may comprise main storage and removable storage. The main storage may comprise, for example, hard disk drives, a DVD player, a CD player, floppy disk drives, RAM, or any combination of these. The removable storage may include, for example, memory sticks, SD memory cards, PCM/CIA cards, compact flash cards, or any combination of these. The PC  106  may comprise a desktop PC, a notebook PC, a PDA, or any computing device. 
         [0033]    The media peripheral  109  may include, for example, a digital camera, a digital camcorder, an MP3 player, a home juke-box system, a PDA (personal digital assistant), and a multi-media gateway device. The MPS&#39;s ( 101 ,  103 ) each include a TV screen for viewing a list of newly available media, data, and services on the media exchange network  100 . 
         [0034]    The Internet-based media exchange network infrastructure  108  may include, for example, cable infrastructure, satellite network infrastructure, DSL infrastructure, Internet infrastructure, and/or intranet infrastructure providing wide area network (WAN) capability. The Internet-based media exchange network infrastructure  108  may provide a medium that may facilitate the exchange of information among the first location  102 , second location  104 , third location  107  and the third party media provider. Generally, the Internet-based media exchange network infrastructure  108  may provide wired, wireless and any hybrid thereof for transporting or communication information. 
         [0035]      FIG. 2A  is a flowchart illustrating a first embodiment of a method  200  for automatically accessing newly available media, data, and services on the media exchange network  100  of  FIG. 1 , in accordance with various aspects of the present invention. In step  201 , a new media, data, and/or service becomes available on the media exchange network  100 . In step  202 , the MPS  101  detects the newly available media, data, or service. In step  203 , the MPS  101  compares the newly available media, data, or service to a user profile. In step  204 , the MPS decides if the newly available media, data, or service matches the user profile. If the newly available media, data, or service matches the user profile then, in step  205 , the MPS  101  may be notified of the newly available media. The newly available data may be subsequently downloaded. 
         [0036]    In one embodiment of the invention, in step  205 , only an indication of the presence of the newly available media, data, and/or service may be downloaded to the MPS  101 . The actual media, data, or service may be downloaded at a later time upon selection by a user. 
         [0037]    In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, an MPS may continuously or periodically search a media exchange network for newly available media, data, and services. Accordingly, periodic searching may be scheduled to occur at specific times and/or on certain designated network components. Also, searching may be done based on user authorization. For example, a 3 rd  party provider, whose media exchange network registration number is not entered into MPS  101 , may not be polled by MPS  101 . 
         [0038]    For example, a user of MPS  101  may set up a user profile, using a remote control  112  in conjunction with his MPS  101 , indicating that the user is interested in Ford mustang cars. The MES platform  110  of MPS  101  provides the functionality for the MPS  101  to automatically search the media exchange network  100  and poll the various components on the media exchange network  100  for newly available media, data, and services related to the contents of the user profile, that is Ford mustang cars. As an option, the MPS  101  may only poll those components of the media exchange network  100  whose registration numbers are authorized by MPS  101 . 
         [0039]    As defined herein, newly available media, data, and services are those media, data, and services currently available on the media exchange network  100  that were not previously available the last time the MPS  101  performed a search on the media exchange network  100 . 
         [0040]    For example, if a newly available media such as an advertisement for a 1965 Ford mustang vehicle is found by MPS  101  to exist on the third (3 rd ) party media provider  105 , then the advertisement may be downloaded to MPS  101  via the internet-based media exchange network infrastructure  108 . Alternatively, only an indication of the existence of the advertisement could be downloaded and the user of MPS  101  could choose to download the actual advertisement at a later time. 
         [0041]      FIG. 2B  is a flowchart illustrating a second embodiment of a method  210  for automatically accessing newly available media, data, and services on the media exchange network  100  of  FIG. 1 , in accordance with various aspects of the present invention. In step  211 , a new media, data, or service becomes available from a 3 rd  party provider  105  on the media exchange network  100 . In step  212 , the third (3 rd ) party provider detects the MPS  101  on the media exchange network  100 . In step  213 , the third (3 rd ) party provider compares the newly available media, data, or service to a user profile of the MPS  101 . In step  214 , the third (3 rd ) party provider  105  decides if the newly available media, data, or service matches the user profile. If the newly available media, data, or service matches the user profile then, in step  215 , the third (3 rd ) party provider sends a message to the MPS  101  requesting permission to download the newly available media, data, or service to the MPS  101 . As an option, the third (3 rd ) party media provider  105  may only be able to access the user profile of MPS  101  if MPS  101  has authorized such access based on the registration number of the third (3 rd ) party media provider  105 . 
