Patent ID: 8875179

Claim:
A set-top-box, comprising: a processor; and a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, facilitate performance of operations, comprising: communicating with an interactive television network via a local gateway device of a first local area network; displaying a menu comprising a plurality of icons associated with content; receiving a selection of a first icon of the plurality of icons, wherein the first icon is associated with a video camera that is coupled to a second local area network; transmitting to the local gateway device authenticating information for accessing a multicast group of the second local area network responsive to the selection of the first icon, wherein the multicast group is adapted for providing content associated with the video camera to members of the multicast group; receiving an authorization to join the multicast group; receiving, from the video camera by way of the interactive television network, encoded video content captured by the video camera responsive to receiving the authorization, wherein the encoded video content is associated with a multicast address of the multicast group; decoding the encoded video content to generate decoded content; displaying the decoded content on a television channel mapped to the multicast address by the interactive television network; receiving second content from a digital video disk player of a third local area network, wherein the second content is associated with a second multicast address and a second multicast group of the interactive television network; displaying the second content on a second television channel that is mapped to the second multicast address by the interactive television network; receiving a request from a server device over the interactive television network to access the second content; transmitting the second content to the server device via the interactive television network, wherein the server transmits the second content to a computer device; receiving a request from a remote media device for access to contents of the television channel that is mapped to the multicast address for the video camera, wherein the remote media device is outside of the first local area network; authenticating the remote media device to access the television channel responsive to the request; and enabling the remote media device to access the contents of the television channel according to the authenticating, wherein the set-top-box further authenticates the remote media device into the first local area network.