Abstract:
Systems and methods for retrieving multi-provider on-demand content through a common portal device are disclosed. The techniques described herein allow for multi-provider media content to be made available for retrieval to a user through a streamlined process thereby enhancing the user experience and likelihood of ordering on-demand content.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The techniques described herein relate to systems and methods for accessing on-demand media content and, more particularly, to systems and methods for content-on-demand (COD) retrieval from network accessible content providers. 
       BACKGROUND  
       [0002]    As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is information handling systems. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems. 
         [0003]    Some information handling systems are used to locate and retrieve media content from content providers in an on-demand fashion. Content providers can include satellite television providers, cable television providers, Internet-based providers and/or other content providers that have content available for download through one or more network connections. Current content-on-demand (COD) retrieval and delivery systems for providing on-demand media content to a user are known. However, with current systems, a user&#39;s search for on-demand content centers on the content-provider and, therefore, is not user-centric. As such, these systems are inefficient and non-desirable from a user&#39;s perspective thereby limiting the likelihood a user will take advantage of COD offerings. 
         [0004]    Some online content providers allow users to search for content available in the content libraries for the particular content provider. As such, if content meeting a user&#39;s search terms is not part of a current provider&#39;s content library, the user is unable to identify or retrieve that content. Examples of such content providers are cable television and satellite television subscription services. Typically, the only Video-On-Demand (VOD) options available for consumers on the television (TV) are these cable or satellite subscriptions. However, to use these VOD services, a user must first rent the settop receivers associated with the particular provider, and the user is then limited to the content databases provided specifically by the user&#39;s cable or satellite provider. Time, Cox, Brighthouse, Comcast, and Cablevision are example cable TV providers that limit the VOD or COD content to just their offerings. Similarly, AT&amp;T Satellite is an example satellite provider that limits the VOD or COD content to its offerings. 
         [0005]    Other content providers that allow access to multiple content providers nevertheless force consumers to select a content provider before starting a search for content. In this case, the provider may not have the content desired by the user, resulting in wasted time for the search with that provider, and no delivery of the desired content. An example of such a content provider is the Online Spotlight feature available using the Microsoft Media Center operating system. Using this feature, consumers first pick a content provider before then starting their search for content. This process is inefficient because the content desired by the user may not be available with the content provider that the user picked from the Online Spotlight main menu. 
         [0006]    Another method of accessing media on-demand content involves downloading content to a user&#39;s personal computer (PC) and/or laptop computer, for example, through the Internet. Through this manual process, a user accesses the Internet through a computer, selects a website for a content provider, conducts a search on that specific website, and then orders from that specific website. Once the content is ordered and paid for, the user can then download the content to the computer for replay. Unfortunately, using a typical computer interface, a user is within approximately two feet of the monitor for the computer. This two-foot interface is not optimal for watching content in a living room or other large room. 
         [0007]    For some systems, a television can be used as a display device for a computer system. In particular, the television can be used as the output device for a computerized system that is made for viewing Internet content through a television. An example of such a system is the MSN TV Internet Media Player. Connecting the output of this device to a television, the user can use the television as the display device for navigating the Internet and accessing websites. 
       SUMMARY  
       [0008]    Systems and methods for identifying and retrieving multi-provider on-demand content through a portal device are disclosed. The techniques described herein allow for multi-provider media content to be made available for retrieval to a user through a streamlined process thereby enhancing the user experience and likelihood of ordering content-on-demand (COD). The disclosed systems and methods provide a user-centric online content search capabilities wherein the user can locate content available across multiple online content providers. In addition, the user can be allowed to control search, selection, and playback of the desired media content through a television in a typical living room or large room setting. 
