METHODS, COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCTS, AND SYSTEMS FOR PACKAGING LIVECAST ELECTRONIC CONTENT FOR DISTRIBUTION

• US 20090133080A1
• Filed: 11/16/2007
• Published: 05/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: At&T Delaware Intellectual Property, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: At&T Delaware Intellectual Property, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Malik, Dale
• Granted Patent: US 8,132,221 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/105
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26216 involving the channel capacity, e.g. network bandwidth admission control, resource allocation in open networks H04L12/5692; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; establishing a schedule or organising the servicing of application requests taking into account QoS H04L67/61
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Packaging live broadcast electronic content for delivery on a content delivery network is provided. A first live program broadcast on a first channel is scheduled for delivery on a livecast channel, and a second live program broadcast on a second channel is scheduled for delivery on the livecast channel. The first live program is associated with a first content identifier and the first channel in an electronic program guide, and the second live program is associated with a second content identifier and the second channel in the electronic program guide. Upon receiving a program selection of at least one of the first live program or the second live program from the electronic program guide, the program selection is delivered over the livecast channel.

Claims

1. A method for packaging livecast electronic content for distribution, the method including:

scheduling a first live program broadcast on a first channel for delivery on a livecast channel, and scheduling a second live program broadcast on a second channel for delivery on the livecast channel;

associating the first live program with a first content identifier and the first channel in an electronic program guide, and associating the second live program with a second content identifier and the second channel in the electronic program guide; and

upon receiving a program selection of at least one of the first live program or the second live program from the electronic program guide, delivering the program selection over the livecast channel.

2. The method of claim 1 further including selecting the first live program for scheduling and selecting the second live program for scheduling by identifying a plurality of live programs that are expected or predicted to be widely viewed relative to other programs offered by the first channel, the second channel, or all available channels.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the first live program and the second live program are selected by selecting sporting events, news programs, or both.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the scheduling and the associating are performed by a delivery server, an access server, or both.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the delivering of the program selection over the livecast channel is transparent to a user selecting the program selection.

6. The method of claim 5 for use with a set top box wherein, in response to a user of the set top box requesting to view a live broadcast on a conventional broadcast channel, the set top box uses the electronic program guide to automatically and seamlessly receive the live broadcast over the livecast channel in a manner transparent to the user.

7. The method of claim 1 further including using the livecast channel to reduce a number or quantity of delivery servers required to deliver broadcast programming in an internet protocol television (IPTV) or other program delivery system.

8. A computer program product for packaging livecast electronic content for distribution, the computer program product including a storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for facilitating a method comprising:

scheduling a first live program broadcast on a first channel for delivery on a livecast channel, and scheduling a second live program broadcast on a second channel for delivery on the livecast channel;

associating the first live program with a first content identifier and the first channel in an electronic program guide, and associating the second live program with a second content identifier and the second channel in the electronic program guide; and

upon receiving a program selection of at least one of the first live program or the second live program from the electronic program guide, delivering the program selection over the livecast channel.

9. The computer program product of claim 8 further including instructions for selecting the first live program for scheduling and selecting the second live program for scheduling by identifying a plurality of live programs that are expected or predicted to be widely viewed relative to other programs offered by the first channel, the second channel, or all available channels.

10. The computer program product of claim 9 wherein the first live program and the second live program are selected by selecting sporting events, news programs, or both.

11. The computer program product of claim 8 wherein the scheduling and the associating are performed by a delivery server, an access server, or both.

12. The computer program product of claim 8 wherein the delivering of the program selection over the livecast channel is transparent to a user selecting the program selection.

13. The computer program product of claim 12 for use with a set top box wherein, in response to a user of the set top box requesting to view a live broadcast on a conventional broadcast channel, the set top box uses the electronic program guide to automatically and seamlessly receive the live broadcast over the livecast channel in a manner transparent to the user.

14. The computer program product of claim 8 further including instructions for using the livecast channel to reduce a number or quantity of delivery servers required to deliver broadcast programming in an internet protocol television (IPTV) or other program delivery system.

15. A system for packaging livecast electronic content for distribution, the system including:

a processing mechanism for scheduling a first live program broadcast on a first channel for delivery on a livecast channel, and for scheduling a second live program broadcast on a second channel for delivery on the livecast channel;

a storage mechanism, operatively coupled to the processing mechanism, for storing an electronic program guide that associates the first live program with the first channel and a first content identifier, and that associates the second live program with the second channel and a second content identifier;

an input/output mechanism, operatively coupled to the processing mechanism, for displaying the electronic program guide, and for accepting a program selection from the electronic program guide;

a content delivery mechanism, operatively coupled to the processing mechanism, wherein upon receiving a program selection of at least one of the first live program or the second live program from the electronic program guide, the processing mechanism instructs the content delivery mechanism to deliver the program selection over the livecast channel.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the processing mechanism selects the first live program for scheduling and selects the second live program for scheduling by identifying a plurality of live programs that are expected or predicted to be widely viewed relative to other programs offered by the first channel, the second channel, or all available channels.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the first live program and the second live program are selected by selecting sporting events, news programs, or both.

18. The system of claim 15 wherein the scheduling and the associating are performed by a delivery server, an access server, or both.

19. The system of claim 15 wherein the delivering of the program selection over the livecast channel is transparent to a user selecting the program selection, the system further comprising a set top box operatively coupled to the processing mechanism over a network, the set to box operatively coupled to the input/output mechanism wherein, in response to a user of the set top box requesting to view a live broadcast on a conventional broadcast channel, the set top box uses the electronic program guide to automatically and seamlessly receive the live broadcast over the livecast channel in a manner transparent to the user.

20. The system of claim 15 wherein the livecast channel reduces a number or quantity of delivery servers required to deliver broadcast programming in an internet protocol television (IPTV) or other program delivery system relative to a system that does not use a livecast channel.