System and method of managing video content delivery

• US 20060294561A1
• Filed: 06/22/2005
• Published: 12/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Sbc Knowledge Ventures, L.P.
• Inventors: Suryanarayana, Lalitha, Grannan, Michael F.
• Granted Patent: US 8,893,199 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/101
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2393 involving handling client requests scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26208 the scheduling operation being performed under constraints
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2625 for delaying content or additional data distribution, e.g. because of an extended sport event
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26258 for generating a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlist, or scheduling item distribution according to such list retrieval of multimedia data based on playlists G06F16/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2668 Creating a channel for a dedicated end-user group, e.g. insertion of targeted commercials based on end-user profiles information retrieval from the Internet by querying with filtering and personalisation G06F16/9535; arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast H04H20/10; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; adaptation of message content in packet-switching networks H04L51/063
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47208 for requesting near-video-on-demand content
• 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 7/17327 with deferred transmission or handling of upstream communications

Abstract

A system and method of managing delivery of content is disclosed. The method includes receiving a first request for delayed broadcast of a content item at a first time. The first request is from a first user having access to broadcast content. The method further includes receiving a second request for delayed broadcast of the content item at a second time. The second request is from a second user having access to broadcast content. The method further includes scheduling the content item for broadcast to a plurality of users at a third time. The third time is after the first time and after the second time. The plurality of users includes the first and second user.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a first request for delayed broadcast of a content item at a first time, the first request from a first user having access to receive broadcast content;

receiving a second request for delayed broadcast of the content item at a second time, the second request from a second user having access to receive broadcast content;

scheduling the content item for broadcast to a plurality of users at a third time, the third time after the first time and after the second time, the plurality of users including the first user and the second user.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a plurality of requests for delayed broadcast of the content item, the plurality of requests including the first request and the second request; and

comparing a number of the plurality of requests received to a broadcast threshold, wherein the third time occurs after determining that the number of the plurality of requests received exceeds the broadcast threshold.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the broadcast threshold is set such that the content item is efficiently broadcast to the plurality of users.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a content search request corresponding to the content item from the first user; and

providing a plurality of content delivery options to the first user, the content delivery options including an option for delayed broadcast of the content item.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the content item is broadcast at the third time via a first network and wherein the plurality of delivery options includes delivery over a second network at a fourth time, the fourth time occurring before the third time.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the second network is a broadband network.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the second network selected from the group of a cable network, a digital subscriber line (DSL) network, or a fiber network.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein the content search request includes delivery parameters.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the delivery parameters are selected from the group of price, video fidelity, audio fidelity, delivery time, or any combination of the foregoing.

10. The method of claim 4, wherein the plurality of delivery options are selected from the group of price, video fidelity, audio fidelity, delivery time or any combination of the foregoing.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the delivery options include at least one video on demand option.

12. A method comprising:

providing a request for a content item at a first time to a content provider;

receiving a plurality of content delivery options relating to the requested content item, a first of the plurality of delivery options comprising a delayed broadcast option, a second of the plurality of options comprising an on-demand option;

providing a selection of the delayed broadcast option; and

receiving the content item via a broadcast network at a second time, the second time after the first time.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the second of the plurality of options comprises an option for delivery of the content at a third time, the third time after the first time and before the second time.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the broadcast network is selected from the group of a cable network or a satellite network.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

providing a plurality of delivery parameters to the content provider.

16. A method comprising:

receiving at least one search criterion at a search engine server, the at least one search criterion received from a set top box;

performing a search at the search engine server of a plurality of databases associated with a plurality of video content sources, the search based on the at least one search criterion, the plurality of video content sources including a broadcast source and an on-demand source; and

providing delivery options to the set-top box based on the search.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the plurality of databases includes an electronic programming guide (EPG) database.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the plurality of databases includes a local video on demand content database.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the plurality of video content sources includes a multicast-capable IP network.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the at least one search criterion is selected from the group of user location information, content title, performer name, team name, program subject matter, or any combination of the foregoing.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein the delivery options are selected from the group of price, video fidelity, audio fidelity, delivery time, or any combination of the foregoing.

22. The method of claim 16, further comprising,

receiving a request for delayed broadcast of video content;

incrementing a peg counter associated with the video content; and

storing user information associated with the request.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

broadcasting the video content corresponding to the at least one search criterion after the peg counter exceeds a threshold value.

24. A method comprising:

receiving at least one search criterion for video content at a set top box;

communicating the at least one search criterion to a search engine server; and

receiving delivery options at the set top box based on a search of a plurality of databases associated with a plurality of video content sources, wherein the plurality of video content sources includes at least one on-demand video content source and at least one broadcast video content source, and wherein the delivery options identify at least one of the plurality of video content sources that contains content substantially matching the at least one search criterion.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

creating an offer page based on the delivery options.

26. A set top box device comprising:

a processor;

a modem coupled to a wide area network and coupled to the processor;

a computer readable medium accessible to the processor; and

a computer program embedded within the computer readable medium, the computer program comprising;

instructions to create at least one search criterion based on a user input and to communicate the at least one search criterion to an external search engine via the modem, wherein the external search engine has search access to a first database associated with at least one broadcast video content source and to a second database associated with at least one on-demand video content source.

27. The set top box device of claim 26, wherein the computer program further comprises instructions to receive delivery options from the external search engine.

28. The set top box device of claim 27, wherein the delivery options include a first option for delayed broadcast of a content item associated with the at least one search criterion and a second option for on-demand delivery of the content item associated with the at least one search criterion.

29. The set top box device of claim 28, wherein the second option comprises an option to download the content item associated with the at least one search criterion.