Technique for delivering through a communications network content of entertainment programs, and video recordings provided by users

Abstract

A user may utilize a “home video on demand (HVOD)” service to distribute a video recorded using, e.g., a conventional camcorder, to desired viewers who have access to a broadband communications network, e.g., a cable TV network. The inventive system providing the HVOD service may receive from the user the video recording via email, postal mail, the Internet, computer transfer, etc. The inventive system converts the received video recording from its original video format to a uniform format, e.g., an MPEG-2 format. The converted video recording is stored in storage and made available to authorized viewers through the cable TV network.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for providing a video service over a communications network, the method comprising:
 receiving, by the communications network, a video recording from a user of the video service, the video recording being formatted in an original video format;   converting, in the communications network, the video recording from the original video format to a selected video format for transportation of the video recording in the selected video format through the communications network; and   accessing, by one or more selected parties, the video recording in the selected video format through the communications network, the one or more selected parties being selected by the user,   wherein access to the video recording in the selected video format is conditioned on a verification of a password associated with the video recording.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the video recording includes at least one television program. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the selected video format includes an MPEG-2 format. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the video recording is received from the user via a second communications network. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the communications network includes a cable television network. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein the cable TV network includes a hybrid fiber coaxial (HFC) cable network. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the password is provided by the user. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the video recording is stored in association with identifying information concerning the user. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein a presentation of the video recording is manipulatable to perform at least one of rewinding, pausing and fast-forwarding on the presentation. 
     
     
         10 . A system for providing a video service over a communications network, the system comprising:
 an interface receiving a video recording from a user of the video service, the video recording being formatted in an original video format;   a processor converting the video recording, received from the user, from the original video format to a selected video format for transportation of the video recording in the selected video format through the communications network; and   a server enabling one or more selected parties to access the video recording in the selected video format through the communications network, the one or more selected parties being selected by the user, wherein access to the video recording in the selected video format is conditioned on a verification of a password associated with the video recording by the server.   
     
     
         11 . The system according to  claim 10 , wherein the video recording includes at least one television program. 
     
     
         12 . The system according to  claim 10 , wherein the selected video format includes an MPEG-format. 
     
     
         13 . The system according to  claim 10 , wherein the video recording is received from the user via a second communications network. 
     
     
         14 . The system according to  claim 10 , wherein the communications network includes a cable television network. 
     
     
         15 . The system according to  claim 14 , wherein the cable television network includes a hybrid fiber coaxial (HFC) cable network. 
     
     
         16 . The system according to  claim 10 , wherein a selectable option to access the video recording is presented on a display device associated with a terminal through the communications network. 
     
     
         17 . The system according to  claim 16 , wherein the display device includes a television device. 
     
     
         18 . The system according to  claim 10 , wherein the video recording is stored in association with information identifying the user. 
     
     
         19 . The system according to  claim 10 , wherein a presentation of the video recording by the server is manipulatable to perform at least one of rewinding, pausing and fast-forwarding on the presentation. 
     
     
         20 . A method comprising the steps of:
 receiving, by a video-on-demand network, a home video from an originating user of a video service offered over the video-on-demand network;   storing the home video in a first node of the video-on-demand network, in association with an identifier of at least one of the originating user and the home video;   storing, in the first node of the video-on-demand network, a password associated with the home video;   receiving a request for the home video from at least one subscriber of the video-on-demand network, other than the originating user, the request being based on the identifier;   providing the home video to the at least one subscriber conditioned upon verification of the password provided by the at least one subscriber, the at least one subscriber receiving the home video of the originating user in a program stream transmitted through a transmission channel having a specified frequency band over the video-on-demand network at a second node of the video-on-demand network.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein in receiving the request, the home video is received in an original video format, further comprising converting, in the video-on-demand network, the home video from the original video format to a selected video format suitable for transportation of the content of the home video through the video-on-demand network. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the video-on-demand network comprises a cable television network. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising obtaining, by the video-on-demand network, the password from the originating user. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising obtaining, by at least one subscriber, the password from the video-on-demand network. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising obtaining, by at least one subscriber, the password from the originating user. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising:
 obtaining, by the video-on-demand network, a specification of the at least one subscriber from the originating user; and   supplying the password to the at least one subscriber, responsive to the specification, the supplying being carried out by the video-on-demand network.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein:
 the first node comprises a head end of the video-on-demand network; and   in the providing the home video to the at least one subscriber, the at least one subscriber receives the content of the home video from the head end at the second node, the second node comprising a set top terminal.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein:
 the first node comprises a hub of the video-on-demand network; and   in the providing the home video to the at least one subscriber, the at least one subscriber receives the content of the home video from the hub at the second node, the second node comprising a set top terminal.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising verifying the password provided by the at least one subscriber. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the verification is performed by the video-on-demand network.