         [0042]    For example, a user of MPS  101  may have set up a user profile, using a remote control  112  in conjunction with her MPS  101 , indicating that she is interested in gardening. The third (3 rd ) party provider  105  provides the functionality to automatically search the media exchange network  100  for MPS&#39;s and access their user profiles. 
         [0043]    If a newly available service (e.g., annual shipment of flower seeds) is made available by third (3 rd ) party media provider  105 , then the third (3 rd ) party provider may request permission, via the user&#39;s MPS  101 , to download the details of the service, and how to sign up for the service, to MPS  101  via the internet-based media exchange network infrastructure  108 . When the user views the request on a TV screen of his MPS  101 , she may use her remote control to accept or reject the request. 
         [0044]    In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, if a media peripheral  109  comes into proximity of the MPS  101 , the MPS  101  may detect the presence of the media peripheral  109  and poll the media peripheral  109  for new media content. For example, a user, after taking pictures with his digital camera out in the woods, may come home with his digital camera. Once the digital camera is within a certain range of the user&#39;s MPS, a wireless link may be automatically established between the MPS and the digital camera. The recently taken (i.e., newly available) digital pictures may be automatically downloaded to the MPS  101 . Also, the digital pictures may then be automatically pushed from MPS  101  to MPS  103 , for example, at the family member&#39;s home  104 . 
         [0045]    As another example, a user&#39;s friend at the friend&#39;s home  107  may load some new MP3 files onto his PC  106 . The MPS  101  may poll the PC  106  and detect the presence of the new MP3 files on the PC  106  via the Internet-based media exchange network infrastructure  108 . In this regard, the MPS  101  will know the specific files that are in the PC  106 . Accordingly, the MPS  101  may then request that the newly available MP3 files be downloaded to the MPS  101  at user&#39;s home  102 . 
         [0046]    A major challenge is to be able to transfer and share many different types of digital media, data, and services between one device/location and another with ease while being able to index, manage, and store the digital media and data. 
         [0047]    For example, it is desirable to be able to distribute and store many types of digital media in a PC and/or television environment in a user-friendly manner without requiring many different types of software applications and/or unique and dedicated interfaces. Any networking issues or other technical issues should be transparent to the users. It is also desirable to take advantage of existing hardware infrastructure, as much as possible, when providing such capability. 
         [0048]    In an embodiment of the present invention, a media exchange network is provided that enables many types of digital media, data, and/or services to be stored, indexed, viewed, searched for, pushed from one user to another, and requested by users, using a media guide user interface. The media exchange network also allows a user to construct personal media channels that comprise his personal digital media (e.g., captured digital pictures, digital video, digital audio, etc.), request that third-party media channels be constructed from third-party digital media, and access the media channels pushed to him by other users on the media exchange network. 
         [0049]    PC&#39;s may be used but are not required to interface to the media exchange network for the purpose of exchanging digital media, data, and services. Instead, set-top-boxes or integrated MPS&#39;s (media processing systems) may be used with the media exchange network to perform all of the previously described media exchange functions using a remote control with a television screen. 
         [0050]    Current set-top-boxes may be software enhanced to create a MPS that provides full media exchange network interfacing and functionality via a TV screen with a TV guide look-and-feel. PC&#39;s may be software enhanced as well and provide the same TV guide look-and-feel. Therefore, the media exchange network supports both PC&#39;s and MPS&#39;s in a similar manner. Alternatively, a fully integrated MPS may be designed from the ground up, having full MPS capability. 
         [0051]    In the case of an MPS configuration, the user takes advantage of his remote control and TV screen to use the media exchange network. In the case of a PC configuration, the user takes advantage of his keyboard and/or mouse to use the media exchange network. 
         [0052]    An MPS or enhanced PC is effectively a storage and distribution platform for the exchange of personal and third party digital media, data, and services as well as for bringing the conventional television channels to a user&#39;s home. An MPS and/or PC connects to the media exchange network via an existing communication infrastructure which may include cable, DSL, satellite, etc. The connection to the communication infrastructure may be hard-wired or wireless. 
         [0053]    The media exchange network allows users to effectively become their own broadcasters from their own homes by creating their own media channels and pushing those media channels to other authorized users on the media exchange network, such as friends and family members. 
