Abstract:
Systems and methods that prevent unauthorized access in a communications network are provided. In one embodiment, a system that prevents unauthorized access to a network device may include, for example, a network device and a headend. The headend may be coupled to a communications network. The network device may be deployed in a home environment and may be communicatively coupled to the communications network via the headend. The headend may be adapted, for example, to determine whether a request to access the network device is authorized.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application is a CONTINUATION of U.S. application Ser. No. 12/323,225, filed Nov. 25, 2008, which is a CONTINUATION of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/672,737, filed Sep. 26, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,475,243, which makes reference to, claims priority to and claims benefit from U.S. Application No. 60/466,946, entitled “Preventing a Non-Head End Based Service Provider from Sending Media to a Media Processing System” and filed on Apr. 30, 2003; U.S. Application No. 60/457,179, entitled “Server Architecture Supporting a Personal Media Exchange Network” and filed on Mar. 25, 2003; U.S. Application No. 60/464,697, entitled “Secure Linking with Authentication and Authorization in a Media Exchange Network” and filed on Apr. 23, 2003; U.S. Application No. 60/465,982, entitled “Secure Anonymity in a Media Exchange Network” and filed on Apr. 28, 2003; U.S. Application No. 60/432,472, entitled “Personal Inter-Home Media Exchange Network” and filed on Dec. 11, 2002; and U.S. Application No. 60/443,894, entitled “Access and Control of Media Peripherals Via a Media Processing System” and filed on Jan. 30, 2003. The above-identified applications are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. 
     In addition, said U.S. application Ser .No. 10/672,737 makes reference to U.S. application Ser. No. 10/657,390, entitled “Personal Inter-Home Media Exchange Network” and filed on Sep. 8, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,496,647; and U.S. application Ser. No. 10/660,267, entitled “Personal Access and Control of Media Peripherals on a Media Exchange Network” and filed on Sep. 11, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,496,665. The complete subject matter of the above-identified applications are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. 
     This application is also related to U.S. application Ser. No. 12/392,074, filed Feb. 24, 2009; U.S. application Ser. No. 12/391,022, filed Sep. 23, 2009, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,734,788; U.S. application Ser. No. 12/795,405; U.S. application Ser. No. 10/675,443, filed Sep. 30, 2003; U.S. application Ser. Nos. 10/675,491, filed Sep. 30, 2003; and 10/675,774, filed Sep. 30, 2003. 
    
    
     FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     [Not Applicable] 
     SEQUENCE LISTING 
     [Not Applicable] 
     MICROFICHE/COPYRIGHT REFERENCE 
     [Not Applicable] 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Communication in a personal computer (PC) based environment having Internet connectivity is typically established based on e-mail addresses and/or Internet protocol (IP) addresses. Many unwanted connections occur with no anonymity or control over who communicates with whom. 
     A user of a PC may receive many unwanted e-mail messages with file attachments (e.g., SPAM) because the user&#39;s e-mail address is widely distributed or published somewhere. Some of the e-mail messages may contain computer viruses that can hurt the user&#39;s PC. Many businesses and some individual users set up firewalls to prevent certain types of e-mail messages from getting through, especially those e-mail messages having computer viruses. However, in general, e-mail messages flow across the Internet without the performance of any type of authorization or authentication. 
     A cable service provider or a satellite service provider may authorize which channels to broadcast and/or to be de-encrypted by a particular user based on the subscription information for that user. In general, a set-top box in a user&#39;s home receives whatever is broadcast to it based on the subscription of the user. A service provider could temporarily override the subscription limits and broadcast certain channels to a user&#39;s set-top box to let the user try those channels out. In reality, the user essentially has no control of what channels may be broadcast to him. 
     In general, when dealing with IP-based networks and communication through devices that have IP addresses, sharing any kind of digital media invites or facilitates different ways for rogue service providers or rogue networks to be formed to imitate and to copy legitimate services on the network. 
     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 the present invention as set forth in the remainder of the present application with reference to the drawings. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Aspects of the present invention may be found in, for example, systems and methods that prevent unauthorized access in a communications network. In one embodiment, the present invention may provide a system that prevents unauthorized access to a network device. The system may include, for example, a network device and a headend. The headend may be coupled to a communications network. The network device may be deployed in a home environment and may be communicatively coupled to the communications network via the headend. The headend may be adapted, for example, to determine whether a request to access the network device is authorized. 
     In another embodiment, the present invention may provide a method that prevents unauthorized access in a communications network. The method may include, for example, one or more of the following: receiving, at a headend, a request to access a first device, the request originating from a second device; determining, by the headend, whether the second device is authorized to access the first device; and blocking the second device from accessing the first device if the headend determines that the second device is not authorized to access the first device. 
