System and method for dynamically scheduling quasi on-demand programming in a broadcast television network

• US 20050235330A1
• Filed: 04/20/2004
• Published: 10/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hughes Electronics Corporation (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Hughes Electronics Corporation (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Dulac, Stephen P., O'Donnell, Laura J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,707,609 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/87
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26208 the scheduling operation being performed under constraints
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17336 Handling of requests in head-ends

Abstract

Quasi on-demand programming is dynamically scheduled in a broadcast television network to improve customer service, enhance programming flexibility and increase the value proposition of the service provider. A Program Offer including a “delivery window” for each program and an initial Playlist for broadcasting regular, PPV and offered programming are created. Customer demand for individual programs in the offering is surveyed. This information is used to reoptimize the Playlist prior to broadcast and to update a “rolling” Program Offer to better manage network capacity and improve custom satisfaction.

Claims

1. A method of broadcasting television programs, comprising:

determining a current Program Offer that includes a plurality of programs each having an associated delivery window;

determining an initial Playlist for broadcasting said programs that satisfies the delivery windows;

delivering the current Program Offer to a plurality of customers; and

broadcasting the programs according to the initial Playlist.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving selection information for programs in the current Program Offer by the plurality of customers; and

determining an updated Playlist for the current Program Offer based on the initial Playlist and the selection information.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the updated Playlist includes time slots for broadcasting each of said programs, the step of determining the updated Playlist comprising moving at least one of the time slots forward to reduce a time-to-broadcast for the associated program.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the updated Playlist broadcasts at least some of the more frequently selected programs sooner and/or more often than the initial Playlist.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving information on the selection of the programs in the current Program Offer by the plurality of customers; and

determining a new Program Offer based on the current Program Offer and the received information; and

delivering the new Program Offer to the plurality of customers.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the new Program Offer is determined by changing the delivery windows for the programs in the current Program Offer.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the current Program Offer and the initial Playlist are determined iteratively until the initial Playlist can satisfy the delivery windows for the current Program Offer.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the delivery windows and initial Playlist are determined based on a plurality of constraints selected from carriage contracts, bandwidth, program popularity and customer preferences.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein each of the programs is given a score based on an optimization of the constraints that determines the delivery window.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein other programs outside the current Program Offer are broadcast at fixed time slots, said initial Playlist accommodating the fixed time slots occupied by the other programs and the delivery windows specified by the current Program Offer.

11. A method of broadcasting television programs, comprising:

determining a program guide that includes a plurality of first programs each having a fixed broadcast time;

determining a current Program Offer that includes a plurality of second programs each having an associated delivery window;

determining an initial Playlist for broadcasting said first and second programs that satisfies both the fixed broadcast times and the delivery windows;

delivering the program guide and the current Program Offer to a plurality of customers;

receiving selection information for programs in the current Program Offer by the plurality of customers;

determining an updated Playlist based on the initial Playlist and the selection information; and

broadcasting said first and second programs in accordance with the updated Playlist.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the updated Playlist broadcasts at least some of the more frequently selected programs sooner and/or more often than the initial Playlist.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the current Program Offer and the initial Playlist are determined iteratively until the initial Playlist can satisfy the delivery windows for the current Program Offer.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the delivery windows and initial Playlist are determined based on a plurality of constraints selected from carriage contracts, bandwidth, program popularity and customer preferences.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

determining a new Program Offer based on the current Program Offer and the selection information; and

delivering the new Program Offer to the plurality of customers.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the new Program Offer is determined by updating the delivery windows for the programs in the current Program Offer.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

determining a new initial Playlist that satisfies the updated delivery windows in the new Program Offer.

18. A method of broadcasting television programs, comprising the steps of:

(a) determining a Program Offer that includes a plurality of programs each having an associated delivery window for broadcast within a specified time period;

(b) delivering the Program Offer to a plurality of customers;

(c) receiving selection information for programs in the Program Offer by the plurality of customers;

(d) updating the delivery windows in the Program Offer for broadcast of the programs within a subsequent specified time period, said updated delivery windows being determined based on the current Program offer and the selection information;

(e) repeating steps b through d.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the updated Program Offers are interleaved to skip at least one time period.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the delivery windows are determined based on a plurality of constraints selected from carriage contracts, bandwidth, program popularity and customer preferences.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprising for each said Program Offer:

determining an initial Playlist for broadcasting said programs that satisfies the delivery windows;

determining an updated Playlist for the current Program Offer based on the initial Playlist and the selection information; and

broadcasting the programs in the specified time period according to the updated Playlist.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the updated Playlist broadcasts at least some of the more frequently selected programs sooner and/or more often than the initial Playlist.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the Program Offer and the initial Playlist are determined iteratively until the initial Playlist can satisfy the delivery windows for the current Program Offer.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein other programs outside the Program Offer are broadcast at fixed time slots in the specified time period, said initial and updated Playlist accommodating the fixed time slots occupied by the other programs and the delivery windows specified by the Program Offer.

25. A television broadcast network, comprising:

A broadcast playout system that stores television programs;

An uplink system that inserts programs and metadata into a broadcast stream and uplinks it to a broadcast system;

A traffic and scheduling system that creates a Program Offer and an initial Playlist, said Program Offer including a plurality of programs and a delivery window for each said program, said initial Playlist including said programs and a time slot for broadcast in a specified time period;

A program guide system that converts the Program Offer into metadata and forwards it to the uplink system; and

a broadcast control system that controls the broadcast playout system to deliver programs to the uplink system in accordance with the Playlist for the Program Offer.

26. The broadcast network of claim 25, further comprising:

A dynamic scheduling system that receives customer selection information for the programs in the Program Offer and (a) determines an updated Playlist for the current Program Offer and/or (b) determines a new Program Offer with updated delivery windows for broadcast of the programs within a subsequent specified time period, said new Program Offer being converted to metadata and uplinked to the broadcast system.

27. The broadcast network of claim 26, wherein the updated Playlist broadcasts at least some of the more frequently selected programs sooner and/or more often than the initial Playlist for the current Program Offer.

28. The broadcast network of claim 26, wherein the delivery windows and initial Playlist are determined based on a plurality of constraints selected from carriage contracts, bandwidth, program popularity and customer preferences.

29. The broadcast network of claim 25, wherein other programs outside the current Program Offer are broadcast at fixed time slots, said initial Playlist accommodating the fixed time slots occupied by the other programs and the delivery windows specified by the current Program Offer.

30. The broadcast network of claim 25, wherein the updated Program Offers are interleaved to skip at least one time period.

31. The broadcast network of claim 26, wherein the broadcast system comprises at least one satellite.