Patent Publication Number: US-2009228945-A1

Title: Systems, methods, and computer products for internet protocol television media connect

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     Exemplary embodiments relate generally to communications systems, and more particularly, to systems, methods and computer program products for Internet Protocol Television media connect. 
     Internet protocol television (IPTV) is a digital television delivery service wherein the digital television signal is delivered to residential users via a computer network infrastructure using the Internet Protocol. Typically, IPTV services are bundled with additional Internet services such as Internet web access and voice over Internet protocol (VOIP). Subscribers receive IPTV services via a set-top box that is connected to a television or display device for the reception of a digital signal. Used in conjunction with an IP-based platform, the set-top box allows for a subscriber to access IPTV services and any additional services that are integrated within the IPTV service. In addition, DVRs can be coupled to the IPTV-enabled devices in order to record the content available from IPTV. 
     IPTV service platforms allow for an increase in the interactive services that can be provided to residential subscriber. As such, a subscriber can have access to a wide variety of content that is available via the IPTV service or the Internet. For example, a subscriber may utilize interactive services via a set top box to view IPTV content or access their personal electronic messaging accounts via an Internet web browser. The IPTV infrastructure also allows the delivery of a variety of video content instantly to the subscribers. Such content can be recorded on the subscriber&#39;s DVR. 
     Currently, IPTV set top boxes can include a client that can connect to other devices on a local area network (LAN) in communication with a local IPTV set top box. As such, the local IPTV set top box can make audio and video assets on devices in communication with the LAN available to the set top box and thus an IPTV enabled television coupled to the set top box. The subscriber can therefore play the audio and video assets through the IPTV enabled TV via the client. However, the current above-described clients are unable to communicate with and play audio and video assets beyond the LAN. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY 
     Exemplary embodiments include a content management method, including searching for locations of local audio/video assets available on a local area network, aggregating the locations of the local audio/video assets on a device on the local area network and presenting the local audio/video assets on a communications device coupled to the local area network. 
     Additional exemplary embodiments include a computer program product for content management, the computer program product including instructions for causing a computer to implement a method, the method including searching for locations of local audio/video assets available on a local area network, aggregating the locations of the local audio/video assets on a device on the local area network and presenting the local audio/video assets on a communications device coupled to the local area network. 
     Further exemplary embodiments include a content management method, including searching for locations of local audio/video assets available on a local area network, and for locations of external audio/video assets available outside of the local area network, aggregating the locations of the local audio/video assets, and the locations of the external audio/video assets on a computing device coupled to the local area network, presenting the local audio/video assets and the external audio/video assets on a communications device coupled to a set top box configured to consume the local audio/video assets and the external audio/video assets and in response to a request to download a subset of the local audio/video assets and the external audio/video assets, retrieving the subset of the local audio/video assets and the external audio/video assets for presentation on the communications device. 
     Additional exemplary embodiments include a computer program product for content management, the computer program product including instructions for causing a computer to implement a method, the method including searching for locations of local audio/video assets available on a local area network, and for locations of external audio/video assets available outside of the local area network, aggregating the locations of the local audio/video assets, and the locations of the external audio/video assets on a computing device coupled to the local area network, presenting the local audio/video assets and the external audio/video assets on a communications device coupled to a set top box configured to consume the local audio/video assets and the external audio/video assets and in response to a request to download a subset of the local audio/video assets and the external audio/video assets, retrieving the subset of the local audio/video assets and the external audio/video assets for presentation on the communications device. 
     Further exemplary embodiments include a content management system, including a computing device, a set top box in communication with the computing device, a communications device in communication with the set top box, a process for presenting audio/video assets on the communications device, the process having instructions for searching for locations of local audio/video assets available on a local area network, and for locations of external audio/video assets available outside of the local area network, aggregating the locations of the local audio/video assets, and the locations of the external audio/video assets on a computing device coupled to the local area network, presenting the local audio/video assets and the external audio/video assets on a communications device coupled to a set top box configured to consume the local audio/video assets and the external audio/video assets and in response to a request to download a subset of the local audio/video assets and the external audio/video assets, retrieving the subset of the local audio/video assets and the external audio/video assets for presentation on the communications device. 
