System and method for providing programming in a multi-dwelling unit or multi-tenant unit network

• US 20060156357A1
• Filed: 09/05/2003
• Published: 07/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Thomson Licensing SA (Vantiva SA)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing SA (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Marks, Tim Evan, Lockridge, Terry Wayne, Derrenberger, Mike Arthur
• Application Number:
  US10/526,536
• Publication Number:
  US 20060156357A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/90
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2143 located in a single building, e.g. hotel, hospital or museum arrangements specially adapted for plural spots in a confined site in broadcast systems H04H20/63; adaptations for transmission by electric cable for domestic distribution in television systems H04N7/106
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2225 Local VOD servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/252 Processing of multiple end-users' preferences to derive collaborative data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2543 Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2747 Remote storage of video programs received via the downstream path, e.g. from the server
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47211 for requesting pay-per-view content payment schemes payment architectures or payment protocols G06Q20/00, G07F
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6581 Reference data, e.g. a movie identifier for ordering a movie or a product identifier in a home shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6587 Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17336 Handling of requests in head-ends

Abstract

A system and method for providing programming to a client in a Multi-Dwelling Unit or Multi-Tenant unit network. The system and method includes various embodiments for converting pay per view content to video on demand content, collecting and displaying popular programs to a client, and billing a client for the utilization of personal video recording functions.

Claims

1. A method for providing a program to a client, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a request for a pay per view (PPV) program from the client;

determining if the requested program already resides on a local storage device;

retrieving the requested program from the local storage device if the requested program resides thereon;

transmitting the retrieved program to the client for display;

downloading the requested program from a PPV service provider if the requested program does not reside on the local storage device; and

transmitting the downloaded program to the client for display and to the storage device for storage.

2. The method of claim 1, further including the steps of:

periodically accessing a PPV page provided by the PPV service provider;

determining if a program listed on the PPV page is stored in the local storage device;

downloading the program if it is not stored in the local storage device; and

transmitting the downloaded program to the storage device for storage thereon.

3. The method of claim 2, further including the step of:

updating a video on demand page in a program guide so the page lists the title of the downloaded program.

4. The method of claim 1, further including the step of:

updating a video on demand page in a program guide so the page lists the title of the downloaded program.

5. The method of claim 1, further including the step of:

updating a network aggregate profile to reflect the client'"'"'s request for the stored or downloaded program.

6. The method of claim 5, further including the steps of:

selecting programs in the network aggregate profile that meet a predetermined criteria; and

generating popular program page in a program guide, the popular program page listing the selected programs.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the predetermined criteria is if the number of times a program has been requested exceeds a predetermined threshold.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

offering personal video recording services to a client for programs stored in the local storage device; and

charging the client a fee for each PVR service requested.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the PVR services offered are at least one of pause, rewind, fast forward and random access.

10. A system for providing a program to a client, the system comprising:

means for receiving a request for a pay per view (PPV) program from the client;

means for determining if the requested program already resides on a local storage device;

means for retrieving the requested program from the local storage device if the requested program resides thereon;

means for transmitting the retrieved program to the client for display;

means for downloading the requested program from a PPV service provider if the requested program does not reside on the local storage device; and

means for transmitting the downloaded program to the client for display and to the storage device for storage.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

means for periodically accessing a PPV page provided by the PPV service provider;

means for determining if a program listed on the PPV page is stored in the local storage device;

means for downloading the program if it is not stored in the local storage device; and

means for transmitting the downloaded program to the storage device for storage thereon.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

means for updating a video on demand (VOD) page in a program guide so the page lists the title of the downloaded program.

13. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

means for updating a video on demand page in a program guide so the page lists the title of the downloaded program.

14. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

means for updating a network aggregate profile to reflect the client'"'"'s request for the stored or downloaded program.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

means for selecting programs in the network aggregate profile that meet a predetermined criteria; and

means for generating a popular program page in a program guide, the popular program page listing the selected programs.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the predetermined criteria is if the number of times a program has been requested exceeds a predetermined threshold.

17. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

means for offering personal video recording services to a client for programs stored in the local storage device; and

means for charging the client a fee for each PVR service requested.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the PVR services offered are at least one of pause, rewind, fast forward and random access.