Method and apparatus to distribute content descriptors in a content distribution broadcast system
First Claim
1. A method, comprising:
- broadcasting a content descriptor schedule signal to one or more clients to indicate that a content descriptor file is to be broadcast to said one or more clients at a broadcast time;
broadcasting the content descriptor file to said one or more clients at the broadcast time.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatuses sending content descriptors from a server to a client in a content distribution broadcast system. In one aspect, a signal is sent prior to the sending of a content descriptor file. The signal indicates when the content descriptor file will be sent. In another aspect, a unique identifier is assigned to the content descriptor file by the server. The content descriptor file is sent to the client and the client identifies the content descriptor file by the unique identifier. In yet another aspect, a general purpose identifier is assigned to the the content descriptor file. The content descriptor file is sent to the client and then a signal is sent to the client afterwards indicating that the content descriptor file has been sent.
141 Citations
80 Claims
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1. A method, comprising:
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broadcasting a content descriptor schedule signal to one or more clients to indicate that a content descriptor file is to be broadcast to said one or more clients at a broadcast time;
broadcasting the content descriptor file to said one or more clients at the broadcast time. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A method, comprising:
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receiving a content descriptor schedule signal broadcast by a server, the content descriptor schedule signal to indicate that a content descriptor file is to be broadcast at a broadcast time;
receiving the content descriptor file at the broadcast time;
processing the content descriptor file to generate demand data feedback to be provided to the server. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method, comprising:
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broadcasting a content descriptor schedule signal to one or more clients to indicate that a content descriptor file is to be broadcast to said one or more clients after a first file is broadcast;
broadcasting the first file to said one or more clients; and
broadcasting the content descriptor file to said one or more clients after the first file is broadcast to said one or more clients. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19)
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12. A method, comprising:
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receiving a content descriptor schedule signal broadcast by a server, the content descriptor schedule signal to indicate that a content descriptor file is to be broadcast after a first file is broadcast;
receiving the first file broadcast by the server; and
receiving the content descriptor file broadcast by the server after the broadcast of the first file;
processing the content descriptor file to generate demand data feedback to be provided to the server.
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17. A method, comprising:
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assigning a unique identifier to a content descriptor file;
broadcasting the content descriptor file identified by the unique identifier to one or more clients, wherein the content descriptor file is recognized by each client as a content descriptor file in response to the unique identifier assigned to the content descriptor file.
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20. A method, comprising:
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receiving a file broadcast by a server;
identifying the file as a content descriptor file by a unique identifier assigned to the file;
storing the file at a content descriptor file location at a client in response to the unique identifier;
processing the content descriptor file to generate demand data feedback to be provided to the server. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 26, 27, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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25. A method, comprising:
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assigning a general purpose identifier to a content descriptor file;
broadcasting the content descriptor file identified by the general purpose identifier to one or more clients;
broadcasting a signal to said one or more clients to indicate that the content descriptor file has been broadcast to said one or more clients, the signal to indicate to said one or more clients how to locate said content descriptor file.
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28. A method, comprising:
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receiving a content descriptor file broadcast by a server, the content descriptor file having a general purpose identifier;
receiving a signal broadcast by the server, the signal indicating that a content descriptor file has been broadcast, the signal indicating how to locate the content descriptor file;
processing the content descriptor file to generate demand data feedback to be provided to the server.
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33. An article of manufacture, comprising:
a machine-readable medium having instructions to;
receive a content descriptor schedule signal broadcast by a server, the content descriptor schedule signal to indicate that a content descriptor file is to be broadcast at a broadcast time;
receive the content descriptor file at the broadcast time;
process the content descriptor file to generate demand data feedback to be provided to the server. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 37, 38, 40, 41)
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36. An article of manufacture, comprising:
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a machine-readable medium having instructions to;
receive a content descriptor schedule signal broadcast by a server, the content descriptor schedule signal to indicate that a content descriptor file is to be broadcast after a first file is broadcast;
receive the first file broadcast by the server; and
receive the content descriptor file broadcast by the server after the broadcast of the first file;
process the content descriptor file to generate demand data feedback to be provided to the server.
