Multimedia network system with content importation, content exportation, and integrated content management

Abstract

This system provides wired and/or wireless access throughout a multimedia network built on a distributed architecture which can be transparent to the user. This multimedia network includes content which is imported or generated within the network. The system allows for the content provider to determine the license status of content and update the license status of content which was previously provided by that provider. The external content can be accessed in real time or downloaded and stored within the system for later access at the convenience of the user. The usage of some content is controlled by the use of encryption and other protection methods. The system allows for storage of live video by storing the digitized video and allowing the user to control how, when and where the content is viewed. The system makes available multiple multimedia services to all users in the network or connected via the internet.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A multimedia management system, comprising:
 a local multimedia client device communicatively connected to a local area network and a wide area network;   a remote multimedia client device communicatively connected to the wide area network;   an external content provider server device communicatively connected to the wide area network;   and a multimedia server device communicatively connected to the local area network and the wide area network;   the local multimedia client device being configured to: communicate with the multimedia server device via the local area network;   select an uncompressed video stream being streamed to the multimedia server device via the local area network; and send a command via the local area network to the multimedia server device requesting access to the uncompressed video stream being streamed to the multimedia server device via the local area network;   the remote multimedia client device being configured to:
 communicate with the multimedia server device via the wide area network; 
 select the uncompressed video stream being streamed to the multimedia server device via the local area network; and 
 send a second command via the wide area network to the multimedia server device requesting access to the uncompressed video stream being streamed to the multimedia server device via the local area network; 
   the external content provider server device being configured to:
 authenticate, via the wide area network, at least one user associated with the local multimedia client device or the remote multimedia client device; and 
 send, via the wide area network, a multimedia server device location to the local multimedia client device or the remote multimedia client device, thereby enabling the local multimedia client device or the remote multimedia client device to request access to the uncompressed video stream; 
   the multimedia server device being configured to:
 receive the uncompressed video stream requested by the local multimedia client device or the remote multimedia client from a source located on the local area network; 
 encode the uncompressed video stream requested by the local multimedia client device or the remote multimedia client device to create a compressed video stream; 
 store the compressed video stream in a buffer located on the multimedia server device; stream the compressed video stream stored in the buffer to the local multimedia client device via the local area network in response to the local multimedia client device requesting access; and 
 stream the compressed video stream stored in the buffer to the remote multimedia client device via the wide area network in response to the remote multimedia client device requesting access. 
   
     
     
         2 . The multimedia management system of  claim 1 , wherein the source comprises at least one of:
 a digital video recorder, a satellite television receiver, a cable television receiver, a television, a digital camera, a computer, a content storage device, a radio receiver, a telephony device, a cellular phone, and a digital versatile disc player.   
     
     
         3 . The multimedia management system of  claim 1 , wherein the multimedia server device is further configured to generate a program guide for display on the remote multimedia client device and the local multimedia client device based upon a location of the multimedia server device. 
     
     
         4 . The multimedia management system of  claim 1 , wherein the uncompressed video stream is received as broadcast television content. 
     
     
         5 . The multimedia management system of  claim 1 , wherein the uncompressed video stream is received via a source on the network. 
     
     
         6 . The multimedia management system of  claim 1 , wherein uncompressed video stream is received in a television broadcast format. 
     
     
         7 . The multimedia management system of  claim 6 , wherein the multimedia server device is configured to transcode the uncompressed video stream from the television broadcast format to a video streaming format that is compatible with transmission on the network as a compressed video stream for playback on the remote multimedia client device. 
     
     
         8 . The multimedia management system of  claim 6 , wherein the multimedia server device is configured to transcode the uncompressed video stream from the television broadcast format to a video streaming format that is compatible with transmission on the network as a compressed video stream for playback on the local multimedia client device. 
     
     
         9 . The multimedia management system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least some communication between the multimedia server device and the remote multimedia client device is encrypted. 
     
     
         10 . The multimedia management system of  claim 9 , wherein at least some of the encryption employs a public key-private key encryption method. 
     
     
         11 . The multimedia management system of  claim 1 , wherein the local multimedia client device comprises at least one of: a digital video recorder, a satellite television receiver, a cable television receiver, a television, a game console box, a computer, a content storage device, a radio receiver, a telephony device, a cellular phone, and a digital versatile disc player. 
     
     
         12 . The multimedia management system of  claim 1 , wherein the multimedia server device is further configured to provide via the wide area network or the local area network, a schedule of programming information that identifies the source of the uncompressed video stream to the remote multimedia client device. 
     
     
         13 . The multimedia management system of  claim 1 , wherein the multimedia server device is further configured to provide via the wide area network or the local area network, a schedule of programming information that identifies the source of the uncompressed video stream to the local multimedia client device. 
     
     
         14 . The multimedia management system of  claim 1 , further comprising a web server configured to provide a schedule of programming information identifying the uncompressed video stream to be selected. 
     
     
         15 . A method, comprising: detecting, by a multimedia server device, an uncompressed video stream in a local area network;
 selecting, by the multimedia server device, the uncompressed video stream in the local area network; compressing, by the multimedia server device, the uncompressed video stream into a compressed video stream;   storing, by the multimedia server device, the compressed video stream in a buffer located on the multimedia server device; authenticating, by an external content server device, at least one user associated with a local multimedia client device or a remote multimedia client device;   sending, by the external content server device, a multimedia server device location to the local multimedia client device or the remote multimedia client device, thereby enabling the local multimedia client device or the remote multimedia client device to request access to the uncompressed video stream;   requesting, by the remote multimedia client device, that the multimedia server device send the compressed video stream to the remote multimedia client device via a wide area network; streaming, by the multimedia server device, the compressed video stream to the remote multimedia client device via the wide area network;   requesting, by the local multimedia client device, that the multimedia server device send the compressed video stream to the local multimedia client device via the local area network; and   streaming, from the multimedia server device, the compressed video stream to the local multimedia client device via the local area network.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein a source of the uncompressed video stream on the local area network comprises at least one of: a digital video recorder, a satellite television receiver, a cable television receiver, a television, a digital camera, a computer, a content storage device, a radio receiver, a telephony device, a cellular phone, and a digital versatile disc player. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein at least some communication between the multimedia server device and the remote multimedia client is encrypted device. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein at least some of the encryption employs a public key-private key encryption method. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the remote multimedia client device comprises at least one of: a digital video recorder, a satellite television receiver, a cable television receiver, a television, a game console box, a computer, a content storage device, a radio receiver, a telephony device, a cellular phone, and a digital versatile disc player. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the local multimedia client device comprises at least one of: a digital video recorder, a satellite television receiver, a cable television receiver, a television, a game console box, a computer, a content storage device, a radio receiver, a telephony device, a cellular phone, and a digital versatile disc player. 
     
     
         21 . The multimedia management system of  claim 1 , wherein the remote multimedia client device comprises at least one of: a digital video recorder, a satellite television receiver, a cable television receiver, a television, a game console box, a computer, a content storage device, a radio receiver, a telephony device, a cellular phone, and a digital versatile disc player.