Method and apparatus for distributing messages

• US 20060161679A1
• Filed: 01/14/2005
• Published: 07/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Pai, Sukesh H., Mikkelson, Erik C., Ludvig, Edward A., Lund, Todd A., O'Gorman, Liam P.
• Granted Patent: US 7,571,250 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/240
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4516 involving client characteristics, e.g. Set-Top-Box type, software version or amount of memory available
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/454 Content or additional data filtering, e.g. blocking advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4882 for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6338 directed to network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8126 involving additional data, e.g. news, sports, stocks, weather forecasts
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17309 Transmission or handling of upstream communications

Abstract

A procedure identifies multiple messages to distribute via a cable television network. The procedure determines first performance data associated with a downstream subnetwork and determines second performance data associated with an upstream subnetwork. The plurality of messages are prioritized based on the first performance data and the second performance data. The procedure sends a highest-ranked message among the plurality of messages to a destination device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

identifying a plurality of messages to distribute via a cable television network, wherein the cable television network has a plurality of downstream subnetworks and a plurality of upstream subnetworks;

determining first performance data associated with a downstream subnetwork;

determining second performance data associated with an upstream subnetwork;

prioritizing the plurality of messages based on the first performance data and the second performance data; and

sending a highest-ranked message among the plurality of messages to a destination device.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the downstream subnetwork is associated with an out-of-band modulator.

3. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the upstream subnetwork is associated with a return path demodulator.

4. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein prioritizing the plurality of messages includes ranking the plurality of messages based on performance of the associated subnetwork.

5. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the upstream subnetwork is associated with the downstream subnetwork.

6. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising receiving an acknowledgement from the destination device via the upstream subnetwork.

7. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

determining a performance associated with the highest-ranked message; and

updating the first performance data based on the performance associated with the highest-ranked message.

8. A method as recited in claim 7 further comprising reprioritizing the plurality of messages based on the updated first performance data.

9. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

determining a performance associated with the highest-ranked subnetwork; and

updating the performance data based on the performance associated with the highest-ranked subnetwork.

10. One or more computer-readable memories containing a computer program that is executable by a processor to perform the method recited in claim 1.

11. A method comprising:

identifying a plurality of messages to distribute via a television distribution network;

determining performance data associated with a plurality of subnets in the network, wherein each of the plurality of messages is associated with at least one subnet;

prioritizing the plurality of messages based on the performance data associated with the plurality of subnets;

sending highest-ranked messages among the plurality of messages to a destination device;

determining a performance associated with the highest-ranked message; and

updating the performance data associated with the plurality of subnets based on the performance associated with the highest-ranked message.

12. A method as recited in claim 11 further comprising reprioritizing the plurality of messages based on the updated performance data.

13. A method as recited in claim 11 wherein at least one of the subnets is a downstream subnet associated with an out-of-band modulator.

14. A method as recited in claim 11 wherein at least one of the subnets is an upstream subnet associated with a return path demodulator.

15. A method as recited in claim 11 wherein determining a performance associated with a plurality of subnets includes determining a response time associated with particular subnets.

16. A method as recited in claim 11 wherein determining a performance associated with a plurality of subnets includes determining whether the highest-ranked messages were successfully received by the destination device.

17. One or more computer-readable memories containing a computer program that is executable by a processor to perform the method recited in claim 11.

18. One or more computer-readable media having stored thereon a computer program that, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to:

identify a plurality of messages to distribute via a television network;

prioritize the plurality of messages based on performance data associated with a plurality of portions of the network;

send a highest-ranked message to a destination device associated with a highest-ranked portion of the network;

determine whether the highest-ranked message was successfully delivered to the destination device; and

reprioritize the remaining messages based on whether the highest-ranked message was successfully delivered to the destination device.

19. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 18 wherein the one or more processors further send a next highest-ranked message from the remaining messages.

20. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 18 wherein the one or more processors further:

monitor delivery of messages to destination devices associated with particular portions of the network; and

reprioritize remaining messages based on successful deliveries of messages to destination devices.