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39. An article of manufacture, comprising:
a machine-readable medium having instructions to;
receive a file broadcast by a server;
identify the file as a content descriptor file by a unique identifier assigned to the file;
store the file at a content descriptor file location at a client in response to the unique identifier;
process the content descriptor file to generate demand data feedback to be provided to the server.
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42. An article of manufacture, comprising:
a machine-readable medium having instructions to;
receive a content descriptor file broadcast by a server, the content descriptor file having a general purpose identifier;
receive a signal broadcast by the server, the signal indicating that a content descriptor file has been broadcast, the signal indicating how to locate the content descriptor file;
process the content descriptor file to generate demand data feedback to be provided to the server. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 46, 47, 49, 50)
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45. An apparatus, comprising:
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a processor having circuitry to execute instructions;
a communications interface coupled to the processor, the communications interface coupled to receive broadcasts from a server;
a storage device coupled to the processor, having instructions stored therein, which when executed cause the apparatus to;
receive a content descriptor schedule signal broadcast by a server, the content descriptor schedule signal to indicate that a content descriptor file is to be broadcast at a broadcast time;
receive the content descriptor file at the broadcast time;
process the content descriptor file to generate the demand data feedback to be provided to the server.
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48. An apparatus, comprising:
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a processor having circuitry to execute instructions;
a communications interface coupled to the processor, the communications interface coupled to receive broadcasts from a server;
a storage device coupled to the processor, having instructions stored therein, which when executed cause the apparatus to;
receive a content descriptor schedule signal broadcast by a server, the content descriptor schedule signal to indicate that a content descriptor file is to be broadcast after a first file is broadcast;
receive the first file broadcast by the server; and
receive the content descriptor file broadcast by the server after the broadcast of the first file;
process the content descriptor file to generate the demand data feedback to be provided to the server.
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51. An apparatus, comprising:
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a processor having circuitry to execute instructions;
a communications interface coupled to the processor, the communications interface coupled to receive broadcasts from a server;
a storage device coupled to the processor, having instructions stored therein, which when executed cause the apparatus to;
receive a file broadcast by a server;
identify the file as a content descriptor file by a unique identifier assigned to the file;
store the file at a content descriptor file location at a client in response to the unique identifier;
process the content descriptor file to generate the demand data feedback to be provided to the server. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53)
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54. An apparatus, comprising:
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a processor having circuitry to execute instructions;
a communications interface coupled to the processor, the communications interface coupled to receive broadcasts from a server;
a storage device coupled to the processor, having instructions stored therein, which when executed cause the apparatus to;
receive a content descriptor file broadcast by a server, the content descriptor file having a general purpose identifier;
receive a signal broadcast by the server, the signal indicating that a content descriptor file has been broadcast, the signal indicating how to locate the content descriptor file;
process the content descriptor file to generate demand data feedback to be provided to the server. - View Dependent Claims (55, 56, 58, 59)
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57. An apparatus, comprising:
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a processor having circuitry to execute instructions;
a communications interface coupled to the processor, the communications interface coupled to receive communications from one or more clients;
a storage device coupled to the processor, having instructions stored therein, which when executed cause the apparatus to;
broadcast a content descriptor schedule signal to one or more clients to indicate that a content descriptor file is to be broadcast to said one or more clients at a broadcast time;
broadcast the content descriptor file to said one or more clients at the broadcast time.
