Digital content services provided over the Internet for transmitting or streaming protected digital content to client or output devices are herein disclosed and enabled. The protected digital content is encrypted and device dependent or specific for rendering or playing at a limited number of devices including smart phones, information pads, audio players, media controllers, televisions, printers, etc. To illustrate, a client may include an application for accessing selected digital content from a subscribed content service or store over the Internet. To access digital content, a client application may send, to the content service or store, authentication information, subscription information, and/or a reference to selected digital content. The service then generates encrypted device dependent output data associated with a device or identification previously registered with the service for transmitting or streaming, to the client or output devices (e.g., televisions, speakers, media controllers), the digital content for rendering.

It is provided a method for managing stream in home media network having home gateway and a plurality of devices comprising; building converged home media index at a home gateway by synchronizing local media index of each of the devices; receiving by a source device a request from a user to play a media stored on the source device at the first render device; assigning a multicast IP and port for streaming of the media by the source device or the home gateway; sending by the source device hash value of the media, the multicast IP and port, and the streaming ID to the first render device, in addition to source device IP and render device IP to the home gateway; checking the media file's metadata and corresponding management policy stored on the converged home media index; notifying the source device that the steam can be transmitted to the first render device when receiving authentication and authorization from the gateway; sending security keys to the source device and the first render device to encrypt and decrypt the stream; and transferring the media from the source device to the first render device.

A GUI providing method and a GUI providing apparatus are provided. According to the GUI providing method, a GUI from among GUIs for an external apparatus connected to a video apparatus is determined and displayed. Accordingly, if there are many GUIs for an apparatus, a GUI most suitable for the current circumstance is automatically determined and provided to a user.

An output system for capturing and outputting digital content is herein disclosed and enabled. The output system includes an information apparatus (e.g., a digital capturing device or an internet appliance) for capturing digital content, a server application at a server over the Internet, and a client application at a client device for accessing the captured digital content. The information apparatus includes a wireless communication module (e.g., IEEE 802.11 or Bluetooth) for transmitting the captured digital content to the server. The server application generates output data from the captured digital content for sending to the client device for outputting or playing at least part of the output data at an output device associated with the client device. Receipt of the output data is dependent on the client application having provided security or authentication information and payment or subscription information to the server.

A method for capturing and outputting digital content is herein disclosed and enabled, the output system includes an information apparatus, a server, and a client device. The information apparatus includes at least a digital camera and a wireless communication module (e.g., IEEE 802.11 or Bluetooth). The server is accessible by the client device over a network. The information apparatus, using the digital camera, captures digital content and transmits, over the Internet and using the wireless communication module, the digital content to the server for storage. The server generates output data from at least part of the digital content stored at the server, and provides the generated output data from the server to the client device that has security or authentication information for accessing the server. The client device outputs or plays at least part of the digital content at an output device associated with the client device.

Embodiments described herein enable the transmission of infrared (IR) signals via an AV cable containing a plurality of signal lines. In embodiments, an IR receiver, and IR emitter, and/or logic circuitry may be integrated within an AV cable (e.g., an HDMI cable) to enable transmitting signals from an IR remote control device to a media device that may be located behind a physical obstruction through which IR signals are unable to pass. By utilizing one or more signal lines of an AV cable to transmit IR signals, existing AV communication protocols may continue to be utilized in a user's home entertainment system. In this manner, a user may be able to locate one or more media devices (e.g., home entertainment devices) in a physically remote location, such as in a cabinet or closet, without sacrificing any IR signaling functionality.

Internet based digital content services and their business models as well as mobile information apparatus for accessing the Internet are herein disclosed and enabled. In one application, user digital content such as documents, audio, or video content may be uploaded to a content server for storing. The user may share the user digital content with other client devices or users with appropriate security procedures. A user play list or rendering list may include a list of pointers or references to digital content. The stored user play list or the stored user digital content may be further edited, stored, or shared subsequently for access and rendering. The Internet services provide core functionalities to information apparatus such as smart phones, information pads, smart TVs, and printers. The Internet services and the information apparatus that include software or functions for accessing the Internet service are applicable to both consumer and enterprise businesses.

Digital content services provided over the Internet for transmitting or streaming protected digital content to information apparatus or output devices are herein disclosed and enabled. The protected digital content is encrypted and device dependent or specific for rendering at a limited number of devices including smart phones, information pads, audio players, media controllers, televisions, printers etc. To illustrate, an information apparatus may include an application for accessing selected digital content from a subscribed content service or store over the Internet. To access digital content, a client application may send, to the content service or store, authentication information, payment or subscription information, and/or a reference to selected digital content. The service then generates encrypted device dependent output data associated with a device or identification previously registered with the service for transmitting or streaming, to the information apparatus or output devices (e.g., televisions, speakers, media controllers), the digital content for rendering.

Disclosed are a method and apparatus for sharing contacts entries at a Telephony Server (TS), the method including receiving a request from a Telephony Control Point coupled to the TS in a Universal Plug and Play home network to share at least one contact element associated with a contact entry with at least one recipient, retrieving the at least one contact element from a network address book in a Wide Area Network server connected to the TS or from a local address book in the TS, and sharing the at least one contact element with the at least one recipient.

Systems, methods, and media for managing an entertainment system are provided. In some implementations, systems for managing an entertainment system are provided, the systems comprising: at least one hardware processor configured to: detect a first instruction; select a component of the entertainment system; determine a first state of the component; store an indication of the first state; detect a second instruction; retrieve the indication of the first state; generate a third instruction based on the indication of the first state; and transmit the third instruction to the component of the entertainment system.