     Other systems, methods, and/or computer program products according to embodiments will be or become apparent to one with skill in the art upon review of the following drawings and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, and/or computer program products be included within this description, be within the scope of the exemplary embodiments, and be protected by the accompanying claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
       Referring now to the drawings wherein like elements are numbered alike in the several FIGURES: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary Internet Protocol Television media connect services system; and 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a flow chart for a media connect service method in accordance with exemplary embodiments. 
     
    
    
     The detailed description explains the exemplary embodiments, together with advantages and features, by way of example with reference to the drawings. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS 
     Exemplary embodiments include systems and methods and computer program products for Internet Protocol Television media connect services, which provide organization and aggregation of multi-media content from a multiplicity of sources in both a local area network, and from media sources external to the local area network. In exemplary embodiments, the systems and methods described herein aggregate, organize and present multi-media material (assets) available to a central device in a subscriber location. In exemplary embodiments, the local assets can be from a variety of multi-media devices on a local area network in the subscriber location having content in a variety of formats. The content can be aggregated into a single device and presented to the subscriber in a format that is meaningful to the subscriber. For example, the content can be aggregated in a computing device, such as a set top box, connected to an IPTV enabled communications device having a user interface onto which the content is presented. 
     Turning now to  FIG. 1 , a block diagram of an exemplary Internet Protocol Television media connect services system  100  is now described. For ease of illustration, the system  100  of  FIG. 1  depicts a simplified network infrastructure. In addition, for ease of illustration, the system  100  is described implementing an Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) system for reception of programming and scheduling. It is understood that the systems and methods described herein can implement television and program-viewing systems other than IPTV. For example, the system  100  can implement cable, satellite and antenna. 
     Furthermore, it is understood that a variety of network components/nodes may be utilized in implementing the embodiment described herein. For example, in exemplary embodiments, the system  100  includes a means for accessing network services for multiple disparate devices using a single sign on procedure. Therefore, the system  100  manages accounts, each of which is established for a community of devices and/or device subscribers, such as those devices and subscribers in a subscriber location  105 , which may include a communications device  110  (e.g., an IPTV-enabled television) coupled to a computing device  115 , such as a set top box. Where the communications device  110  is IPTV, the set top box  115  includes a processor that provides bidirectional communications between an IPTV infrastructure  140  and the communications device  110  and decodes the video streaming media received as content programming and onscreen programming information, from a content services provider server  160 , discussed further below. Other services can be provided to the subscriber location, such as, but not limited to phone services, network services and other exemplary services such as media connect services that can be implemented via the communications device  110 . The accounts may thus include phone, network access and IPTV services and may be used to provide access to the media connect services as described further herein. Furthermore, in exemplary embodiments, one of the devices (e.g., the communications device  110 ) can be provisioned for the network services described herein by associating a device identifier of the communications device with a respective account. The account, in turn, identifies each of the communications devices belonging to the community and provides other information as described herein. Furthermore, it is appreciated that other devices such as a subscriber computer  125  can be further included in the community of devices established for the subscriber location  105 . It is appreciated that the subscriber computer  125  can be local to the subscriber location  105  or can represent any other remote computer that can be used to access the services described herein. It is further appreciated that other remote devices can be implemented to access the services described herein such as but not limited to a cellular telephone (e.g., a 3G cell phone), a personal computer, a laptop computer, a portable computing device (e.g., personal digital assistant), a console video game, and a digital music player (e.g., MP3 player), collectively represented as a device  117 . As discussed further herein, a media connect services interface can be rendered on any of the above-referenced devices to implement the media connect services in accordance with exemplary embodiments. It is appreciated that the device  117  can include audio and video assets that can be made available to a single device in the subscriber location  105  via the media connect services as described further herein. 
     In exemplary embodiments, one of the devices, such as the communications device  110  (and the set top box  115 , in combination) can be used to establish account services, such as the media connect services described herein. An account record may be generated for the subscriber at the subscriber location  105 , which identifies the subscriber and the account for which the services (e.g., basic account services as described above and the media connect services described herein) are provided. Account information and records may be stored in a storage device accessible by an IPTV gateway  145 , discussed below. In exemplary embodiments, the IPTV gateway  145  implements one or more applications for establishing and utilizing the media connect services account. Access to the media connect services account may thus be created for a community of communications devices (e.g., the communications device  110 ) to enable the communications devices to implement the media connect services as described herein. A preferences server  150 , which is coupled to the IPTV gateway  145 , includes preferences information for the subscriber location  105  as described further herein. 