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60. An apparatus, comprising:
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a processor having circuitry to execute instructions;
a communications interface coupled to the processor, the communications interface coupled to receive communications from one or more clients;
a storage device coupled to the processor, having instructions stored therein, which when executed cause the apparatus to;
broadcast a content descriptor schedule signal to one or more clients to indicate that a content descriptor file is to be broadcast to said one or more clients after a first file is broadcast;
broadcast the first file to said one or more clients; and
broadcast the content descriptor file to said one or more clients after the first file is broadcast to said one or more clients. - View Dependent Claims (61, 62)
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63. An apparatus, comprising:
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a processor having circuitry to execute instructions;
a communications interface coupled to the processor, the communications interface coupled to receive communications from one or more clients;
a storage device coupled to the processor, having instructions stored therein, which when executed cause the apparatus to;
assigning a unique identifier to a content descriptor file;
broadcasting the content descriptor file identified by the unique identifier to one or more clients, wherein the content descriptor file is recognized by each client as a content descriptor file in response to the unique identifier assigned to the content descriptor file. - View Dependent Claims (64, 65)
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66. An apparatus, comprising:
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a processor having circuitry to execute instructions;
a communications interface coupled to the processor, the communications interface coupled to receive communications from one or more clients;
a storage device coupled to the processor, having instructions stored therein, which when executed cause the apparatus to;
assigning a general purpose identifier to a content descriptor file;
broadcasting the content descriptor file identified by the general purpose identifier to one or more clients;
broadcasting a signal to said one or more clients to indicate that the content descriptor file has been broadcast to said one or more clients, the signal to indicate to said one or more clients how to locate said content descriptor file. - View Dependent Claims (67, 68, 70, 71)
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69. A system, comprising:
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a server;
one ore more clients coupled to the server;
wherein the server is coupled to broadcast a content descriptor schedule signal to the one or more clients to indicate that a content descriptor file is to be broadcast to the one or more clients at a broadcast time;
wherein the one or more clients are coupled to receive the content descriptor schedule signal broadcast by the server;
wherein the server is coupled to broadcast the content descriptor file to the one or more clients at the broadcast time;
wherein the one or more clients are coupled to receive the content descriptor file at the broadcast time and process the content descriptor file to generate the demand data feedback to be provided to the server.
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72. A system, comprising:
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a server;
one ore more clients coupled to the server;
wherein the server is coupled to broadcast a content descriptor schedule signal to the one or more clients to indicate that a content descriptor file is to be broadcast to said one or more clients after a first file is broadcast;
wherein the one or more clients is coupled to receive the receive the content descriptor schedule signal broadcast by a server;
wherein the server is coupled to broadcast the first file to said one or more clients;
wherein the one or more clients are coupled to receive the first file broadcast by the server;
wherein the server is coupled to broadcast the content descriptor file to said one or more clients after the first file is broadcast to said one or more clients;
wherein the one or more clients are coupled to receive the content descriptor file broadcast by the server after the broadcast of the first file and process the content descriptor file to generate the demand data feedback to be provided to the server. - View Dependent Claims (73, 74)
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75. A system, comprising:
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a server;
one ore more clients coupled to the server;
wherein the server is coupled to assign a unique identifier to a content descriptor file;
wherein the server is coupled to broadcast the content descriptor file identified by the unique identifier to the one or more clients, wherein the one or more clients are coupled to receive the content descriptor file, wherein the content descriptor file is recognized by each client as a content descriptor file in response to the unique identifier assigned to the content descriptor file;
wherein the one or more clients are coupled to store the content descriptor file at a content descriptor file location at each respective client in response to the unique identifier and process the content descriptor file to generate the demand data feedback to be provided to the server. - View Dependent Claims (76, 77, 79, 80)
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78. A system, comprising:
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a server;
one ore more clients coupled to the server;
wherein the server is coupled to assign a general purpose identifier to a content descriptor file;
wherein the server is coupled to broadcast the content descriptor file identified by the general purpose identifier to the one or more clients;
wherein the one or more clients are coupled to receive the content descriptor file having the general purpose identifier;
wherein the server is coupled to broadcast a signal to said one or more clients to indicate that the content descriptor file has been broadcast to said one or more clients;
wherein the one more clients are coupled to receiver the signal indicating that the content descriptor file has been broadcast, the signal to indicate to said one or more clients how to locate said content descriptor file, the one or more clients to process the content descriptor file to generate the demand data feedback to be provided to the server.
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Specification