         [0054]      FIG. 3  comprises a media exchange network  300  for exchanging and sharing digital media, data, and services in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The media exchange network  300  is a secure, closed network environment that is only accessible to predefined users and service providers. The media exchange network of  FIG. 3  comprises a first PC  301  and a first media processing system (MPS)  302  at a user&#39;s home  303 , a communication infrastructure  304 , external processing hardware support  305 , remote media storage  306 , a second PC  307  at a remote location  308  such as an office, and a second MPS  309  at a parent&#39;s home  310 . 
         [0055]    The PC&#39;s  301  and  307  and the MPS&#39;s  302  and  309  each include a media exchange software (MES) platform  311  and a networking component  312  for connectivity. The MES platform  311  provides multiple capabilities including media “push” capability, media “access” capability, media channel construction/selection, image sequence selection, text and voice overlay, channel and program naming, inter-home routing selection, authorship and media rights management, shared inter-home media experience, billing service, and an integrated media guide interface providing a TV channel guide look-and-feel. 
         [0056]    The external processing hardware support  305  comprises at least one server such as a centralized internet server, a peer-to-peer server, or cable head end. The server may alternatively be distributed over various hosts or remote PC&#39;s. The MES platform  311  may also reside on the external processing hardware support server  305 . The remote media storage  306  may comprise user media storage and distribution systems  313  and/or third party media storage and distribution systems  314 . 
         [0057]    The communication infrastructure  304  may comprise at least one of internet infrastructure, satellite infrastructure, cable infrastructure, dial-up infrastructure, cellular infrastructure, xDSL infrastructure, optical infrastructure, or some other infrastructure. The communication infrastructure  304  links the user&#39;s home  303 , parent&#39;s home  310 , remote media storage  306 , and remote location office  308  to each other (i.e., the communication infrastructure  304  links all users and service providers of the media exchange network  300 ). 
         [0058]    The various functions  315  of the media exchange network  300  comprise generating personal network associations, personal storage management, media capture device support, security/authentication/authorization support, authorship tracking and billing and address registration and maintenance. These media exchange management functions  315  may be distributed over various parts of the media exchange network  300 . For example, the personal network associations and personal storage management functions may be integrated in the PC  301  at the user&#39;s home  303 . 
         [0059]      FIG. 4  illustrates an example of personal media exchange over a media exchange network  400  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. In step  1 , the media exchange software (MES) platform  401  is used to construct personal media channels on a PC  402  by a user at “my house”  403 . For example, with various media stored on the PC  402  such as digital pictures  404 , videos  405 , and music  406 , the MES platform  401  allows the digital media to be organized by a user into several channels having a media guide user interface  407  on the PC  402 . 
         [0060]    In step  2 , the user at “my house”  403  pushes a media channel  408  (e.g., “Joe&#39;s Music”) to “brother&#39;s house”  409  and pushes two media channels  410  and  411  (e.g., “Vacation Video” and “Kid&#39;s Pictures”) to “Mom&#39;s house”  412  via a peer-to-peer server  413  over the internet-based media exchange network  400 . “Brother&#39;s house”  409  includes a first MPS  414  connected to the media exchange network  400 . “Mom&#39;s house”  412  includes a second MPS  415  connected to the media exchange network  400 . The MPS&#39;s  414  and  415  also provide a media guide user interface  407 . 
         [0061]    In step  3 , brother and/or Mom access the pushed media channels via their respective media processing systems (MPS&#39;s)  414  and  415  using their respective MPS TV screens and remote controls. 
         [0062]      FIG. 5  illustrates an example of third-party media exchange over a media exchange network  500  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. In step  1 , a PC-initiated third-party request is made by a first party  501  via an internet-based media exchange network  500  using a media guide user interface  502  on a PC  503 . In step  2 , an anonymous delivery of the requested third-party channel  504  is made to a second party  505  via the internet-based media exchange network  500 . In step  3 , the second party  505  accesses the third-party channel  504  using a media guide user interface  506  on a TV screen  507  that is integrated into an MPS  508 . 
         [0063]    Similarly, in step A, an MPS-initiated third-party request is made by a second party  505  via an internet-based media exchange network  500  using a media guide user interface  506  on a TV screen  507  using a remote control  509 . The second party  505  may key in a code, using his remote control  509 , that is correlated to a commercial or some other third party broadcast media. In step B, an anonymous delivery of the requested third-party channel  504  is made to a first party  501  via the internet-based media exchange network  500 . In step C, the first party  501  accesses the third-party channel  504  using a media guide user interface  502  on a PC  503 . 
         [0064]      FIG. 6  illustrates a media guide user interface  600  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The media guide user interface  600  may be displayed on a TV screen  608  and controlled by a remote control device  609 . Also, the media guide user interface  600  may be displayed on a PC monitor and controlled by a keyboard or mouse. 
