Technique for selecting multiple entertainment programs to be provided over a communication network

• US 20060225097A1
• Filed: 04/01/2005
• Published: 10/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Inventors: Lawrence-Apfelbaum, Marc J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,234,679 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/61
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4828 for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8113 comprising music, e.g. song in MP3 format
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/816 involving special video data, e.g 3D video
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

In an entertainment service providing on-demand programs over a broadband communications network, a user is allowed to view multiple programs in a continuous manner. The user'"'"'s enjoyment of the entertainment service is enhanced especially when the on-demand programs are short, e.g., on-demand music videos which typically are a few minutes long. The user is provided with graphical user interfaces for selecting the desired programs to watch, and also allowed to determine the order in which the selected programs are to be played, which may be random.

Claims

1. A method for providing an on-demand entertainment service over a communications network, the method comprising:

broadcasting data descriptive of a plurality of on-demand programs over the communications network;

allowing a user to select ones of the on-demand programs to play based on the data from broadcast;

receiving a request for playing, in a continuous manner, selected on-demand programs, the request including at least information identifying the respective selected on-demand programs; and

in response to the request, providing a communications stream containing the selected on-demand programs in a sequence over the communications network.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the data is stored in a user device.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the user device includes a set-top terminal.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising allowing the user to determine an order in which the selected on-demand programs are to be played.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the order includes the order in which the on-demand programs are selected.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein the order includes a random order.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the request includes data specifying the order in which the selected on-demand programs are to be played.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the communications network includes a broadband communications network.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the broadband communications network includes a cable network.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the on-demand entertainment service includes a music on-demand service.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the selected on-demand programs include at least one music video.

12. A method for receiving on-demand programs from a server through a communications network, comprising:

allowing a user to compile a list of on-demand programs to be played;

generating a request for playing, in a continuous manner, the on-demand programs on the list;

receiving from the communications network an identifier identifying a communications stream containing the on-demand programs on the list, the identifier being generated by the server; and

retrieving content of the on-demand programs on the list from the communications stream identified by the identifier.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising allowing the user to determine an order in which the on-demand programs on the list are to be played.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the order includes the order in which the on-demand programs are listed on the list.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the order includes a random order.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein the communications network includes a broadband communications network.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the broadband communications network includes a cable network.

18. The method of claim 12 wherein the on-demand entertainment service includes a music on-demand service.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the on-demand programs on the list include at least one music video.

20. A system for providing an on-demand entertainment service over a communications network, the system comprising:

a mechanism for broadcasting data descriptive of a plurality of on-demand programs, a user being allowed to select ones of the on-demand programs to play based on the data from broadcast;

an interface for receiving a request for playing, in a continuous manner, selected on-demand programs, the request including at least information identifying the respective selected on-demand programs; and

a server responsive to the request for providing a communications stream containing the selected on-demand programs in a sequence over the communications network.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein the user is allowed to determine an order in which the selected on-demand programs are to be played.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein the order includes the order in which the on-demand programs are selected.

23. The system of claim 21 wherein the order includes a random order.

24. The system of claim 20 wherein the request includes data specifying the order in which the selected on-demand programs are to be played.

25. The system of claim 20 wherein the communications network includes a broadband communications network.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein the broadband communications network includes a cable network.

27. The system of claim 20 wherein the on-demand entertainment service includes a music on-demand service.

28. The system of claim 27 wherein the selected on-demand programs include at least one music video.

29. A system for receiving on-demand programs from a server through a communications network, comprising:

a mechanism for allowing a user to compile a list of on-demand programs to be played;

a processing unit configured to generate a request for playing, in a continuous manner, the on-demand programs on the list; and

an interface for receiving from the communications network an identifier identifying a communications stream containing the on-demand programs on the list, the identifier being generated by the server, content of the on-demand programs on the list being retrieved from the communications stream identified by the identifier.

30. The system of claim 29 wherein the user is allowed to determine an order in which the on-demand programs on the list are to be played.

31. The system of claim 30 wherein the order includes the order in which the on-demand programs are listed on the list.

32. The system of claim 30 wherein the order includes a random order.

33. The system of claim 29 wherein the communications network includes a broadband communications network.

34. The system of claim 33 wherein the broadband communications network includes a cable network.

35. The system of claim 29 wherein the on-demand entertainment service includes a music on-demand service.

36. The system of claim 35 wherein the on-demand programs on the list include at least one music video.