     As discussed above, the system  100  of  FIG. 1  includes the subscriber location  105 , such as the subscriber&#39;s household. The subscriber location  105  can include the communications device  110  (e.g., an IPTV-enabled television) in communication with the set top box  115 . The subscriber location  105  can further include a personal digital recorder such as a DVR.  120 , which is in communication with the communication device  110  and the set top box  115 . It is understood that the set top box  115  and the DVR  120  may be two separate devices or be a single integrated device. In exemplary embodiments, the DVR  120  is hard-disk based, but may have other suitable storage media such as a cache  121 . It is appreciated that the DVR  120  can have other suitable memory devices for receiving and storing programming and scheduling data. Therefore, a “memory” or “recording medium” can be any means that contains, stores, communicates, propagates, or transports the program and/or data for use by or in conjunction with an instruction execution system, apparatus or device. The memory and the recording medium can be, but are not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared or semiconductor system, apparatus or device. The memory and recording, medium also include, but is not limited to, for example the following: a portable computer diskette, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), and a portable compact disk read-only memory or another suitable medium upon which a program and/or data may be stored. It is appreciated that the DVR  120  may be local on the set top box  115  (as described), or networked, or on an allocated media server storage space. 
     The subscriber location  105  can further include a remote control  111  for control and navigation of the communications device  110 . As further described herein the remote control  111  can be implemented to navigate the media connect services interface. As discussed above, the subscriber location  105  can further include one or more remote devices in its community of devices that can be made available to the subscriber location via the media connect services described herein. For example, the remote devices can include one or more external servers such as an RSS server  170  having audio and/or video assets in a storage medium  175 . As further described herein, the audio/video assets from the storage medium  175 , which are external to the subscriber location  105 , can be made available to a local area network  180  in the subscriber location  105 . As further described herein, application software residing on the subscriber computer  125  can be implemented to retrieve the external audio/video assets from the storage medium  175 . It is understood by those skilled in the art that the remote subscriber computer  125  can include input and output devices, such as but not limited to a display, a mouse and a keyboard. Other devices that can access the media connect services include the device  117 . 
     The system  100  can implement the media connect services such that desired IPTV media connect control, management and scheduling can be managed and viewed through the subscriber&#39;s IPTV-enabled device, such as the communications device  110 , via the set top box  115 , the remote devices (e.g., the subscriber computer  125 , and the device  117 ) or other suitable device. As such, to coordinate IPTV communication, the system  100  may further include the IPTV gateway  145  that is in communication with the IPTV infrastructure  140 . The IPTV infrastructure  140  and the IPTV gateway  145  are used in conjunction to communicate via a network  135 . For example, a suitable device (e.g., the communications device  110 , the device  117 , and the subscriber computer  125 ) at the subscriber location  105  can implement the IPTV infrastructure  140  and the IPTV gateway  145  to communicate with the content services provider server  160  to access data from databases such as a database  165  (described further herein) for IPTV services available via the set top box  115 . 
     In exemplary embodiments, as discussed above, the system  100  further includes the content services provider server  160 , which is in communication with the IPTV gateway  145  via the network  135 . In exemplary embodiments, the content services provider server  160  is implemented by a host system (e.g., a high-speed processing device) that provides content to its subscribers (e.g., a subscriber of the communications device  110 ), such as television programs, premium programming services, video on demand content, and Internet/Web content (e.g., podcasts, and streaming media). In exemplary embodiments, the content is transmitted to the subscribers (e.g., at the subscriber location  105 ) via a broadband connection over an Internet Protocol (IP)-based network (e.g., the network  135 ). The content services provider server  160  can also provide an onscreen programming guide (e.g., EPG) to customers (e.g., the subscriber) that provides information about current and future programming available via the content providers&#39; services. Programming information provided by the onscreen programming guide may include current and future program listings including program titles, primary actors/actresses, begin time, duration of program, a year in which the program was produced, and a brief text description of the program. 
