Precision broadcast of composite programs including secondary program content such as advertisements
First Claim
1. A method for broadcasting a program to customer premises equipment over a network, comprising:
- generating first segments of the program, the first segments having a first identified content;
generating second segments of the program, the second segments having a second identified content, at least one of the second segments being currently generated with another second segment, the concurrently generated second segments having second identified contents which are different from each other;
transporting the first and second segments over the network as the program to the customer premises equipment;
selectively merging the first and second segments while transporting the program, the program having temporally adjacent first and second segments, the merged first and second segments being synchronized to a common time base, the selective merging being responsive to identities of the first and second identified contents and demographics of the network and the customer premises equipment.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In a broadcasting network, programs are distributed to targeted customer premises equipment. A first program source generates first segments of the program, the first segments having a first identified content. A second program source generates second segments of the program, the second segments having a second identified content. Some of the second segments are generated concurrently to have different second identified content. The segments are transported over the network to the customer premises equipment. While being transported, the segments are selectively merged to form the program. The program having temporally adjacent segments. The signals of the merged first and second segments are synchronized to a common time base, and the selection is responsive to identities of the first and second identified content of the program, and demographics of the network and customer premises equipment.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method for broadcasting a program to customer premises equipment over a network, comprising:
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generating first segments of the program, the first segments having a first identified content; generating second segments of the program, the second segments having a second identified content, at least one of the second segments being currently generated with another second segment, the concurrently generated second segments having second identified contents which are different from each other; transporting the first and second segments over the network as the program to the customer premises equipment; selectively merging the first and second segments while transporting the program, the program having temporally adjacent first and second segments, the merged first and second segments being synchronized to a common time base, the selective merging being responsive to identities of the first and second identified contents and demographics of the network and the customer premises equipment. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An apparatus for broadcasting a program to customer premises equipment over a single channel of a network, the network including a plurality of distribution points, comprising:
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means for partitioning a broadcast program into first and second segments, the first and second segments of the programs are disjoint and temporally arranged in an adjacent manner, the program including identified content; means, responsive to characteristic of the network and the customer premises equipment and an identity of the content, for selectively merging the first and second program segments into a continuous broadcast stream for transport over the single channel of the network.
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Specification