         [0009]    In one embodiment, a method is disclosed for providing multi-provider media content to a user. The method includes displaying a search interface to a user on a local display screen, receiving search terms from a user, accessing media content databases from a plurality of media content providers through an Internet connection, searching the media content databases using the search terms, obtaining search results from the providers concerning orderable media content items for the search terms, aggregating the search results, displaying at least one selectable option for orderable media content items, receiving a user selection of one of the options, downloading media content through the Internet from one of the media content providers based upon the user selection, and displaying playback for the downloaded media content based upon user control of the playback. As described below, other features and variations can be implemented, if desired, and a related methods and systems can be utilized, as well. 
         [0010]    In another embodiment, a portal system is disclosed for providing multi-provider media content to a user. The portal system can include a user interface module, a search module, and a content delivery module to facilitate the operations of the portal system in identifying and retrieving on-demand content through network available content providers. The portal system can also comprise a transaction module configured to process transactions for orders from the user for media content items, and this transaction module can operate without requiring the user to interact directly with the content provider, if desired. As described below, other features and variations can be implemented, if desired, and a related methods and systems can be utilized, as well. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]    It is noted that the appended drawings illustrate only exemplary embodiments of the techniques described herein and are, therefore, not to be considered limiting of its scope, for the invention may admit to other equally effective embodiments. 
           [0012]      FIG. 1  is an example block diagram of a portal system for providing multi-provider media content to a user. 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is an example block diagram of an order selection environment for locating and ordering multi-provider content through a portal system. 
           [0014]      FIG. 3A  is an example block diagram of a display including a search dialog. 
           [0015]      FIG. 3B  is an example block diagram of a display including search results of content items. 
           [0016]      FIG. 3C  is an example block diagram of a display including an order selection dialog. 
           [0017]      FIG. 3D  is an example block diagram of a display including delivered content. 
           [0018]      FIG. 4  is an example process flow diagram of the steps involved in a method for providing multi-provider on-demand media content to a user. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0019]    For purposes of this disclosure, an information handling system may include any instrumentality or aggregate of instrumentalities operable to compute, classify, process, transmit, receive, retrieve, originate, switch, store, display, manifest, detect, record, reproduce, handle, or utilize any form of information, intelligence, or data for business, scientific, control, or other purposes. For example, an information handling system may be a personal computer, a server computer system, a network storage device, or any other suitable device and may vary in size, shape, performance, functionality, and price. The information handling system may include random access memory (RAM), one or more processing resources such as a central processing unit (CPU) or hardware or software control logic, ROM, and/or other types of nonvolatile memory. Additional components of the information handling system may include one or more disk drives, one or more network ports for communicating with external devices as well as various input and output (I/O) devices, such as a keyboard, a mouse, and a video display. The information handling system may also include one or more buses operable to transmit communications between the various hardware components. 
         [0020]    As indicated above, some information handling systems are used to locate and retrieve media content from content providers in an on-demand fashion. The systems and methods described herein allow users to locate and retrieve on-line multi-provider on-demand media content through a common portal system. Although the embodiments described below are directed to a living room or large room environment including a television as the primary display device, the systems and methods described herein can be used in other environments with other display devices, as well. 
         [0021]      FIG. 1  is an example block diagram of a portal system  100  for providing multi-provider media content to a user. As depicted a television (TV) is used as the display device. The TV has a local display screen or TV screen  112 , and this TV screen  112  is coupled through connections  111  to a content-on-demand (COD) portal system or COD portal device  102 . The connections  111  can be one or more wired and/or wireless connections, as desired. As depicted, the COD portal device  102  includes user interface module  104 , search module  108 , content delivery module  106 , and transaction module  110 . It is again noted that the display screen  112  can be implemented using any desired display device. 
         [0022]    The COD portal device  102  is also coupled to the Internet  116  through wired or wireless connections  115 . Although the COD portal device  102  can be directly coupled to the Internet  116 , it is noted that the COD portal device  102  would typically be coupled to the Internet  116  through one or more intermediate systems. For example, in a typical home or small business environment, a broadband Internet connection from a server system hosted by an Internet service provider is often first received by a broadband modem and then distributed within the home or small business using local area network (LAN) connections. In such an environment, therefore, the COD portal device  102  would be coupled to the Internet  116  through wired or wireless connections to a broadband modem which is in turn coupled to a broadband service provider to provide Internet access to the COD portal device  102 . 
