How Cable Networks Manage Virtual Ownership of Digital Movies
A system for cable providers to let users 'own' digital movies on a server instead of buying physical discs, allowing the provider to update that content remotely.
Original patent title: “Methods and apparatus for providing virtual content over a network”
A system for cable providers to let users 'own' digital movies on a server instead of buying physical discs, allowing the provider to update that content remotely. Granted to Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC in 2015 with 28 claims and 3 forward citations.
Key facts
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
This patent describes a server system at a cable company's headend that manages digital movie purchases. When a user buys a movie, the system stores a personal copy on the network server and links it to that specific user account. The system can then push updates—like new bonus features, director's cuts, or metadata—directly to that stored copy. When the user wants to watch, the server delivers the movie along with these custom updates over the cable network.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover content delivery via standard internet streaming services like Netflix or YouTube.
- Does not cover peer-to-peer file sharing or decentralized storage methods.
- Does not cover the physical manufacturing or distribution of optical discs.
- Does not cover local storage of content on a user's personal hard drive or DVR.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
What made this novel
The system treats the user's movie as a dynamic, updatable file on the server rather than a static, immutable copy, allowing the provider to 'patch' a movie with new features after the initial purchase.
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Cable provider video-on-demand libraries
Digital movie locker services integrated into set-top boxes
Why it matters
The bigger picture
This patent represents the cable industry's attempt to transition from physical media rentals to a digital 'locker' model. It provided a framework for cable operators to compete with early digital storefronts by offering persistent access to content directly through the set-top box infrastructure.
Filed
February 20, 2012
Granted
April 28, 2015
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Major cable operators like Charter Communications (which acquired Time Warner Cable) maintain the infrastructure for these types of managed content delivery systems. The technology reflects the era when cable companies were heavily investing in proprietary set-top box ecosystems.
Market impact
This patent helped formalize the 'virtual ownership' model within the cable industry, attempting to protect the revenue streams of cable providers as physical media sales declined. It encouraged the development of more sophisticated, server-side content management systems within the closed-loop cable network environment.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
This patent describes a server system at a cable company's headend that manages digital movie purchases. When a user buys a movie, the system stores a personal copy on the network server and links it to that specific user account. The system can then push updates—like new bonus features, director's cuts, or metadata—directly to that stored copy. When the user wants to watch, the server delivers the movie along with these custom updates over the cable network.
The clever bit
The system treats the user's movie as a dynamic, updatable file on the server rather than a static, immutable copy, allowing the provider to 'patch' a movie with new features after the initial purchase.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover content delivery via standard internet streaming services like Netflix or YouTube.
- Does not cover peer-to-peer file sharing or decentralized storage methods.
- Does not cover the physical manufacturing or distribution of optical discs.
- Does not cover local storage of content on a user's personal hard drive or DVR.
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Application published, typically 18 months after filing
Patent officially issued
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Early stage
Citation count
12/40
Early citations
Claim breadth
19/20
Very broad protection
Recency
5/20
Granted 10–20 years ago
Assignee scale
0/20
Independent or smaller assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$48K – $153K
Midpoint $96K · 5.7 yr remaining · industry ×1.4
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
The original legal language
Original claims
28 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
Britt, G. (2015). How Cable Networks Manage Virtual Ownership of Digital Movies (U.S. Patent No. 9,021,535). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/9021535/netflix-user-profiles
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does How Cable Networks Manage Virtual Ownership of Digital Movies cover?
A system for cable providers to let users 'own' digital movies on a server instead of buying physical discs, allowing the provider to update that content remotely.
Who owns patent US 9021535?
Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC owns this patent, granted in 2015.
When does this patent expire?
This patent is expected to expire on April 28, 2035, when the invention enters the public domain.
What is patent US 9021535 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 3 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
This patent represents the cable industry's attempt to transition from physical media rentals to a digital 'locker' model. It provided a framework for cable operators to compete with early digital storefronts by offering persistent access to content directly through the set-top box infrastructure.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover content delivery via standard internet streaming services like Netflix or YouTube.
Patent monitoring