Patent ID: 7441037

Claim:
A client device that is capable of controlling content exchange in a multimedia content distribution system, comprising: at least one search agent that is capable of causing searches for content to be performed with reference to authorization access information, the authorization access information including predetermined authorization access information that is associated with the client device and predefined authorization access information that is associated with the content; the at least one search agent capable of determining whether the predetermined authorization access information comports with the predefined authorization access information responsive to one or more of the searches; and a content index having a plurality of index entries, each index entry of the plurality of index entries corresponding to at least one content item; wherein the at least one search agent is adapted to enable access to the content via the client device if the predetermined authorization access information comports with the predefined authorization access information; wherein the at least one search agent is adapted to enable access to the content via the client device by: causing a positive match result from a search to be displayed and by providing an opportunity to request a transfer of the content to the client device; and causing the content to be transferred from a target client device to the client device in response to receiving a request to transfer the content to the client device; and wherein the determining by the at least one search agent comprises: comparing a plurality of rights holders from the predetermined authorization access information to a rights holder from the predefined authorization access information; and comparing subscription date information from the predetermined authorization access information to an original broadcast date of the content from the predefined authorization access information.