System and method of managing digital rights

Abstract

A method includes sending a user interface to a device associated with a content source. The user interface includes a listing of media content recorded by a network recorder. The media content is associated with the content source. The network recorder recorded the media content in response to requests received from subscriber devices. The user interface also includes a selectable element associated with each item of the listing. The selectable element for a particular item enables configuration of digital rights of recorded media content associated with the particular item to enable distribution of the recorded media content to subscribers that did not send requests to record the recorded media content via the network recorder. The method also includes receiving user input from the device via the user interface for a selected item. The user input associates a particular offer profile with first media content associated with the selected item.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 sending a user interface from a video head end server to a device associated with a content source, wherein the user interface includes:
 a listing of media content recorded by a network recorder device associated with the video head end server, wherein the media content is associated with the content source, and wherein the network recorder device recorded the media content in response to client requests; and 
 a selectable element associated with an item of the listing, wherein the selectable element for the item enables configuration of digital rights of recorded media content associated with the item to enable distribution of the recorded media content to devices not associated with the client requests; and 
   receiving user input of a selected item from the device at the video head end server via the user interface, wherein the user input associates a particular offer profile with first media content associated with the selected item.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the user interface includes a selectable option to edit offer profiles, and further comprising:
 receiving second user input indicating selection of the selectable option; and   sending a second user interface to the device, wherein the second user interface includes a second listing of offer profiles, wherein each offer profile of the offer profiles is associated with an offer identification and includes a second selectable element, wherein the selectable element for a particular offer profile enables entry of digital rights parameters for the particular offer profile.   
     
     
         3 . The method  claim 2 , wherein the second user interface includes a selectable option to add a new offer profile. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the digital rights parameters for each offer profile include a time limit to view media content associated with the offer profile, a restriction on a number of times a type of user device can receive media content associated with the offer profile, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the digital rights parameters include a price for purchase of media content associated with the offer profile. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the digital rights parameters include a price for on-demand access to media content associated with the offer profile. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising sending an interface to a client device after receiving the user input, wherein the interface is configured to allow acceptance of an offer for the first media content associated with the particular offer profile. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the interface comprises an electronic program guide. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the interface comprises a web page. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each item in the listing includes a program identifier and a title of media content associated with the item. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein an entry for each item in the listing includes a number of the client requests for the media content associated with the item. 
     
     
         12 . A computer-readable storage device comprising instructions executable by a processor to perform operations including:
 sending a user interface to a device associated with a content source, wherein the user interface includes:
 a listing of media content recorded by a network recorder, wherein the media content is associated with the content source, and wherein the network recorder recorded the media content in response to requests from subscriber devices; and 
 a selectable element associated with an item of the listing, wherein the selectable element enables configuration of digital rights of recorded media content associated with the item to enable distribution of the recorded media content to subscribers that did not send requests to record the recorded media content via the network recorder; and 
   receiving user input of a selected item from the device via the user interface, wherein the user input associates a particular offer profile with first media content associated with the selected item.   
     
     
         13 . The computer-readable storage device of  claim 12 , wherein the network recorder includes a first network recorder associated with a video head end server and a second network recorder associated with a second video head end. 
     
     
         14 . The computer-readable storage device of  claim 12 , wherein an entry for each item in the listing includes a number of the client requests for the media content associated with the item. 
     
     
         15 . The computer-readable storage device of  claim 12 , wherein the particular offer profile includes an expiration date after which distribution of the first media content to a subscriber that did not send a request to record the first media content via the network recorder is inhibited. 
     
     
         16 . The computer-readable storage device of  claim 12 , wherein the content source is a television network company, a video production company, a video distribution company, a music production company, a music distribution company, a software production company, an interactive games production company, a television programming distributor, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         17 . A system comprising:
 a processor,   a memory accessible to the processor, wherein the memory comprises instructions executable by the processor to perform operations including:
 sending a user interface to a device associated with a content source, wherein the user interface includes: 
 a listing of media content recorded by a network recorder, wherein the media content is associated with the content source, and wherein the network recorder recorded the media content in response to requests sent from subscriber devices; and 
 a selectable element associated with an item of the listing, wherein the selectable element enables configuration of digital rights of recorded media content associated with the item to enable distribution of the recorded media content to devices that did not send requests to record the recorded media content via the network recorder; and 
   receiving user input of a selected item from the device via the user interface, wherein the user input associates an offer profile with first media content associated with the selected item.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the user interface includes a selectable option to edit offer profiles. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the listing includes an identifier associated with each item, a title associated with each item, a number of requests to record recorded media content associated with each item, an offer identifier associated for each item, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein each offer identifier is associated with an offer profile.