Methods for enabling near video-on-demand and video-on-request services using digital video recorders
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- receiving VOR selection data from a plurality of users, each VOR selection data comprising at least one requested video selection and video recorder identifying information for identifying each particular video recorder;
determining a transmission priority of requested video selections dependent on a number of requested video selections received from said plurality of users, wherein the transmission priority of a particular video selection depends on the frequency of requests received for the particular video selection;
determining a transmission time for the particular video selection dependent on the transmission priority;
determining a transmission channel for the particular video selection;
transmitting personal video recorder control signals to personal video recorders depending on the received VOR selection data and the transmission time and transmission channel of the particular video selection, whereby if the received VOR selection data from a user includes a request for the particular video selection the user'"'"'s particular video recorder is automatically controlled to tune in the determined transmission channel at the determined transmission time and record the particular video selection; and
transmitting the particular video selection at the determined transmission time and transmission channel so that the video recorder of each user requesting the particular video selection can be controlled to automatically record the particular video selection.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A near video-on-demand (VOD) service enabled using a digital video recorder (DVR) for the simultaneous storage and playback of multimedia data. A DVR is connected over a network to a multimedia network source. A VOD selection is requested by the DVR from the network source. A multimedia data signal is received by the DVR from the network source. The data signal contains the requested VOD selection. A first received portion of the received data signal is stored on the DVR. The first received segment is played by the DVR for display on a display device. Simultaneously during the playing of the first received segment, a second received segment of the received data signal is received from the network source and stored on the DVR while the first received segment is played the display device. Thus, the requested VOD selection begins playing on the display device prior to the reception of the entire compressed multimedia data signal so that a requested VOD selection can begin being displayed nearly instantaneously after the request for it is made. A video-on-request (VOR) service is also enabled using a DVR. VOR selection data is received by a centralized database device, such as a network server, from a plurality of users. Each VOR selection data includes at least one requested video selection and video recorder identifying information for identifying each particular video recorder. A transmission priority of requested video selections is determined dependent on the frequency of requests 1received from the plurality of users. A transmission channel and time is determined based on the transmission priority. DVR control signals are transmitted to automatically tune in the determined transmission channel at the determined transmission time and record the particular video selection.
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Citations
11 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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receiving VOR selection data from a plurality of users, each VOR selection data comprising at least one requested video selection and video recorder identifying information for identifying each particular video recorder;
determining a transmission priority of requested video selections dependent on a number of requested video selections received from said plurality of users, wherein the transmission priority of a particular video selection depends on the frequency of requests received for the particular video selection;
determining a transmission time for the particular video selection dependent on the transmission priority;
determining a transmission channel for the particular video selection;
transmitting personal video recorder control signals to personal video recorders depending on the received VOR selection data and the transmission time and transmission channel of the particular video selection, whereby if the received VOR selection data from a user includes a request for the particular video selection the user'"'"'s particular video recorder is automatically controlled to tune in the determined transmission channel at the determined transmission time and record the particular video selection; and
transmitting the particular video selection at the determined transmission time and transmission channel so that the video recorder of each user requesting the particular video selection can be controlled to automatically record the particular video selection. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. One or more computer-readable media comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause a computing system to:
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receive VOR selection data from a plurality of users, each VOR selection data comprising a requested video selection and video recorder identifying information that identifies a particular video recorder;
associate a transmission priority with the requested video selection, the transmission priority based on a number of requests for the video selection that are received;
associate a transmission time with the requested video selection, the transmission time based on the transmission priority;
associate a transmission channel with the requested video selection;
transmit control signals to the particular video recorder, the control signals directing the particular video recorder to tune to the transmission channel at the transmission time to record the requested video selection; and
transmit the requested video selection at the transmission time via the transmission channel. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
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Specification