Remote Media Subscription Management via Virtual Point of Presence
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing place-shifting technologies require consumers to maintain multiple devices within specific geographic media markets, limiting access and management of media content subscriptions across different markets.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that provide a local point of presence within a media market, allowing consumers to access and manage media content subscriptions from anywhere using a computing device, without the need for physical equipment or presence, by utilizing servers to capture, transform, and stream media content over a network.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If consumers use existing place-shifting technologies to access media content from different locations, then they can watch television programs from any place with Internet access, but they must maintain multiple physical devices within specific geographic media markets
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a virtual copy of the consumer's presence in the media market through a point of presence (PoP) system. Instead of requiring physical devices to be located in the media market, the system uses network-based virtualization to replicate the consumer's access rights remotely. The PoP server captures and transforms media content, delivering it to consumers without requiring their physical presence or devices in the geographic market area.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a point of presence (PoP) server as an intermediary between the media content source and the consumer. This intermediary captures media content within the media market, transforms it into a deliverable format, and streams it to the consumer's remote location. The PoP acts as a virtual agent that enables access without requiring the consumer to physically be in the media market or maintain devices there.
2Adaptability or versatility
If consumers maintain physical presence in multiple media markets to access different media content, then they can subscribe to content from multiple markets, but they must house and maintain devices in each market location
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates virtual representations of the consumer in multiple media markets through multiple point of presence (PoP) servers. Each PoP server acts as a virtual agent in a different geographic market, allowing the consumer to subscribe to and access content from multiple markets without maintaining physical presence. The virtual PoP instances replicate the consumer's access rights and preferences across different market jurisdictions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the point of presence system universal by enabling a single consumer account to interact with multiple PoP servers across different media markets. The system provides multi-functional capability where one consumer can subscribe to, manage, and access content from multiple geographic markets through a unified interface, eliminating the need for separate physical presences in each market.
3Adaptability or versatility
If consumers use traditional place-shifting devices, then they can access media content remotely, but they must pay hosting services to physically house and maintain devices within media markets
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces physical infrastructure with virtual infrastructure by creating point of presence (PoP) servers that run on network-based platforms. Instead of requiring consumers to physically house and maintain devices in media markets, the system uses virtualized PoP instances that can be deployed on remote servers. This virtual copy approach eliminates the need for consumers to maintain physical presence or pay hosting services for device placement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent substitutes the mechanical system of physical devices and hosting infrastructure with a network-based software system. The point of presence functionality is implemented as software that captures and transforms media content over the network, replacing the need for physical device housing, maintenance, and hosting services. This substitution eliminates the requirement for consumers to pay third-party hosts to maintain physical devices in media markets.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for enabling a consumer to remotely manage a media content subscription is described. The method includes transmitting, over a network from a computing device associated with a consumer, a request to set up an account. The request is received at a local point of presence having an address within the local media market in which a local media content provider is providing the media content subscription. The local point of present includes a storage device and a plurality of servers located within the local media market, with the plurality of servers being configured to execute computer programmed instructions to receive the request to set up the account and, in response, create a user profile and an account associated with the consumer. The method further includes transmitting, over the network from the computing device associated with the consumer, at least one of user profile information, account information, and subscription information, which is stored on the storage device of the local point of presence.