     In exemplary embodiments, the content services provider server  160  is coupled to the database  165 . In one implementation, the database  165  may be representative of a given play list. A play list is associated with a particular program screen. For example, a play list can be generated for a given screen that is displayed for a view on the communications device  110 . As a subscriber is browsing through different channels, and therefore different program content, as each new channel and program content are displayed on the communications device  110 , a different play list is accessed by the communications device  110  from the content services provider server  160 , which can be via set top box  115 . In exemplary embodiments, play lists can include programming content, as well as programming schedules for the content (e.g., onscreen programming guide information (EPG)). In exemplary embodiments, the database  165  stores records of programming events scheduled for transmission to customers via, for example, the communications device  110 . These records, in turn, can be used in conjunction with the DVR  120  in order to schedule recordings. 
     In exemplary embodiments, upon a request from the subscriber location  105 , the IPTV gateway  145  can coordinate obtaining the acquired data from the database  165  and provide the acquired data for display and rendering at the subscriber location  105 . According to exemplary embodiments, the coordination of acquiring the data and ultimately displaying the data on the communications device  110  (or other device) is implemented via a media connect services application  155 . 
     In exemplary embodiments, upon a request from the subscriber location  105 , the IPTV gateway  145  can coordinate obtaining the video from the database  165  and provide the acquired data (e.g., playlists and selected videos) for display and rendering at the subscriber location  105 . As described, the coordination of acquiring the data and ultimately displaying the data on the communications device  110  (or other device) is implemented via the media connect services application  155 . Furthermore, according to exemplary embodiments, the media connect services application  155  coordinates the transfer of the program data from the database  165  for rendering on the communications device  110 . 
     The network  135  can be an IP-based network for communication between the content services provider server  160  and the subscriber location  105  using communication devices such as but not limited to the communications device  110  (via the set top box  115 , for example). The network  135  can be implemented to transmit content from the content services provider server  160  to the subscriber location  105  via a broadband connection, for example. In exemplary embodiments, the network  135  can be a managed IP network administered by a service provider. The network  135  can also be implemented in a wireless fashion, e.g., using wireless protocols and technologies, such as Wi-Fi, Wi-Max, etc. The network  135  can also be a cellular communications network, a fixed wireless network, a wireless local area network (LAN), a wireless wide area network (WAN), a personal area network (PAN), intranet, metropolitan area network, Internet network, or other similar type of network environment or other suitable network system and includes equipment for receiving and transmitting signals. In other exemplary embodiments, the network  135  can be a circuit-switched network such as a standard public switched telephone network (PSTN). 
     In exemplary embodiments, the IPTV infrastructure  140  can be an IP-based network that receives network data (e.g., programming content for recording on the DVR  120 ) from the content services provider server  160  and the preferences server  150 , and delivers the network data to the set top box  115  for display or other rendering on the communications device  110 . Alternatively, the network data can be for display or rendering on the subscriber computer  125  or other suitable device, such as device  117 . 
     In exemplary embodiments, as discussed above, the IPTV infrastructure  140  provides an interface between the subscriber location  105  and the IPTV gateway  145 . In exemplary implementations, a notification server  141  and a terminal server  142  operate to interface communication between the subscriber location  105  via the set top box  115 , and the IPTV gateway  145 . For example, in exemplary implementations, the set top box  115  can provide a unique identification number so that the IPTV gateway  145  can route the network data to the set top box  115 . In doing so, a message is passed between the notification server  141  and the set top box  115 . Furthermore, the IPTV gateway  145  provides an interface between the content services provider server  160 , and the IPTV infrastructure  140  and subscriber location  105 . 
     In exemplary embodiments, the IPTV gateway  145  handles notifications to the IPTV subscriber location  105  and can further provide a history of the notifications. The media connect services application  155  can reside partially or wholly on the IPTV gateway to handle the notifications as further described herein. In exemplary embodiments, the media connect services application  155  can further reside partially or wholly on the set top box  115 . In exemplary embodiments, the media connect services application  155  can further reside partially or wholly on the subscriber computer  125  as part of the client software for managing audio/video assets for the LAN  180 . When the subscriber sets up his/her media connect services on the communications device  110  (or other device in the subscriber location  105  or remote device, such as the subscriber computer  125  and device  117 ), one of the network components of the system  100  (e.g., the set top box  115 , or the IPTV gateway  145 ) can store specific scheduling information that the subscriber has created. For example, as discussed farther herein, each subscriber can access and manipulate viewing and recording information for the DVR  120  via an interface. As such, if the interface is stored on the IPTV gateway  145 , messages and notifications can be passed between the subscriber location  105  and the IPTV gateway  145  that include present scheduling and historic scheduling that the subscriber has created in the past. Furthermore, if any changes in the subscriber&#39;s scheduled recordings have occurred, messages can be passed to the subscriber location  105  (or remote device) to notify the subscriber that a program scheduled to be recorded on the DVR  120  has changed. The subscriber can make changes accordingly. 
