Unicast Delivery of Multimedia Content

• US 20090083811A1
• Filed: 09/26/2007
• Published: 03/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Akamai Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Verivue Incorporated (Akamai Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Reddy, Uma, Pai, Ganesh, Gruber, Rubin, Dolce, James A., Van Seters, Stephen, Hluchyj, Michael G., Lawler, Christopher, Krishnan, Santosh
• Application Number:
  US11/862,049
• Publication Number:
  US 20090083811A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/93
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2747 Remote storage of video programs received via the downstream path, e.g. from the server
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6408 Unicasting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/16 Analogue secrecy systems; Analogue subscription systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Described herein are techniques, including methods and systems, including computer program products, for unicast delivery of multimedia content. A broadcast program and a video-on-demand program are ingested by a video delivery module. At least a portion of the broadcast program and at least a portion of the video-on-demand program are stored. The broadcast program, the video-on-demand program, or both are delivered as a unicast video stream to a first single subscriber through a multiplexer connected to a plurality of subscribers.

Claims

1. A system for unicast delivery of multimedia content, the system comprising:

a buffer configured;

to ingest a broadcast program and a video-on-demand program;

to store at least a portion of the broadcast program and at least a portion of the video-on-demand program; and

to deliver the broadcast program, the video-on-demand program, or both as a unicast video stream to a first single subscriber through a multiplexer connected to a plurality of subscribers.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the buffer is further configured to store a plurality of advertisement programs.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the buffer is further configured:

to determine a first advertisement selected from the plurality of advertisement programs based on information associated with the first single subscriber; and

to insert the first advertisement program into the unicast video stream for delivery to the first single subscriber.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the buffer is further configured

to determine a second advertisement selected from the plurality of advertisement programs based on information associated with a second single subscriber, which is one of the plurality of subscribers and different than the first single subscriber;

and

to insert the second advertisement program into a second unicast video stream for delivery to the second single subscriber.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the buffer is further configured to insert an advertisement program from the plurality of advertisement programs into the broadcast program, the video-on-demand program, or both during the ingest.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the buffer is further configured to deliver the broadcast program, the video-on-demand program, or both with the inserted advertisement program to a group of the plurality of subscribers.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the buffer is further configured to store a portion of the broadcast program separately from the full portion of the broadcast program.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the buffer is further configured to transmit the portion of the broadcast program to the first single subscriber based on a request for a broadcast program.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the request for a broadcast program comprises a channel change request in a multi-channel network.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the multiplexer comprises a DSLAM, an OLT, an EQAM modulator, or any combination thereof.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the unicast video stream is delivered through a subscriber line, which comprises a copper line, a fiber optic line, a cable television line, or any combination thereof.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the buffer comprises non-volatile storage, volatile storage, or both.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the unicast video stream comprises a real time program for transmission to the single subscriber.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the unicast video stream comprises a non-real time program for transmission to the single subscriber.

15. A system for unicast delivery of multimedia content, the system comprising:

a means for ingesting a broadcast program and a video-on-demand program;

a means for storing at least a portion of the broadcast program and at least a portion of the video-on-demand program; and

a means for delivering the broadcast program, the video-on-demand program, or both as a unicast video stream to a first single subscriber through a multiplexer connected to a plurality of subscribers.

16. A method for unicast delivery of multimedia content, the method comprising:

ingesting a broadcast program and a video-on-demand program;

storing at least a portion of the broadcast program and at least a portion of the video-on-demand program; and

delivering the broadcast program, the video-on-demand program, or both as a unicast video stream to a first single subscriber through a multiplexer connected to a plurality of subscribers.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising storing a plurality of advertisement programs.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

determining a first advertisement selected from the plurality of advertisement programs based on information associated with the first single subscriber, which is one of the plurality of subscribers; and

inserting the first advertisement program into the unicast video stream for delivery to the first single subscriber.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising:

determining a second advertisement selected from the plurality of advertisement programs based on information associated with a second single subscriber, which is different than the first single subscriber and one of the plurality of subscribers; and

inserting the second advertisement program into a second unicast video stream for delivery to the second single subscriber.

20. The method of claim 17 further comprises inserting an advertisement program from the plurality of advertisement programs into the broadcast program, the video-on-demand program, or both during the ingesting.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprises delivering the broadcast program, the video-on-demand program, or both with the inserted advertisement program to a group of the plurality of subscribers.

22. The method of claim 16 further comprises storing a portion of the broadcast program separately from the full portion of the broadcast program.

23. The method of claim 22 further comprises transmitting the portion of the broadcast program to the single subscriber based on a request for a broadcast program.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the request for a broadcast program comprises a channel change request in a multi-channel network.

25. A computer program product, tangibly embodied in an information carrier, the computer program product including instructions being operable to cause a data processing apparatus to:

ingest a broadcast program and a video-on-demand program;

store at least a portion of the broadcast program and at least a portion of the video-on-demand program; and

deliver the broadcast program, the video-on-demand program, or both as a unicast video stream to a first single subscriber through a multiplexer connected to a plurality of subscribers.

26-50. -50. (canceled)