System and method for content transmission network selection

• US 20030121047A1
• Filed: 12/20/2001
• Published: 06/26/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Swix, Scott R., Gray, James H., Watson, Paul T.
• Application Number:
  US10/028,153
• Publication Number:
  US 20030121047A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/93
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2347 involving video stream encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2381 Adapting the multiplex stream to a specific network, e.g. an Internet Protocol [IP] network transmission of MPEG streams over ATM H04L12/5601
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25883 being end-user demographical data, e.g. age, family status or address arrangements for identifying locations of users in broadcast systems H04H60/52
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26208 the scheduling operation being performed under constraints
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26216 involving the channel capacity, e.g. network bandwidth admission control, resource allocation in open networks H04L12/5692; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; establishing a schedule or organising the servicing of application requests taking into account QoS H04L67/61
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/266 Channel or content management, e.g. generation and management of keys and entitlement messages in a conditional access system, merging a VOD unicast channel into a multicast channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2665 Gathering content from different sources, e.g. Internet and satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6587 Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A content transmission selection system is disclosed. The content transmission selection system receives requests from viewers for specific video content items. Using characteristics of the designated content item, the content transmission selection system determines whether to transmit the content item over a broadcast network or a broadband network.

Claims

1. A method for content transmission network selection comprising the steps of:

identifying content to be transmitted based on at least one transmission request;

determining whether to transmit the content using a broadcast network or a broadband network based upon at least one of the following;

characteristics of the transmission request, characteristics of the content to be transmitted, characteristics of the broadcast network, and characteristics of the broadband network; and

transmitting the content on one of the broadcast network or broadband network.

2. A method as in claim 1, wherein the step of identifying content to be transmitted based on at least one transmission request comprises the steps of:

transmitting a list of available content items over a broadband network; and

receiving from a broadband network requests for content items.

3. A method as in claim 1, wherein said step of determining whether to transmit the content using a broadcast network or a broadband network comprises the steps of:

determining whether there is sufficient available bandwidth in the broadcast network to transmit the content;

if there is not sufficient available bandwidth in the broadcast network, then determining to transmit the content over a broadband network;

if there is a sufficient available bandwidth in the broadcast network, then determining whether the cost of transmitting the content over the broadcast network exceeds the cost of transmitting the content over the broadband network;

if the cost of transmitting the content over the broadcast network exceeds the cost of transmitting the content over the broadband network, then determining to transmit the content over a broadband network; and

if the cost of transmitting the content over the broadcast network does not exceed the cost of transmitting the content over the broadband network, then determining to transmit the content over a broadcast network.

4. A method as in claim 3, wherein said step of determining whether there is sufficient available bandwidth in the broadcast network to transmit the content comprises the steps of:

determining the available bandwidth in the broadcast network;

determining the minimum transfer rate for the content;

determining whether the minimum transfer rate for the content exceeds the available bandwidth in the broadcast network;

if the minimum transfer rate for the content exceeds the available bandwidth in the broadcast network, then determining that there is not sufficient available bandwidth in the broadcast network to transmit the content; and

if the minimum transfer rate for the content does not exceed the available bandwidth in the broadcast network, then determining that there is sufficient available bandwidth in the broadcast network to transmit the content.

5. A method as in claim 3, wherein said step of determining whether the cost of transmitting the content over the broadcast network exceeds the cost of transmitting the content over the broadband network comprises the steps of:

determining a cost of transmission per unit of data over the broadband and broadcast networks;

determining the total number of units of data in the content; and

determining if the product of the total number of units of data in the content and cost of transmission per unit of unit of data over the broadcast network exceeds the product of the total number of units of data in the content and cost of transmission per unit of data over the broadband network.

6. A method as in claim 1, wherein said broadcast network comprises one of a direct to home satellite network, a terrestrial wireless network, and a cable network.

7. A method as in claim 1, wherein said broadband network comprises one of a digital subscriber line network and a cable network.