     In exemplary embodiments, the IPTV gateway  145  can further interface with the various system  100  elements as described herein. For example, the IPTV gateway  145  is in communication with the preferences server  150  to pass notifications and messages (e.g., Email messages) regarding permissions to create and edit media connect information. For example, different members of the subscriber location  105  who share account services may have different recording schedules. For example, one member may have a first unique recording schedule and another member may have a second unique recording schedule with little to no overlap with the first recording schedule. As such, each member can retrieve and edit those different schedules and be properly authenticated to retrieve and edit those schedules. 
     In exemplary embodiments, the IPTV gateway  145  can include a back end  146  and a front end  147 . The front end  147  can be used to implement various provisioning activities such as but not limited to initial provisioning of IPTV addresses for the devices at the subscriber location  105 . The back end  146  can be implemented for many of the media connect services, such as communicating with the content services provider server  160  and retrieving scheduling and programming data from the database  165 , and passing messages and notifications to the IPTV gateway  145 . As such, the back end  146  can include various elements including but not limited to a caller ID handler, SMS handler, message handler, and provisioning handler. 
     In exemplary embodiments messages and notification can be sent between the IPTV gateway  145  and the subscriber location  105 . In exemplary embodiments; the message and notifications can be implemented via an email message. In exemplary embodiments, the IPTV gateway  145  is responsible for retrieving email messages that have been sent to an IPTV subscriber and providing notification of the reception of the email message to the IPTV subscriber at the subscriber location  105 . A notification can be in the form of a “popup” display window displayed at a suitable device (e.g., the communications device  110 ) or any other conventional message notification scheme. As discussed above, the IPTV gateway  145  can present a history of the notifications to the IPTV subscriber. 
     In exemplary embodiments, the IPTV gateway  145  interfaces with a POP3 infrastructure in order to retrieve email messages that have been directed to an IPTV subscriber. Additionally, the IPTV gateway  145  can interface with the preferences server  150 . As described herein, the preferences server  150  is responsible for handling the performance preferences for the system  100  as dictated by the desires of an IPTV subscriber. Further, the IPTV gateway  145  is responsible for retrieving an IPTV subscriber&#39;s preferences for the set top box  115 . 
     In exemplary embodiments, the IPTV gateway  145  interacts with the IPTV infrastructure  140  to accomplish the actual transmittal of the email message to the set top box  115 . Further, all email notifications that are generated within the system  100  are saved to a log at the IPTV gateway  145 . In exemplary embodiments, the subscriber can view a listing of the received email message log on their display device via an application that runs on the set top box  115 . 
     In exemplary embodiments, the front end  147  can include a message center application that is communication with a message center enterprise java bean (EJB) and an email handler that are included within the back-end  146 . The IPTV infrastructure  140  is provisioned with the subscriber user account numbers and set top box  115  identifiers. In exemplary embodiments, the IPTV gateway  145  includes a telephone number-to-account number mapping component, wherein a provisioned telephone number correlates to the IPTV subscriber&#39;s primary household telephone number (e.g., to the device  117 ). The IPTV subscriber&#39;s telephone number is further associated with the IPTV subscriber&#39;s email address. Further, the telephone number and email address are linked with the subscriber&#39;s IPTV account number through a web-provisioning interface that is available within the IPTV gateway  145 . The IPTV gateway  145  has the ability to retrieve email messages and any image or audio/video attachments to the message, wherein the messages and the attachments are displayed as notifications on the communications device  110 . 
     In exemplary embodiments, the subscriber is provisioned a primary email account. The email account is associated with the telephone number of the IPTV subscriber&#39;s primary household telephone number (e.g., the local part of the subscriber&#39;s email address can comprise the primary household telephone number). The primary email account is configured to auto-forward all received email messages to a secondary email account that can be serviced by an email server. After being forwarded to the secondary email account, the email message can be configured to be deleted from the sending primary email account. 
