System and method for customized program scheduling

• US 20070083901A1
• Filed: 10/12/2005
• Published: 04/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Bond, Madison
• Application Number:
  US11/248,403
• Publication Number:
  US 20070083901A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/94
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2221 being a cable television head-end CATV in broadcast systems H04H20/78
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2225 Local VOD servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23106 involving caching operations prefetching while addressing of a memory level in which the access to the desired data or data block requires associative addressing means within memory systems or architectures G06F12/0862; caching at an intermediate stage in a data network H04L67/568
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23113 involving housekeeping operations for stored content, e.g. prioritizing content for deletion because of storage space restrictions storage management, e.g. defragmentation G06F3/0604; snloading stored programs G06F9/445; housekeeping operations in file systems, e.g. deletion policies G06F16/10; buffering arrangements in a network node or in an end terminal in packet networks H04L49/90
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2393 involving handling client requests scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2396 characterized by admission policies admission control, resource allocation in open networks H04L12/5692; arrangements for network security using user profiles for access control H04L63/102; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2665 Gathering content from different sources, e.g. Internet and satellite
• 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 21/44222 Analytics of user selections, e.g. selection of programs or purchase activity monitoring of user selections in data processing systems G06F11/34; arrangements for monitoring the user's behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• 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 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

The present invention provides a user improved flexibility and convenience in selecting and receiving programming content utilizing a VOD or switched video architecture. Accordingly, the invention includes a system and method of delivering a linear programming feed to a user wherein the programming feed is initially transmitted from a transmission source. The method includes storing the transmitted programming feed in a memory buffer on a server and delivering the feed stored in the buffer to the user in on a designated channel. The method also includes refreshing the buffer when a buffer refreshing period has occurred. Additionally, the method includes determining whether the user has entered a command and executing the command entered by the user. The method further includes identifying time cues associated with the programming feed and delivering the programming feed in accordance with the time cues.

Claims

1. A method of delivering a linear programming feed to a user wherein the programming feed is initially transmitted from a transmission source, the method comprising:

storing the transmitted programming feed in a memory buffer on a server;

delivering the feed stored in the buffer to the user on a designated channel; and

refreshing the buffer when a buffer refreshing period has occurred.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the user has entered a command; and

executing the command entered by the user.

3. A method according to claim 1, further including identifying time cues associated with the programming feed.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein delivering the feed to the user includes delivering the feed to the user based on time cues.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein delivering the feed to the user based on time cues further includes automatically delivering the feed so as to deliver the feed at a beginning of a predetermined time period associated with the time cue.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein the beginning of the predetermined time period includes the beginning of a program that is designated to play.

7. A method according to claim 1, further including encoding the transmitted programming feed.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the buffer refreshing period is about 2 hours.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein storing the live programming feed in a memory buffer on a server includes a memory buffer on a video-on-demand server.

10. A method of delivering a linear programming feed to a user comprising:

inputting a command to create a viewing schedule;

selecting scheduled or non-scheduled programming;

storing the selected programming in a memory buffer on a server based on the viewing schedule;

integrating the stored programming to create a linear programming feed based on the viewing schedule; and

delivering the linear programming feed to the user on a designated channel in accordance with the viewing schedule.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein creating the viewing schedule includes searching for programming related to a predetermined topic.

12. A method according to claim 10, further including encoding the live programming feed.

13. A method according to claim 10, wherein creating a viewing schedule includes a viewing schedule having consecutive or non-consecutive programming time slots.

14. A method according to claim 10, further including selecting time slots for the selected programming.

15. A method according to claim 10, wherein storing the scheduled and non-scheduled programming feed in a memory buffer on a server includes a video-on-demand server.

16. A communications system for delivering a linear programming feed to a user wherein the programming feed is initially transmitted from a transmission source, the system being configured to:

store the transmitted programming feed in a memory buffer on a server;

determine whether a buffer refreshing period has occurred;

deliver the feed stored in the buffer to the user on a designated channel; and

refresh the buffer when the buffer refreshing period has occurred.

17. A system according to claim 16, wherein the system is further configured to:

determine whether the user has entered a command; and

execute the command entered by the user.

18. A system according to claim 16, wherein the system is further configured to identify time cues associated with the programming feed.

19. A system according to claim 16, wherein the system being configured to deliver the feed to the user further includes the system being configured to deliver the feed to the user based on at least the time cues.

20. A system according to claim 19, wherein the system being configured to deliver the feed to the user based on at least the time cues further includes the system being configured to automatically deliver the feed at a beginning of a predetermined time period associated with the time cue.

21. A system according to claim 20, wherein the system being configured to deliver the feed at the beginning of the predetermined time period includes delivering the feed at the beginning of a program that is designated to play.

22. A system according to claim 16, wherein the system is further configured to encode the feed.

23. A system according to claim 16, wherein the buffer refreshing period is about 2 hours.

24. A system according to claim 16, wherein the system is configured to store the programming feed in a memory buffer on a server includes storing the programming feed in a memory buffer on a video-on-demand server.

25. A method of delivering a linear programming feed to a user comprising:

storing a transmitted programming feed in a memory buffer on a video-on-demand server for a predetermined storage period;

determining whether a buffer refreshing period has occurred;

delivering the stored programming feed through the use of a set-top-box to a designated channel, wherein the designated channel does not rely exclusively on a continuous programming feed; and

refreshing the buffer when a buffer refreshing period has occurred.

26. A method according to claim 25, further including:

identifying time cues associated with the stored programming feed; and

delivering the stored programming feed through the use of the set-top-box to a designated channel based on the time cues, wherein the designated channel does not rely on a continuous programming feed.

27. A method according to claim 25, further including:

creating a viewing schedule for the stored programming feed; and

delivering the stored programming feed in accordance with the viewing schedule.

28. A method according to claim 25, wherein the predetermined 2 storage period is in a range of 2-24 hours.