     In yet another embodiment, the present invention may provide a method that prevents unauthorized access in a communications network. The method may include, for example, one or more of the following: disposing a headend between a first network device and a second network device such that a communications path between the second network device and the first network device passes through the headend; and adapting the headend to determine whether the second device is authorized to access the first device. 
     These and other advantages, aspects and novel features of the present invention, as well as details of an illustrated embodiment thereof, will be more fully understood from the following description and drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a media exchange network preventing a non-headend based service provider from sending media to a device on a media exchange network, in accordance with various aspects of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a media exchange network clearly showing the resultant media exchange headends which incorporate the functionality of the media exchange server of  FIG. 1  into the broadband access headends of  FIG. 1 , in accordance with various aspects of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic block diagram of a first exemplary media exchange network in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         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. 
         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. 
         FIG. 6  is an exemplary illustration of a TV guide channel user interface in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         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. 
         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. 
         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. 
         FIG. 9B  illustrates an embodiment of an MPS in accordance with the present invention. 
         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. 
         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 
       FIG. 1  is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a media exchange network  100  preventing a rogue service provider from sending media to a device on a media exchange network, in accordance with various aspects of the present invention. Specifically, the media exchange network  100  is a communication network comprising a personal computer (PC)  101  and a media processing system (MPS)  102  at a 1 st  home  104 ; and a PC  105  and an MPS  106  at a 2 nd  home  108 . The PC  101  and the MPS  102  interface to a broadband access headend  109 . The broadband access headend  109  may comprise at least one of a cable headend, a satellite headend and a DSL headend, in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention. The PC  101  and the MPS  102  may include internal modems (e.g., a cable modem or a digital subscriber line (DSL) modem) or other interface devices to communicate with the broadband access headend  109 . Optionally, the interface device (e.g., a modem) may be external to the PC  101  and the MPS  102 . 
     Similarly, the PC  105  and the MPS  106  interface to a broadband access headend  110 . The broadband access headend  110  may comprise at least one of a cable headend, a satellite headend and a DSL headend, in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention. The PC  105  and the MPS  106  may include internal modems (e.g., a cable modem or a DSL modem) or other interface device to communicate with the broadband access headend  110 . Optionally, the interface device (e.g., a modem) may be external to the PC  105  and the MPS  106 . 
     In accordance with various embodiments of the present invention, an MPS may comprise at least one of a set-top box (STB), a PC and a television (TV) with a media management system (MMS). An MMS is also known herein as a media exchange software (MES) platform. 
     An MMS comprises a software platform operating on at least one processor to provide certain functionality including user interface functionality, distributed storage functionality and networking functionality. For example, an MMS may provide control of media peripheral devices, status monitoring of media peripheral devices and inter-home MPS routing selection, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
     The media exchange network  100  further comprises a legitimate 3 rd  party media server  112  and the functionality of a media exchange server  113  (e.g., as in the case of a single central server supporting the media exchange network  100 ) integrated into the broadband access headends  109  and  110 . The broadband access headend  109 , the broadband access headend  110 , the legitimate 3 rd  party media server  112  and the media exchange server  113  connect to the Internet infrastructure  115 . 
     The legitimate 3 rd  party media server  112  may comprise any of a number of providers of digital media including an on-demand movie provider, an advertiser and an on-demand music provider and is a legitimate service provider on the media exchange network  100 . The 3 rd  party media server  112  may store movies, video, user profiles and other digital media that may be provided to users of the media exchange network  100 . 
     The media exchange network  100  also comprises a media storage server  116  interfacing to the Internet infrastructure  115 . The media storage server  116  interacts with the media exchange server  113  and provides temporary storage and/or archival storage for digital media on the media exchange network  100 . For example, the media storage server  116  may temporarily hold media files that are addressed to certain MPS&#39;s and/or PC&#39;s on the media exchange network  100 . 
     The media exchange network  100  further comprises a rogue service provider  117  that interfaces to the Internet infrastructure  115  but attempts to circumvent the security and anonymity features of the media exchange network  100  to push media to the MPS&#39;s and PC&#39;s on the media exchange network  100  without authorization. A rogue service provider may be defined as, for example, an illegitimate 3 rd  party service provider that attempts to push media to devices on a media exchange network even though those devices do not desire the media. 
