Systems and Methods of Differentiated Requests for Network Access

• US 20090031342A1
• Filed: 07/27/2007
• Published: 01/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tech 5 SAS
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Meador, Guy Atkinson III, Schlarb, John M., VerSteeg, William C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,776,160 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4383 Accessing a communication channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4384 involving operations to reduce the access time, e.g. fast-tuning for reducing channel switching latency
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/443 OS processes, e.g. booting an STB, implementing a Java virtual machine in an STB or power management in an STB
• 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 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17336 Handling of requests in head-ends

Abstract

Methods and systems of handling channel changes in a digital home communication terminal are disclosed. An exemplary method comprises: receiving a request for access to a downstream network connected to the DHCT; determining a source of the request for access; and setting at least one parameter to a value based on the determined source; and performing a channel change using the at least one parameter having the set value An exemplary system comprises: a channel acquisition component, memory, and a processor. The processor is programmed by code, stored in memory, to: receive a channel change request; determine whether the channel change request is user-initiated; and instruct the channel acquisition component to perform a channel change using at least one parameter. The parameter has a value that is based on the determination.

Claims

1. A method of handling requests for access to a downstream network connected to a digital home communication terminal (DHCT), the method comprising:

receiving a request for access to a downstream network connected to the DHCT;

determining a source of the request for access;

setting at least one parameter to a value based on the determined source; and

performing a channel change using the at least one parameter having the set value.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the source comprises an electronic program guide, a navigator component, a channel map component, an entitlement component, or a code update component.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining further comprises:

determining whether the request for access involves background data collection; and

setting a network access priority to a first value based on the result of determining whether the request for access involves background data collection.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

setting the network access priority to low when the request for access involves background data collection.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

setting the network access priority to intermediate when the request for access does not involve background data collection.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining further comprises:

determining whether the request for access involves background data collection; and

setting a network access priority to a first value, the first value based on the result of determining whether the request for access involves background data collection, and on the source of the request for access.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

setting the network access priority to intermediate when the request for access does not involve background data collection and the source of the request is a navigator component.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

setting the network access priority to intermediate when the request for access does not involve background data collection and the source of the request is other than a navigator component.

9. A digital home communication terminal (DHCT) comprising:

memory having stored thereon program code; and

a processor that is programmed by at least the program code to enable the DHCT to;

receive a request for access to a downstream network connected to the DHCT;

determine a source of the request for access;

set at least one parameter to a value based on the determined source; and

perform a channel change using the at least one parameter having the set value.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the source comprises an electronic program guide, a navigator component, a channel map component, an entitlement component, or a code update component.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor is further programmed to enable the DHCT to:

determine whether the request for access involves background data collection; and

set a network access priority to a first value based on the result of determining whether the request for access involves background data collection.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the processor is further programmed to enable the DHCT to:

set the network access priority to low when the request for access involves background data collection.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the processor is further programmed to enable the DHCT to:

set the network access priority to intermediate when the request for access does not involve background data collection.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor is further programmed to enable the DHCT to:

determine whether the request for access involves background data collection; and

set a network access priority to a first value, the first value based on the result of determining whether the request for access involves background data collection, and on the source of the request for access.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the processor is further programmed to enable the DHCT to:

set the network access priority to intermediate when the request for access does not involve background data collection and the source of the request is a navigator component.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the processor is further programmed to enable the DHCT to:

set the network access priority to intermediate when the request for access does not involve background data collection and the source of the request is other than a navigator component.

17. A computer-readable medium having a computer program for processing data comprising:

logic configured to receive a request for access to a downstream network connected to the DHCT;

logic configured to determine a source of the request for access;

logic configured to set at least one parameter to a value based on the determined source; and

logic configured to perform a channel change using the at least one parameter having the set value.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the source comprises an electronic program guide, a navigator component, a channel map component, an entitlement component, or a code update component.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, further comprising:

logic configured to determine whether the request for access involves background data collection; and

logic configured to set a network access priority to a first value based on the result of determining whether the request for access involves background data collection.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, further comprising:

logic configured to determine whether the request for access involves background data collection; and

logic configured to set a network access priority to a first value, the first value based on the result of determining whether the request for access involves background data collection, and on the source of the request for access.