Patent ID: 8347341

Claim:
Premises content distribution apparatus for use with one or more media-capable devices, comprising: a first interface configured to receive protected media content from a first network; a mass storage device in data communication with said first interface and configured to store at least a portion of said protected media content; and a second interface configured to provide networking throughout at least a portion of a premises; wherein said premises content distribution apparatus is further configured to: maintain first and second security layers, said first security layer corresponding to devices within a secure network and having a first level of content protection associated therewith, said second layer corresponding to devices outside said secure network, yet having security thereof verified and having a second level of content protection associated therewith, said second level of protection being less than said first level; receive a request from one of said one or more media-capable devices via said second interface for transfer of said protected content; determine that said requesting media-capable device is associated with said second security layer; transfer said protected content to said requesting media-capable device; and transfer at least one rule to said requesting media-capable device, said at least one rule configured to restrict at least one of (i) playback; (ii) transfer; and/or (iii) replication of said transferred protected content by said requesting media-capable device; wherein said at least one rule is selected from a plurality of available rules based at least in part on a determination that said requesting media-capable device is associated with said second security layer.