     The media exchange server functionality, which may be incorporated, at least in part, into the broadband access headends, includes device IP address registration, device ID registration, channel/program setup and management, serving as a proxy for anonymity, digital rights management, media caching/storage, and billing/tracking. When the functionality of a media exchange server is integrated into a broadband access headend, the broadband access headend may then be considered a media exchange headend. 
       FIG. 2  is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a media exchange network  120  clearly showing the resultant media exchange headends  121  and  122  which incorporate the functionality of the media exchange server  113  of  FIG. 1  into the broadband access headends  109  and  110  of  FIG. 1 , in accordance with various aspects of the present invention. The media exchange network  120  is equivalent to the media exchange network  100  of  FIG. 1 , except the media exchange server  113  is not shown since the functionality of the media exchange server  113  has been incorporated into the broadband access headends  109  and  110  resulting in the media exchange headends  121  and  122 . 
     The media exchange network  120 , with the functionality of the media exchange server  113  incorporated into the headends  121  and  122 , solves the problem of preventing a rogue service provider  117  from gaining access to a PC or an MPS on the media exchange network  100  via the Internet infrastructure  115  and a broadband access headend. 
     The various elements of the media exchange network  120  include storage locations for digital media and data. The storage locations may comprise, for example, hard disk drives, a DVD player, a CD player, floppy disk drives, RAM or any combination of these. The storage locations may also include, for example, memory sticks, PCMCIA cards, compact flash cards or any combination of these. 
     The PC&#39;s ( 101  and  105 ) may comprise desktop PC&#39;s, notebook PC&#39;s, PDA&#39;s or any computing device. 
     In some embodiments of the present invention, the MPS&#39;s ( 102  and  106 ) are essentially enhanced set-top boxes. The MPS&#39;s ( 102  and  106 ) may each include a TV screen 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 PC&#39;s  101  and  105  may each include a PC monitor for viewing and interacting with various user interfaces, media, data and services that are available on the media exchange network using, for example, a keyboard and mouse. The MPS&#39;s ( 102  and  106 ) and PC&#39;s ( 101  and  105 ) include functional software to support interaction with the media exchange headends  121  and  122  on the media exchange network  120 , in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention. 
     Other embodiments of the present invention may comprise various combinations and/or multiple instantiations of the elements of  FIG. 2 , in accordance with various aspects of the present invention, including media peripheral devices such as, for example, digital cameras, digital camcorders, MP3 players, etc. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , if the functionality of the media exchange server is truly provided by a separate central server  113  and if the broadband access headends do not include any functionality of the media exchange server  113 , then a rogue service provider might be able to circumvent the security and anonymity features of the media exchange network  100  provided by the media exchange server  113 . The rogue service provide may then be able, for example, to access media in (e.g., to push media to) the MPS&#39;s and PC&#39;s on the media exchange network  100  without authorization. 
     Without the functionality of the media exchange server within the headends, the broadband access headends  109  and  110  would just be physical plants providing broadband access to devices on the media exchange network and would not have any information about the kind of data or media being passed through the headends. Since the media exchange network  100  may be IP-based, the rogue service provider  117  may be able to intercept an IP address and to push media to, for example, the MPS  106  (e.g., even though the MPS  106  does not desire media from the rogue service provider  117 ) via the Internet infrastructure  115  and the broadband access headend  110 , without authorization from the media exchange server  113 . A device on the media exchange network (e.g., an MPS or a PC) has a device ID and an IP address. By having the functionality of the media exchange server within the headend, traffic on the media exchange network can be controlled. A rogue service provider may not connect to an MPS, for example, without the knowledge of the headend. 
     By incorporating the functionality of the media exchange server  113  into the broadband access headends  109  and  110  resulting in the media exchange headends  121  and  122 , the rogue service provider  117  may be prevented from accessing, for example, the MPS  106 . The functionality of the media exchange server in the media exchange headends prevents the rogue service provider  117  from gaining access to the MPS  106  on the media exchange network  120 . The media exchange headends  121  and  122  use the various techniques of registration, authentication, digital rights management and billing as described in, for example, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 60/457,179 filed on Mar. 25, 2003, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 60/464,697 filed on Apr. 23, 2003, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 60/465,982 filed on Apr. 28, 2003 to prevent the rogue service provider  117  from pushing media to a device on the media exchange network  120 . The complete subject matter of the above-identified applications are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entirety 
     In accordance with various embodiments of the present invention, multiple rogue service providers may be prevented from gaining access to devices on a media exchange network by incorporating functionality of a media exchange server into multiple broadband access headends. 