         [0023]    As depicted, a plurality of media content provider websites  118  (PROVIDER SITE  1 ),  120  (PROVIDER SITE  2 ) . . .  122  (PROVIDER SITE N) are also coupled to the Internet  116  through wired and/or wireless connections  117 ,  119  . . .  121 . Typically, websites will be hosted by one or more server systems that are coupled to the Internet directly or through one or more other intermediate systems. As with the COD portal device  102 , these server systems can be coupled to the Internet though LAN connections and a broadband connection system. The media content provider websites  118  (PROVIDER SITE  1 ),  120  (PROVIDER SITE  2 ) . . .  122  (PROVIDER SITE N) have databases of downloadable media content that can be accessed through the Internet  116 . The media content can be any desired media content, such as voice, music, video, images, mixed media (video/music/text), etc., and is typically stored in a digital format. 
         [0024]    The user interface module  104  is used to interface with the user. For example, the user interface module  104  receives user input through an input device  114 , and the user interface module  104  provides viewable dialog information to the user through the local display TV screen  112 . The input device  114  is coupled to the COD portal device  102  through connections  113 , which can be one or more wired or wireless connections, as desired. For ease of use, the input device  114  can be a wireless remote connected to the COD portal device  102  through some wireless protocol. 
         [0025]    The search module  108  facilitates searching of media content databases from a plurality of media content provider websites  118  (PROVIDER SITE  1 ),  120  (PROVIDER SITE  2 ) . . .  122  (PROVIDER SITE N) through the Internet  116 . As discussed in more detail below, the search module  108  aggregates search results from the plurality of websites into user selectable options for orderable media content items. This aggregation greatly simplifies the identification, access and ordering process for the user when accessing downloadable media content from the plurality of media content provider websites  118  (PROVIDER SITE  1 ),  120  (PROVIDER SITE  2 ) . . .  122  (PROVIDER SITE N). 
         [0026]    The content delivery module  106  facilitates downloading the media content through the Internet  116  depending upon a user selection of the orderable media content item. The content can be downloaded and stored on a hard disk or memory (e.g., volatile memory or non-volatile memory) associated with the COD portal device  102 . Once downloaded, the content delivery module  106  can also be used to help control the display or playback of the downloaded media content on a local display TV screen  112 . In addition, the user can be allowed to control playback of the media content through the input device  114  (e.g., pause, play, fast-forward, reverse, etc.). 
         [0027]    The transaction module  110  can be used to process user transactions for orders for media content items from the provider websites. In this way, the user transactions can be processed by the transaction module  110  without requiring a user to interact separately with the content provider websites  118  (PROVIDER SITE  1 ),  120  (PROVIDER SITE  2 ) . . .  122  (PROVIDER SITE N). In one alternative, the transaction module  110  can send to the content providers the user information related to ordered content, and the transaction can be further processed between the user and the content provider for the selected website. It is further noted that other transaction processes could also be used while still taking advantage of the multi-vendor COD portal device  102 . 
         [0028]    As further depicted in  FIG. 1 , a portal device server  130  can also be provided, if desired. The portal device server  130  can be used to provide a centralized interface between COD portal devices  102  distributed and the third-party content providers. In addition, the search, content delivery and/or transaction processing can be facilitated, if desired, by the portal device server  130 . Using this implementation, the portal device server  130  can provide a more efficient technique for managing the portal devices, particularly when they are distributed among a large number of disparate users. One example of such an environment is where a large number of COD portal devices are installed in homes and the content providers are Internet-based content providers. The portal device server  130  can help facilitate the interactions between individual COD portal devices and the Internet-based content providers. In addition, the portal device server  130  can facilitate software upgrades or updates for the COD portal devices, in the event that such upgrades or updates are needed or requested. 