         [0065]    The media guide user interface  600  may be configured not only for conventional TV channels but also for personal media channels  601  that are constructed by a user of a media exchange network, friend&#39;s and family&#39;s media channels  602  constructed by friends and family, and third party channels  603  that are constructed by third parties either upon request by a user of a media exchange network or based on a profile of a user. 
         [0066]    The personal media channels  601  may include, for example, a “family vacations channel”, a “kid&#39;s sports channel”, a “my life channel”, a “son&#39;s life channel”, a “my music channel”, and a “kid&#39;s music channel”. The friends and family media channels  602  may include, for example, a “brother&#39;s channel”, a “Mom&#39;s channel”, and a “friend&#39;s channel”. The third party media channels  603  may include, for example, a “Sears Fall sale channel” and a “car commercials channel”. 
         [0067]    Each media channel may correspond to a schedule  604  showing, for example, a week  605  and a year  606 . For example, under the “kid&#39;s sports channel”, Ty&#39;s soccer game could be scheduled to be viewed on Tuesday of the current week  605  and current year  606 . For each media channel, a sub-menu  607  allows for selection of certain control and access functions such as “play”, “send to list”, “send to archive”, “confirm receipt”, “view”, “purchase”, and “profile”. 
         [0068]      FIG. 7  illustrates possible multiple instantiations of a media guide user interface  700  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The media guide user interface  700  may be viewed with a schedule having formats of, for example, “month, year”, “week#, year”, “day, week#”, or “hour, day”. 
         [0069]    Referring to  FIG. 8 , a user of a media exchange network may push a media channel (e.g., “Vacation in Alaska Video”) to a friend who is on the same media exchange network. The media guide user interface  800  may give the friend several options  801  for how to accept and download the pushed media in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0070]    For example, a first, most expensive option  803  may be “Express Delivery” which would deliver the pushed media to the friend in 18 minutes using queuing and cost $1.20, for example. The pushed media may be stored in a file in an MPEG 2 format that was recorded at a rate of 4 Mbps, for example. Queuing comprises buffering and delivering a previous part of the media and then buffering and delivering a next part of the media. For example, a first six minutes of the “Vacation in Alaska Video” may be buffered and delivered first, then a second six minutes may be buffered and delivered next, and so on until the entire media is delivered. 
         [0071]    A second, less expensive option  802  may be “Normal Delivery” which would deliver the pushed media in 2 hours and 13 minutes without queuing and cost $0.59, for example. The pushed media may be stored in a file in an MPEG 2 format that was recorded at a rate of 1.5 Mbps, for example. 
         [0072]    A third, least expensive option  804  may be “Overnight Delivery” which would deliver the pushed media by the next morning and cost only $0.05, for example. The pushed media may be stored in a file in an MPEG 2 format that was recorded at a rate of 19 Mbps and stored on a server, for example. 
         [0073]      FIG. 9A  illustrates the detailed elements of a media processing system (MPS)  900  and media capture devices  901  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The media capture devices  901  may comprise audio, video, and image players, such as digital cameras, digital camcorders, and MP3 players, that each include a temporary storage area  902  and a communication interface  903  such as, for example, a USB interface or a wireless interface. The media capture devices  901  have the capability to interface to an MPS and a PC. 
         [0074]    The MPS  900  comprises a media processing unit (MPU)  904 , remote user interface(s)  905 , and a TV screen  918  to provide integrated media processing capability and indirect user interface capability. The remote user interfaces  905  may comprise a voice or keyed remote control  906 , keyboards and pads  907 , a remote PC access interface  908 , and a remote media system access interface  909  (i.e., providing access from another MPS). 
         [0075]    The media processing unit (MPU)  904  comprises TV and radio tuners  910  for image and audio consumption, communications interfaces  911 , channel processing  912  (creating, storing, indexing, viewing), storage  913 , media players  914  (CD, DVD, Tape, PVR, MP3), an integrated user interface  915  (to provide a TV channel guide look-and-feel), networking components  916  to provide client functions such as consumption (billing), authorization (e.g., using digital certificates and digital ID&#39;s), registration, security, and connectivity. In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the networking components  916  may include a distributed server element  917  that is part of a distributed server. 
         [0076]      FIG. 9B  illustrates an alternative embodiment of a media processing system (MPS)  920  in accordance with various aspects of the present invention. The MPS  920  is essentially an enhanced set-top-box for viewing and interacting with various user interfaces, media, data, and services that are available on the media exchange network using, for example, a remote control. The MPS  920  comprises a media peripheral  921 , a MMS (media management system)  922 , and a broadband communication interface  923 . 