     As an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the media exchange server functionality may be in a separate, central server on the media exchange network (i.e., outside of the headend). A rogue service provider may be prevented from accessing a device (e.g., an MPS or a PC) on the media exchange network by the media exchange server. In such an embodiment of the present invention, the media exchange server uses authentication and encryption techniques, as described in, for example, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 60/464,697 filed on Apr. 23, 2003, to counter the rogue service provider. 
     A substantial 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. 
     For example, it is desirable to be able to distribute and store many types of digital media in a PC and/or a television environment in a user-friendly manner without using 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. 
     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 via a TV channel guide look-and-feel user interface. The media exchange network also allows a user to construct personal media channels that comprise 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. 
     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 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. 
     Current set-top boxes may be software enhanced to create an 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. 
     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. 
     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 a 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. 
     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. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates 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 pre-defined users and service providers. The media exchange network of  FIG. 3  comprises a first PC  301  and a first MPS  302  at a user&#39;s home  303 , a communication infrastructure  304 , an external processing hardware support  305 , a 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 . 
     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 TV channel guide look-and-feel. 
     The external processing hardware support  305  comprises at least one server such as a centralized internet server, a peer-to-peer server or a 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 . 
     The communication infrastructure  304  may comprise at least one of an internet infrastructure, a satellite infrastructure, a cable infrastructure, a dial-up infrastructure, a cellular infrastructure, an xDSL infrastructure, an optical infrastructure or some other infrastructure. The communication infrastructure  304  links the user&#39;s home  303 , the parent&#39;s home  310 , the remote media storage  306  and the 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 ). 
     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 . 
       FIG. 4  illustrates an example of a 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 TV channel guide look-and-feel user interface  407  on the PC  402 . 
     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 TV channel guide look-and-feel user interface  407 . 
     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. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates an example of a 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 TV channel guide look-and-feel 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 TV channel guide look-and-feel user interface  506  on a TV screen  507  that is integrated into an MPS  508 . 
     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 TV channel guide look-and-feel user interface  506  on a TV screen  507  using a remote control  509 . The second party  505  may key in a code, using the 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 TV channel guide look-and-feel user interface  502  on a PC  503 . 
       FIG. 6  illustrates a TV channel guide user interface  600  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The TV channel guide user interface  600  may be displayed on a TV screen  608  and controlled by a remote control device  609 . Also, the TV channel guide user interface  600  may be displayed on a PC monitor and controlled by a keyboard or mouse. 
     The TV channel 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. 
     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”. 
     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”. 
       FIG. 7  illustrates possible multiple instantiations of a TV channel guide user interface  700  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The TV channel guide user interface  700  may be viewed with a schedule having formats of, for example, “month, year”, “week#, year”, “day, week#” or “hour, day”. 
     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 TV channel guide user interface  800  may give the friend several options  801  for accepting and downloading the pushed media in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
     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. 
     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. 
     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. 
       FIG. 9A  illustrates some 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. 
     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). 
     The media processing unit (MPU)  904  comprises TV and radio tuners  910  for image and audio consumption, communications interfaces  911 , channel processing  912  (e.g., creating, storing, indexing and viewing), storage  913 , media players  914  (e.g., CD players, DVD players, tape players, PVRs and MP3 players), an integrated user interface  915  (to provide a TV channel guide look-and-feel, for example), networking components  916  to provide client functions such as consumption (e.g., 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. 
       FIG. 9B  illustrates an 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 media management system (MMS)  922  and a broadband communication interface  923 . 
     The media peripheral  921  may include a TV, a PC 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 channels and/or personal channels. The broadband communication interface  923  may include internal modems (e.g., a cable modem or a DSL modem) or other interface devices in order to communicate with, for example, a cable or satellite headend. 
     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. 
       FIG. 10  illustrates connectivity between a PC  1000 , an MPS  1001  and an external processing hardware  1002  (e.g., a server) in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The PC  1000  and the MPS  1001  include networking components  1003  to provide client functions such as consumption (e.g., billing), authorization, registration, security and connectivity. Alternatively, the PC  1000  and the MPS  1001  may include a distributed server element  1004  that is part of a distributed server. 
     The PC  1000  and the MPS  1001  connect to the external processing hardware  1002  via wired connections or wireless connections. The external processing hardware  1002  comprises a distributed server or a 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 the 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 (e.g., billing), authorization, registration, security and connectivity at the server side. 
       FIG. 11  illustrates connectivity between a PC  1100 , a 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 the remote media storage  1101  connect to the PC  1100  via a wireless connection or a 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 . 
     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. 9 . 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. 
     In summary, some embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods to provide secure anonymity of devices on a media exchange network. 
     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 embodiments disclosed, but that the present invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.