     At predetermined time intervals, the back-end  146  periodically polls the email server to ascertain if the email server has received any new email messages. The back end  146  can include a POP3 reader thread, which is configured to periodically read a POP3 mailbox that has been configured to receive IPTV email messages. The back-end  146  can retrieve new email messages from the email server. For each retrieved email message, the back-end  146  saves the text of the email message, and if attached, the first image file attachment to an email log. The IPTV gateway  145  can transmit a notification to the subscriber location  105  that an email message has been received. The IPTV gateway  145  stores the received email message information, thus allowing the IPTV subscriber to retrieve the email message information at a later time period with the use of the message center application. As described herein, messages and notifications can be implemented for a variety of purposes related to the media connect services described herein. 
     In exemplary embodiments, the IPTV gateway  145  may implement authentication using a high-speed processing device (e.g., a computer system) that is capable of handling high volume activities conducted via communications devices, and other network entities (e.g., parts of the IPTV infrastructure  140 , network  135 , etc.) via one or more networks (e.g., the IPTV infrastructure  140 ). The IPTV gateway  145  receives requests from one or more devices from the subscriber location  105  to access network services, such as the media connect services. The IPTV gateway  145  may implement authentication software for restricting or controlling access to network. The IPTV gateway  145  may be in communication with a customer identity system (CIS) database, which stores subscriber credentials (e.g., subscriber names and passwords) established via the media connect services account. 
     In exemplary embodiments, the system  100  can further include the media connect services application  155  that can reside on the IPTV gateway  145 . As mentioned above the media connect services application  155  can be a back end application such that client software residing on a media connect device at the subscriber location  105  (e.g., the subscriber computer  125 ) can make audio/video assets external to the LAN  180  available to the LAN  180 . In exemplary embodiments, the media connect services application  155  can be implemented by the subscriber to access and set up an interface application  156  to implement the media connect services application  155 . The interface application  156  can be implemented locally to search for and access audio/video assets for rendering on the communications device  110 . The interface application  156  can further be implemented to access account information from the IPTV gateway  145  and the preferences server  150 . In exemplary embodiments, the media connect services application  155  can include pointers to the content services provider server  160  for accessing scheduling information and for directing content to be recorded on the DVR  120 . The pointers, in turn, provide access to the schedules stored in the database  165  for streaming to the subscriber&#39;s set top box  115  for rendering on the interface application  156 . The interface application  156  is shown as residing on the IPTV gateway  145 . It is appreciated that the interface application  156  can reside on the set top box  115 . In further embodiments, the interface application  156  can reside partially on the IPTV gateway  145  and partially on the set top box  115 . In exemplary embodiments, it is further understood that both the media connect services application  155  and the interface application  156  operate both locally to the subscriber location  105  and externally to the subscriber location  105 , such as on the IPTV gateway  145  to coordinate transfer of the audio/video assets (i.e., from the RSS server  170  and storage medium  175 ) to the LAN  180 . As further described below, the interface application  156  can be implemented to store audio/video asset data lists such that a subscriber can access the data via an interface displayed on a device such as the communications device  110 . For example, the subscriber computer  125  can retrieve a list of assets from the RSS sever  170  via the media connect services application  155 . The list can then be presented to the subscriber on the communications device  110  via the interface application  156 . 
     In exemplary embodiments, the interface application  156  also provides access to the IPTV gateway  145 , such that messages and notifications can be passed between the subscriber location  105  and the IPTV gateway  145  that include present scheduling and historic scheduling that the subscriber has been created in the past. Furthermore, if any changes in the subscriber&#39;s scheduled videos have occurred, messages can be passed to the subscriber location  105  (or remote device) to notify the subscriber that a program scheduled to be viewed has changed. The subscriber can make changes accordingly. 
