Hybrid networks

• US 20060020547A1
• Filed: 11/03/2003
• Published: 01/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Lipsanen, Matti
• Granted Patent: US 7,962,632 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/51
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/62 Establishing a time schedule for servicing the requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/63 Routing a service request depending on the request content or context
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26233 involving content or additional data duration or size, e.g. length of a movie, size of an executable file
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26266 for determining content or additional data repetition rate, e.g. of a file in a DVB carousel according to its importance arrangements for broadcast or for distribution of identical information repeatedly in broadcast distribution systems H04H20/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/442 Monitoring of processes or resources, e.g. detecting the failure of a recording device, monitoring the downstream bandwidth, the number of times a movie has been viewed, the storage space available from the internal hard disk arrangements for monitoring broadcast services or broadcast-related services H04H60/29; arrangements for identifying or recognising characteristics with a direct linkage to broadcast information H04H60/35; monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; monitoring in wireless networks H04W24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4755 for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6175 involving transmission via Internet broadcast-related systems characterised by the transmission system being the Internet H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17336 Handling of requests in head-ends

Abstract

A user through a mobile or fixed terminal (5) informs an agent (33) hosted by an operator server (13) of subjects in respect of which content is requested. The agent (33) searches the internet for relevant content, and determines from a set of user preferences, relating to cost and timing of delivery preferences, a network for use in delivering the content to the terminal. Delivery may be made by a free network, e.g. a WLAN or Bluetooth network, if one is available, or over an expensive network such as a 3G, GSM or GPRS network if the content is requited quickly. If delivery is to be made over a broadcast network (11), such as a DVB-T network (11), a signal is sent to the terminal over a mobile telephone network (7) giving the time of broadcast, in response to which the terminal (5) enables its broadcast receiver at the appropriate time. Also, the agent (33) periodically reviews the content on a data carousel (45) which is awaiting broadcast, and informs the terminal (5) of any forthcoming content which is relevant to the user request.

Claims

1. A content delivery method comprising establishing a set of user preferences related to delivery of content, sourcing content in response to a request received from a terminal connected to a network and selecting based on said set of user preferences a network over which to deliver said content to said terminal.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, comprising maintaining in an agent a log of sourced content relating to the request.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2, comprising maintaining in the log an indication of the delivery status of the content.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, comprising acknowledging receipt of the content over a or the duplex network.

5. A method as claimed in claim 3, comprising updating the delivery status of the log on receiving an acknowledgement receipt.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1, comprising notifying over a duplex network the terminal prior to the delivery of content over a simplex network.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1, in which the user preferences relate to cost and/or delivery timing preferences.

8. A method as claimed in claim 1, comprising reviewing content items on a data carousel, and determining from the reviewing step if any forthcoming content matches the user request.

9. A method as claimed in claim 1, comprising conducting a search for content relating to the request, preferably using the internet.

10. A method as claimed in claim 1, comprising storing in a or the agent information relating to the last update of content relating to the request.

11. A method as claimed in claim 1, comprising storing in a or the agent information relating to the user'"'"'s time and/or frequency of updating preferences.

12. A method as claimed in claim 1, comprising storing in a or the agent information relating to domains to which searching relating to the content request is limited.

13. A method as claimed in claim 1, comprising storing in an agent user preferences relating to plural users.

14. A method as claimed in claim 13, comprising sourcing an item of content, and sending the content to plural users.

15. A method as claimed in claim 14, comprising maintaining in the agent a log of which users have received the item of content.

16. A method as claimed in claim 13, in which the plural users each are able to define a relevance level of content of which they require delivery.

17. A method as claimed in claim 13, comprising periodically sourcing content, and using the user preferences for the plural users to determine which users the content is required by.

18. An agent connectable to a network, the agent being operable to establish a set of user preferences relating to delivery of content to a user terminal, to source content in response to a user request, and to deliver said content to a user terminal over a network selected in dependence on said set of user preferences.

19-32. -32. (canceled)

33. A content delivery system comprising a first duplex network, a second network and a user terminal connectable to said first and second networks, wherein the system further comprises an agent connectable to said first and second networks, the agent being operable to source content in response to a user request received from said user terminal via said first network and to deliver said content to said terminal over a network selected in accordance with a set of user preferences.

34. A system as claimed in claim 33, in which the user preferences are established by the agent.

35. A system as claimed in claim 33, in which the user preferences are generated by the terminal.

36. A system as claimed in any of claims 33 to 35, in which the second network is a simplex network.

37. A system as claimed in claim 36, comprising means for notifying over the first network the terminal prior to the delivery of content over the second network.

38-53. -53. (canceled)