         [0029]      FIG. 2  shows an example order selection environment  200  for a multi-provider media content and retrieval system. For the example depicted, it is assumed that the user  202  has conducted a search for downloadable movie content residing in content provider databases  214 ,  215 ,  216  . . . associated with the media content provider websites. The COD portal device  102  has accessed a plurality of websites to identify downloadable content satisfying the search terms. As depicted, three movies  208  (MOVIE  1 ),  210  (MOVIE  2 ) and  212  (MOVIE  3 ) have been identified and are displayed to the user  202  as selectable items. 
         [0030]    The order selection function  206  for the portal device  102  allows the selection and ordering of the downloadable content by the user. As described herein, the content items  208  (MOVIE  1 ),  210  (MOVIE  2 ) and  212  (MOVIE  3 ) resulting from the user&#39;s search are depicted to the user  202  for user selection. The user  202  selects, for example, movie  208  (MOVIE  1 ) through order action  220  (ORDER). This order action  220  (ORDER) can occur, for example, through the use of input device  114 . Once the user  202  makes the order selection, the portal device  102  relays that order request to the appropriate content provider through order action  224  (ORDER). With respect to  FIG. 1 , the user interface module  104 , the search module  108  and the transaction module  110  can be involved in the order selection function  206 , if desired. 
         [0031]    The content delivery and control function  204  for the COD portal device  102  is then used for the content delivery. The ordered content is delivered from the content provider database, such as content provider database  214 , through content download action  230  (CONTENT DOWNLOAD) to the COD portal device  102 . The COD portal device  102  then helps to manage the delivery and playback of the downloaded content to the user  202  through content delivery action  232  (CONTENT DELIVERY) With respect to  FIG. 1 , the user interface module  104  and the content delivery module  106  can be involved in the content delivery and control function  204 , if desired. 
         [0032]    The order selection function  206  can also facilitate the billing process for the order transaction. The order transaction is processed for the media content items  208 ,  210  and  212  selected by the user  202 . In one embodiment, this processing occurs without requiring the user  202  to interact directly with the content providers that are managing the database  214 ,  216 ,  218  . . . . In such a case, the content provider sends billing information represented by billing action  228  (BILLING) to the COD portal device  102 . The COD portal device  102  then handles billing by interfacing with the user  202  through billing action  230  (BILLING). With respect to  FIG. 1 , the transaction module  110  in the portal device  102  can be involved in this billing process. If desired, the user billing for downloaded content may be part of a single invoice associated with the COD portal device  102  and services provided by or through this COD portal device  102 . In one alternative, the billing is managed separately from the COD portal device  102  through one or more interactions represented by billing action  226  (BILLING). For example, the content provider could send an invoice directly to the user based upon user information provided by the COD portal device to the content provider during order processing. 
         [0033]    One advantage of the billing process occurring through the COD portal device  102  is the streamlined nature of this process from the users perspective. This efficiency is even more pronounced if the user  202  orders content from multiple different content providers through the COD portal device  102 . The user  202  simply receives one bill per billing period from the entity providing services associated with the portal device, as opposed to several bills from various multiple providers throughout a billing period. This unified billing greatly increases the ease of use by the user  202 . 
         [0034]      FIGS. 3A-D  are example block diagrams for screen displays that can be used to provide to the user  202  information related to the COD portal device  102 . 
         [0035]      FIG. 3A  is a block diagram for screen display  300 A including a search dialogue  302  for a user. The user can interface with the COD portal device  102  through the search dialogue  302  to initiate searches for downloadable media content. For example, a user can use the search dialog  302  to input search terms using an input device  114 , such as a remote or a keyboard. The search dialogue can be formulated in any desired fashion. For example, search fields can be provided for items as keywords, actors names, movie titles, order pricing, bandwidth required, screen resolution (e.g., high definition) and/or any other desired search field. Once the user has initiated a search based upon desired search terms and criteria, the COD portal device  102  can interface with the provider sites and/or the portal device server, as described herein, to obtain and process search results from multiple online content providers. 