         [0077]    The media peripheral  921  may include a TV (television), a PC (personal computer), and media players (e.g., a CD player, a DVD player, a tape player, and a MP3 player) for video, image, and audio consumption of broadcast and/or personal channels. The broadband communication interface  923  may include internal modems (e.g., a cable modem or DSL modem) or other interface devices in order to communicate with, for example, a cable or satellite headend. 
         [0078]    The MMS  922  includes a software platform to provide functionality including media “push” capability, media “access” capability, media channel construction/selection, image sequence selection, text and voice overlay, channel and program naming, inter-home routing selection, authorship and media rights management, shared inter-home media experience, billing service, and a media guide user interface providing an integrated TV channel guide look-and-feel. 
         [0079]      FIG. 10  illustrates connectivity between a PC  1000 , an MPS  1001 , and external processing hardware  1002  (e.g., a server) in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The PC  1000  and MPS  1001  include networking components  1003  to provide client functions such as consumption (billing), authorization, registration, security, and connectivity. Alternatively, the PC  1000  and MPS  1001  may include a distributed server element  1004  that is part of a distributed server. 
         [0080]    The PC  1000  and MPS  1001  connect to the external processing hardware  1002  via wired or wireless connections. The external processing hardware  1002  comprises a distributed server or peer-to-peer server. The external processing hardware  1002  also comprises communication interfaces  1005  (e.g., cable interfaces, optical interfaces, etc.) and a media exchange software (MES) platform  1006 . The MES platform  1006  in the external processing hardware  1002  allows for communication with the PC  1000  and MPS  1001  which may also use the same MES platform  1006 . The external processing hardware  1002  also includes networking server components  1007  to provide the similar client functions such as consumption (billing), authorization, registration, security, and connectivity at the server side. 
         [0081]      FIG. 11  illustrates connectivity between a PC  1100 , remote media storage  1101 , and personal media capture devices  1102  when the PC  1100  is used as the primary distributor of digital media such as in the case of PC-to-PC operation, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The personal media capture devices  1102  and remote media storage  1101  connect to the PC  1100  via a wireless or wired connection. The remote media storage  1101  provides user media storage and distribution  1103  as well as third party media storage and distribution  1104 . The personal media capture devices  1102  provide temporary storage  1114  and communication interfaces  1115 . 
         [0082]    Viewing is done using a PC monitor  1105  instead of a television screen. The PC  1100  may include storage  1106 , TV/radio tuners  1107  for media consumption, media players  1108 , and communication interfaces  1109  and user interfaces  1110  similar to those for the MPS of  FIG. 9A . The PC  1100  includes a media exchange software (MES) platform  1111  that provides channel construction capability  1112  and networking capability  1113 . The channel construction capability  1112  allows third party and personal media access, sequencing, editing, media overlays and inserts, billing, scheduling, and addressing. 
         [0083]    In summary, the communication of information in a distributed media network may include detecting availability of new media, data and/or service within the distributed network. A media processing system having an interest in monitoring the newly available media, data and service may be identified and notified of the newly available media, data and/or service. The newly available media, data and/or service may be compared with data in a media profile associated with the media processing system to determine whether there is a match. If there is a match, the media processing system may be notified of the match. Although the data in the media profile associated with the media processing system may be predefined, the media profile may also be dynamically updated and account for real time changes. 
         [0084]    Accordingly, the present invention may be realized in hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software. The present invention may be realized in a centralized fashion in one computer system, or in a distributed fashion where different elements are spread across several interconnected computer systems. Any kind of computer system or other apparatus adapted for carrying out the methods described herein is suited. A typical combination of hardware and software may be a general-purpose computer system with a computer program that, when being loaded and executed, controls the computer system such that it carries out the methods described herein. 
         [0085]    The present invention may also be embedded in a computer program product, which comprises all the features enabling the implementation of the methods described herein, and which when loaded in a computer system is able to carry out these methods. Computer program in the present context means any expression, in any language, code or notation, of a set of instructions intended to cause a system having an information processing capability to perform a particular function either directly or after either or both of the following: a) conversion to another language, code or notation; b) reproduction in a different material form. 
         [0086]    While the present invention has been described with reference to certain embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted without departing from the scope of the present invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the present invention without departing from its scope. Therefore, it is intended that the present invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed, but that the present invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.