Video on demand in a broadcast network

• US 20050190947A1
• Filed: 03/01/2004
• Published: 09/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DIRECTV, LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Dulac, Stephen P.
• Granted Patent: US 7,801,303 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/100
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8456 by decomposing the content in the time domain, e.g. in time segments
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8549 Creating video summaries, e.g. movie trailer retrieval in video databases by using presentations in form of a video summary G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

The present invention is a video on demand service enabled from a near video on demand service. A desired program is split into portions, or clips. The first clip is delivered a priori to the customer'"'"'s DVR using a hidden channel and it is made available for purchase on demand. The remaining portion is broadcast regularly using the start time of the NVOD service, for as long as the program is available for VOD purchase. Upon purchase, the remaining portion is authorized for capture by the DVR. The clips are spliced together upon playback to form a complete program.

Claims

1. A method of providing a video program in response to a demand by a subscriber, wherein the video program is repeatedly transmitted on one of a plurality of channels, each repeated transmission separated from a previous transmission by a predetermined period of time, the method comprising the steps of:

delivering a first unencrypted portion of at least one video program available for viewing on demand;

storing the first unencrypted portion of the at least one video program as unencrypted data on a Digital Video Recorder (DVR);

offering the video program for purchase by the subscriber;

accepting a subscriber demand to purchase the complete video program;

retrieving the stored first unencrypted portion of the at least one video program after accepting a subscriber demand to purchase the complete video program;

authorizing capture and decryption of a remaining portion of purchased video program;

switching from the stored first unencrypted portion of the at least one video program to the remaining portion of the purchased video program.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said step of delivering a portion of at least one video program further comprises delivering a portion of at least one video program on a hidden channel.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said step of authorizing capture and decryption of a remaining portion of the purchased video program further comprises the remaining portion containing less than all of the program and including at least the portion not stored in the first portion.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said step of switching from the stored first unencrypted portion of the at least one video program to the remaining portion of the video program further comprises switching to the remaining portion at one of a plurality of predetermined transition points.

5. A method for purchasing a program on demand comprising the steps of:

sending a first unencrypted portion of the program for purchase to a subscriber'"'"'s digital video recorder;

storing the first unencrypted portion of the at least one program for purchase on the subscriber'"'"'s digital video recorder;

offering at least one program for purchase;

selecting the at least one program for purchase;

retrieving the stored first unencrypted portion of the selected at least one program for purchase for viewing by the subscriber;

sending at least the remaining portion of the selected at least one program to the digital video recorder;

authorizing storage and viewing by the subscriber of the selected at least one program;

splicing the first unencrypted portion of the selected program with the remaining portion of the selected video to form a complete program;

storing the complete program on the digital video recorder for a predetermined period of time.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5 wherein the step of sending a first unencrypted portion of a program for purchase further comprises sending the first unencrypted portion of a program for purchase over a channel that is hidden to the subscriber but recognized by the digital video recorder.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6 wherein the step of sending a first unencrypted portion of a program for purchase further comprises sending information about the program in addition to the first unencrypted-portion.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7 wherein the information in addition to the first unencrypted portion further comprises promotional video, additional description about the program and program reviews.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8 further comprising the step of offering a free preview of a program from the stored first unencrypted portion of the at least one program.

10. The method as claimed in claim 6 wherein said step of splicing the first unencrypted portion of the selected program with the remaining portion of the selected video to form a complete program further comprises the steps of:

inserting triggers at predetermined transition points in the remaining portion of the program;

delivering the inserted triggers with the program;

identifying the inserted triggers at the digital video recorder for switching from the stored first unencrypted portion of the program to the remaining portion of the program.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10 wherein the triggers are delivered with the video.

12. The method as claimed in claim 10 wherein the triggers are included with a service'"'"'s metadata.

13. An apparatus for providing a program in response to a subscriber demand comprising:

a digital video recorder being an integrated receiver/decoder having digital video recording capabilities;

a first unencrypted portion of at least one program stored on the digital video recorder;

an offer to purchase at least one program;

means for accepting the offer to purchase the at least one program;

means for retrieving the first unencrypted portion from storage while retrieving the remaining portion of the program on the digital video recorder;

means for splicing the first unencrypted portion of the at least one program with the remaining portion of the program to define a complete program;

the complete program stored on the digital video recorder.

14. The apparatus as claimed in claim 13 wherein the offer to purchase at least one program further comprises a program guide stored on the at least one digital video recorder.

15. The apparatus as claimed in claim 14 further comprising a channel hidden from the program guide but known by the digital video recorder for sending the first unencrypted portion to the digital video recorder for storage thereon.

16. The apparatus as claimed in claim 13 wherein the means for splicing the first unencrypted portion with the remaining portion further comprises triggers inserted into the remaining portion at predetermined transition points for identification by the digital video recorder as a point of transition between the first unencrypted portion and the remaining portion.