     In exemplary embodiments, one of the subscriber location  105  devices, such as the subscriber computer  125 , is a local broadcaster for all clients (e.g., the device  117 ) on the LAN  180  to listen for all available audio/video assets. As described above, the audio/video assets can be local to the subscriber location  105  from local clients (e.g., the device  117 ) or can be external to the subscriber location  105 , and made available to the LAN  180  via the back end media connect services application  155  which is in communication with client software on the specified local device (e.g., the subscriber computer  125  as discussed). Thus the assets can be made available to the LAN  180  for consumption by the set top box  115  and presentation on the communications device  110 . It is appreciated that the audio/video assets can be any asset that may not be available via subscription services with the content services provider server  160 . For example, the assets may include unreleased movie trailers, previews, clips, and podcasts. It is further appreciated that the local device (i.e., the subscriber computer  125 ) may be part of a shared network external to the LAN  180 . For example, the subscriber computer  125  may be part of a shared network with the RSS server  170  (e.g., over the network  135 ) and one or more other external computers such as a computer  190 . According to exemplary embodiments, the RSS server  170  and the computer  190  each respectively has its own storage medium  175 ,  195  having external audio/video assets. The shared network among the subscriber computer  125 , the RSS server  170  and the computer  190  can share assets independent of the system  100 . However, the media connect services application  155  residing externally to the subscriber location can make the shared network assets available to the LAN  108 . As mentioned above, the subscriber computer  125  as part of the LAN  180  can detect the assets from the RSS server  170  and retrieve an RSS list for presentation on the communications device  110 . When the subscriber desires to retrieve an asset from the shared network among the subscriber computer  125 , the RSS server  170  and the computer  190 , the subscriber computer  125  can access the RSS list to retrieve a link to the originating source of the desired asset. The original source may be the RSS server  170  or one of the computers in the shared network among the subscriber computer  125 , the RSS server  170  and the computer  190 . Regardless of the original source, the media connect services application  155  is able to coordinate the transfer of those external assets to the LAN  180 . In further exemplary embodiments, the subscriber computer  125  can retrieve a multiplicity of other assets from other sources (e.g., in communication with the network  135 ) for presentation on the LAN  180 . It is appreciated that the assets can be made available via a number of mechanisms such as but not limited to metadata. 
     Therefore, a device at the subscriber location  105 , which is on the LAN  180  can become a consumer of all audio/video assets from sources both on the LAN  180  and external to the LAN  180  (e.g., website assets, shared network assets). The device (e.g., the subscriber computer  125 ) can then make all of the assets available for consumption by the set top box  110  for rendering on the communications device. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a flow chart for a media connect service method  200  in accordance with exemplary embodiments. At block  210 , the method  200  searches for locations of local audio/video assets available on the LAN  180 , and for locations of external audio/video assets available outside of the LAN  180 . In exemplary embodiments, client software residing on the subscriber computer  125  is the central device for searching for the audio/video assets, which can be via the media connect services application  155  for assets external to the LAN  180 . At block  220 , the method  200 , via the media connect services application  155 , aggregates the locations of the local audio/video assets, and the locations of the external audio/video assets on a device coupled to the LAN  180  (e.g., the computing device  125 ). At block  230 , the method  200 , via the media connect services application  155 , presents the local audio/video assets on the communications device  110  coupled to the set top box  115 . At block  240 , in response to a request to download a subset of the local audio/video assets and the external audio/video assets, the method  200 , via the media connect services application  155 , retrieves the subset of the local audio/video assets and the external audio/video assets for presentation on the communications device  110 . 
     As described above, the exemplary embodiments can be in the form of computer-implemented processes and apparatuses for practicing those processes. The exemplary embodiments can also be in the form of computer program code containing instructions embodied in tangible media, such as floppy diskettes, CD ROMs, hard drives, or any other computer-readable storage medium, wherein, when the computer program code is loaded into and executed by a computer, the computer becomes an apparatus for practicing the exemplary embodiments. The exemplary embodiments can also be in the form of computer program code, for example, whether stored in a storage medium, loaded into and/or executed by a computer, or transmitted over some transmission medium, loaded into and/or executed by a computer, or transmitted over some transmission medium, such as over electrical wiring or cabling, through fiber optics, or via electromagnetic radiation, wherein, when the computer program code is loaded into an executed by a computer, the computer becomes an apparatus for practicing the exemplary embodiments. When implemented on a general-purpose microprocessor, the computer program code segments configure the microprocessor to create specific logic circuits. 
     While the invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiments disclosed for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the claims. Moreover, the use of the terms first, second, etc. do not denote any order or importance, but rather the terms first, second, etc. are used to distinguish one element from another. Furthermore, the use of the terms a, an, etc. do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one of the referenced item.