Technique for providing programming content through a communications network having limited bandwidth
First Claim
1. Apparatus for controllably delivering programming content associated with a program source in response to requests from a plurality of terminals in a service area, the apparatus comprising:
- an interface for receiving the requests;
a memory for storing data in the requests, statistics being generated based on the data; and
a processing element for identifying, based on the statistics, at least one period in which the program source is in a particular status, a selected carrier being assigned to deliver programming content associated with the program source to the service area for the identified period.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In a cable television system, a specific carrier is assigned to deliver programming content of a program channel to a service area for a period, defined as a function of viewership of the program channel during that period. For example, the program channel is assigned the specific carrier during the time when it has a generally strong viewership. Otherwise, the program channel is assigned a carrier on an as needed basis, i.e., only when one or more subscribers in the service area request such a program channel. Viewing statistics are generated to identify viewership patterns or viewing habits of the subscribers in the service area with respect to a given program channel. In another embodiment, based on the viewing statistics, popular and unpopular programs, program elements, program lineups, program channels are identified on a temporal and/or regional basis.
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Citations
66 Claims
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1. Apparatus for controllably delivering programming content associated with a program source in response to requests from a plurality of terminals in a service area, the apparatus comprising:
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an interface for receiving the requests;
a memory for storing data in the requests, statistics being generated based on the data; and
a processing element for identifying, based on the statistics, at least one period in which the program source is in a particular status, a selected carrier being assigned to deliver programming content associated with the program source to the service area for the identified period. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A system for delivering program materials associated with at least first and second program sources in response to requests from a plurality of terminals in a service area, the system comprising:
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an interface for receiving the requests;
a processor for generating statistics based on data in the requests, a first period in which the first program source is in a certain status being determined based on the statistics, and a second period in which the second program source is in a certain status being determined based on the statistics, the first and second periods being non-overlapping; and
a mechanism for allocating a carrier to deliver program material associated with the first program source to the service area for the first period, and re-allocating the carrier to deliver program material associated with the second program source to the service area for the second period. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A communications system comprising:
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a mechanism for providing a sequence of program elements associated with a program source to at least one service area according to a predetermined schedule;
an interface for receiving requests concerning the program source from a plurality of terminals in the at least one service area, statistics being generated based at least on times of the requests; and
a processor for determining a period in which the program source is in a particular status based on the statistics, a subset of the program elements provided in the period being identified based on the predetermined schedule. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A method for controllably delivering programming content associated with a program source in response to requests from a plurality of terminals in a service area, the method comprising:
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receiving the requests;
storing data in the requests;
generating statistics based on the data;
identifying, based on the statistics, at least one period in which the program source is in a particular status; and
assigning a selected carrier to deliver programming content associated with the program source to the service area for the identified period. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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46. A method for delivering program materials associated with at least first and second program sources in response to requests from a plurality of terminals in a service area, the method comprising:
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receiving the requests;
generating statistics based on data in the requests;
determining, based on the statistics, a first period in which the first program source is in a certain status;
determining, based on the statistics, a second period in which the second program source is in a certain status, the first and second periods being non-overlapping; and
performing the following (a) and (b) one or more times;
(a) allocating a carrier to deliver program material associated with the first program source to the service area for the first period, and (b) allocating the carrier to deliver program material associated with the second program source to the service area for the second period. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55)
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56. A method for use in a communications system, comprising:
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providing a sequence of program elements associated with a program source to at least one service area according to a predetermined schedule;
receiving requests concerning the program source from a plurality of terminals in the at least one service area;
generating statistics based at least on times of the requests;
determining, based on the statistics, a period in which the program source is in a particular status; and
identifying a subset of the program elements provided in the period based on the predetermined schedule. - View Dependent Claims (57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66)
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Specification