8. A method as in claim 1, wherein said characteristics of the transmission request comprise at least one of the geographic location to which the content is to be transmitted, the time at which the content is requested to be viewed, and a dollar amount the viewer is willing to pay for the content.

9. A method as in claim 1, wherein said characteristics of the content to be transmitted comprise at least one of the following:

size of the content, duration of the content, the total number of requests for the content, and the minimum transmission rate on a given network for the content.

10. A method as in claim 1, wherein said characteristics of the broadcast network comprise at least one of the available bandwidth on the network, the geographic boundaries of the network, and the cost of transmission at a given time of day on the network.

11. A method as in claim 1, wherein said characteristics of the broadband network comprises of at least one of the following:

available bandwidth on the network, geographic boundaries of the network; and

cost of transmission at a given time of day on the network.

12. A method as in claim 1, further comprising the step of transmitting over a broadcast network a notification of the transmission characteristics.

13. A method as in claim 12, wherein said transmission characteristics comprise at least one of the following:

time of transmission and transmission network

14. A method as in claim 1, wherein said step of transmitting the content on one of the broadcast network or broadband network comprises transmitting the content on one of the broadcast network or broadband network at a time prior to the time at which the content is requested to be viewed.

15. A method as in claim 1, wherein said step of transmitting the content on one of the broadcast network or broadband network comprises transmitting the content on one of the broadcast network or broadband network at the time at which the content is requested to be viewed.

16. A computer readable medium having stored thereon computer readable instructions for performing the following steps:

identifying content to be transmitted based on at least one transmission request;

determining whether to transmit the content using a broadcast network or a broadband network based upon at least one of the following;

characteristics of the transmission request, characteristics of the content to be transmitted, characteristics of the broadcast network, and characteristics of the broadband network; and

transmitting the content on one of the broadcast network or broadband network.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein said instructions for performing the step of determining whether to transmit the content using a broadcast network or a broadband network comprise instructions for performing the following steps:

determining whether there is sufficient available bandwidth in the broadcast network to transmit the content;

if there is not sufficient available bandwidth in the broadcast network, then determining to transmit the content over a broadband network;

if there is a sufficient available bandwidth in the broadcast network, then determining whether the cost of transmitting the content over the broadcast network exceeds the cost of transmitting the content over the broadband network;

if the cost of transmitting the content over the broadcast network exceeds the cost of transmitting the content over the broadband network, then determining to transmit the content over a broadband network; and

if the cost of transmitting the content over the broadcast network does not exceed the cost of transmitting the content over the broadband network, then determining to transmit the content over a broadcast network.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 16 having stored thereon computer readable instructions for further performing the step of transmitting over a broadcast network a notification of the transmission characteristics.

19. A system for content transmission network selection comprising:

a processor operative to execute computer executable instructions; and

memory having stored therein computer executable instructions for performing the following steps;

identifying content to be transmitted based on at least one transmission request;

determining whether to transmit the content using a broadcast network or a broadband network based upon at least one of the following;

characteristics of the transmission request, characteristics of the content to be transmitted, characteristics of the broadcast network, and characteristics of the broadband network; and

transmitting the content on one of the broadcast network or broadband network.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein said computer executable instructions for performing the step of determining whether to transmit the content using a broadcast network or a broadband network comprise computer executable instructions for performing the following steps:

determining whether there is sufficient available bandwidth in the broadcast network to transmit the content;

if there is not sufficient available bandwidth in the broadcast network, then determining to transmit the content over a broadband network;

if there is a sufficient available bandwidth in the broadcast network, then determining whether the cost of transmitting the content over the broadcast network exceeds the cost of transmitting the content over the broadband network;

if the cost of transmitting the content over the broadcast network exceeds the cost of transmitting the content over the broadband network, then determining to transmit the content over a broadband network; and

if the cost of transmitting the content over the broadcast network does not exceed the cost of transmitting the content over the broadband network, then determining to transmit the content over a broadcast network.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein said memory has stored therein computer executable instructions for further performing the step of transmitting over a broadcast network a notification of the transmission characteristics.