Digital Over-The-Air Entertainment And Information

Abstract

A system of distributing electronic content includes a satellite and a network operations center uplinking electronic content to the satellite. The electronic content may contain advertising and various other information including television, movies, and music. An over-the-air broadcast center receives the electronic content from the satellite and generates over-the-air electronic content. A user device is used to receive the over-the-air electronic content. The user device may filter the electronic content broadcast by the over-the-air broadcast center and store various information in a memory cache therein. When the user desires, the information in the memory cache may be used by the user at his convenience.

1 . A method of distributing video content comprising the steps of:
 uplinking a plurality of video content packages having broadcasted affinity information therein to a satellite;   receiving the plurality of video content packages at a user appliance;   after the step of receiving, filtering the plurality of video content packages in the user appliance by comparing the broadcasted affinity information and user affinity information in a filter to form video content subset of video content packages less than the plurality of video content packages;   storing the video content subset in a cache within the user appliance in response to filtering;   generating a menu of content in the cache corresponding to the subset; and   accessing the content in the cache using the menu.   
     
     
         2 . A method as recited in  claim 1  further comprising forming a video selection from the menu and purchasing the video selection. 
     
     
         3 . A method as recited in  claim 1  further comprising changing the broadcasted affinity information in response to purchasing. 
     
     
         4 . A method as recited in  claim 1  wherein receiving the plurality of video content packages comprises receiving the plurality of video content packages through an over-the-air broadcast center that receives the plurality of video content packages through the satellite. 
     
     
         5 . A system of distributing video content comprising:
 a satellite;   a network operations center uplinking video content to said satellite, said video content having broadcasted video affinity information associated therewith; and   a plurality of mobile user appliances each having a cache and a filter therein, said filter having user affinity information associated therewith, said plurality of user appliances each receiving said video content and filtering the video content by comparing the broadcasted affinity information and the user affinity information to form a video content subset smaller than the video content and storing only the video content subset in the cache in response to filtering.   
     
     
         6 . A system as recited in  claim 5  further comprising an over-the-air broadcast center receiving video content from the satellite and rebroadcasting the video content to the plurality of mobile user appliances over-the-air. 
     
     
         7 . A system as recited in  claim 6  wherein said over-the-air broadcast center is coupled to a stratospheric platform. 
     
     
         8 . A system as recited in  claim 6  wherein said over-the-air broadcast center is coupled to a cell tower. 
     
     
         9 . A system as recited in  claim 6  wherein said over-the-air broadcast center is coupled to a digital TV broadcast tower. 
     
     
         10 . A method of distributing video content comprising the steps of:
 uplinking a plurality of video content packages and broadcast affinity information to a satellite;   receiving the video content packages and broadcast affinity information at a user appliance;   after the step of receiving, filtering the video content in the user appliance by comparing user affinity information and broadcast affinity information to form a video content subset less than the plurality of video content packages; and   storing the video content subset within a cache of first user appliance after filtering.   
     
     
         11 . A method as recited in  claim 10  further comprising the step of displaying a menu on the first user appliance corresponding to the video content subset stored in the first user appliance. 
     
     
         12 . A method as recited in  claim 11  further comprising the steps of:
 selecting a video content subset selection from the menu to be used by the user; and 
 purchasing the video content selection. 
 
     
     
         13 . A method as recited in  claim 12  further comprising the step of revising an affinity model in response to the step of purchasing. 
     
     
         14 . A method of distributing a plurality of video content packages comprising:
 associating broadcast affinity information with the plurality of video content packages;   thereafter, uplinking a plurality of video content packages and the broadcast affinity information to a satellite;   broadcasting the video content packages to a plurality of mobile user appliances;   receiving the video content packages at a first mobile user appliance having a filter with user affinity information therein;   after the step of receiving, filtering the plurality of video content packages in the first mobile user appliance by comparing the affinity information and the broadcasted affinity information to form a video content subset less than the plurality of video content packages; and   storing the video content subset within the first mobile user appliance only after filtering.   
     
     
         15 . A method as recited in  claim 14  further comprising the step of displaying a menu on the first mobile user appliance corresponding to the video content subset stored in the first mobile user appliance. 
     
     
         16 . A method as recited in  claim 15  further comprising the steps of:
 selecting a video content subset selection from said menu to be used by the user; and 
 purchasing the video content selection. 
 
     
     
         17 . A method as recited in  claim 16  further comprising the step of revising an affinity model in response to the step of purchasing. 
     
     
         18 . A system of distributing video content comprising:
 a satellite;   a stratospheric platform;   a network operations center uplinking video content to said satellite;   an over-the-air broadcast center receiving the video content from the satellite and generating over-the-air video content through the stratospheric platform; and   a user appliance receiving the video content from the stratospheric platform.   
     
     
         19 . A method of distributing video content comprising:
 uplinking a plurality of video content packages to a satellite;   receiving the video content packages from the satellite at an over-the-air broadcast center;   transmitting the video content packages to a stratospheric platform from the over-the-air broadcast center;   over-the-air broadcasting the video content packages from the stratospheric platform; and   receiving the video content packages at a user appliance.