         [0036]      FIG. 3B  is a block diagram for screen display  300 B including search results dialogue  304 . As depicted, the search results dialogue  304  includes some or all of the content item results from the content search. The search results can be displayed using any organizational structure desired, and these results include one or more items (ITEM  1 , ITEM  2  . . . ITEM N) representing multi-provider orderable media content. For example, orderable media content can be organized by price, user rating, critic rating, search ranking and/or any other desired criteria. Thus, the search results from the multiple content providers are aggregated by the COD portal device  102  and organized for display to the user in a streamlined fashion. In addition, the user can be allowed to select how the resulting media content is organized or listed within the search results dialogue  304 . 
         [0037]    It is noted that the multi-provider orderable media content items  304  (ITEM  1 , ITEM  2  . . . ITEM N) displayed will likely be a subset of the entire search results such that the organizational criteria will determine which items are shown first within the results dialogue  304 . It is further noted that a scroll feature can be provided to allow a user to move up and down the search results listing. In addition, the search results can be displayed on the display  112  with or without showing the name of the content provider for the content item. Assuming the portal device  102  is handling the transaction processing and the user is being billed through a portal device service company, users will likely be more concerned about price and whether the media content is available based on their search criteria than about the particular content provider that will be providing the content. 
         [0038]      FIG. 3C  is a block diagram for screen display  300 C including an order selection dialogue  306 . The order selection dialog  306  is displayed on the screen  112  to facilitate the users selection and ordering of one or more of the media content items. Again, the user may be allowed to interface with the order selection dialogue  306  using an input device  114 , such as a remote. Once a user makes a selection and orders the media content, media content can be downloaded from the media content provider, and the media content can be processed and stored for delivery to the user. 
         [0039]      FIG. 3D  is a block diagram for a screen display  300 D including a playback of the media content through a delivered content dialogue  308 . Once the user has selected to view the downloaded media content, the COD portal device  102  facilitates the playback of this content. The content delivery dialogue  308  can provide for playback for the downloaded media content through display  112  based upon user control of the playback. For example, the user can control the playback of delivered content  308  through an input device  114 . 
         [0040]      FIG. 4  is an example process flow diagram of the steps involved in a method  400  for providing multi-provider on-demand media content to a user. In step  402 , the process begins when a search interface is displayed to a user through a display, such as a television screen. In step  404 , a user inputs search terms and initiates a search for media content. In step  406 , the user search terms are received and used to search content available from a plurality of different media content providers through an Internet connection. In step  408 , the media content databases for the content providers are searched using the search terms. In step  410 , once the search results are obtained from the plurality of media content providers, the search results are aggregated and organized to display graphics related to one or more items of orderable content. These graphics also provide user selectable options related to the orderable media content items. In step  412 , the user makes a selection and orders the download of media content, and the COD portal device receives this order selection from the user. In step  414 , the COD portal device interacts with the content provider to obtain the ordered content, for example, by downloading the content through the Internet from one of the media content providers based upon the user selection. In step  416 , the downloaded media content is displayed to the user, and the user is allowed to control the delivery of the content. 
         [0041]    Further modifications and alternative embodiments of the techniques described herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of this description. It will be recognized, therefore, that the techniques described herein are not limited by these example arrangements. Accordingly, this description is to be construed as illustrative only and is for the purpose of teaching those skilled in the art the manner of carrying out the techniques described herein. It is to be understood that the forms of the techniques described herein shown and described are to be taken as the presently preferred embodiments. Various changes may be made in the implementations and architectures. For example, equivalent elements may be substituted for those illustrated and described herein and certain features of the techniques described herein may be utilized independently of the use of other features, all as would be apparent to one skilled in the art after having the benefit of this description of the techniques.