Method and apparatus for efficient transmissions of programs
First Claim
1. A method of transmitting a program to multiple users over a distribution system, the method comprising:
- at a head end of the distribution system, providing a program divided into a plurality of segments; and
transmitting the segments from the head end to users'"'"' receivers such that, at least some of the segments are transmitted more than once, at different times, from the head end so as to enable multiple receivers of users requesting playback of the program at different times to simultaneously receive the segments required for continuous playback of the program.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method of optimizing transmission of a program to multiple users over a distribution system, with particular application to video-on-demand for a CATV network. The system includes, at a head end of the CATV network a scheduling and routing computer for dividing the video program stored in long term fast storage or short term fast storage into a plurality of program segments, and a subscriber distribution node for transmitting the program segments in a redundant sequence in accordance with a scheduling algorithm. At a receiver of the CATV network there is provided a buffer memory for storing the transmitted video program segments for subsequent playback whereby, in use, the scheduling algorithm can ensure that a user'"'"'s receiver will receive all of the program segments in a manner that will enable continuous playback in real time of the program. Under the control of controller the receiver distinguishes received program segments by a segment identifier so that redundant segments captured in capture memory are then stored in buffer memory from which the segments can be retrieved and decompressed in data compressor for immediate or subsequent viewing. In one embodiment, the method of this invention includes dividing at least some segments into fragments, and transmitting one fragment of each segment during a playback interval of a duration, for example, equal to a playback time of a segment.
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Citations
37 Claims
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1. A method of transmitting a program to multiple users over a distribution system, the method comprising:
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at a head end of the distribution system, providing a program divided into a plurality of segments; and transmitting the segments from the head end to users'"'"' receivers such that, at least some of the segments are transmitted more than once, at different times, from the head end so as to enable multiple receivers of users requesting playback of the program at different times to simultaneously receive the segments required for continuous playback of the program. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A system for transmitting a program to multiple users comprising:
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means for providing a program divided into a plurality of segments at a head end; and means for transmitting the segments from the head end to users'"'"' receivers such that at least some of the segments are transmitted more than once, at different times, so as to enable multiple receivers of users requesting the program at different times to simultaneously receive the segments required for continuous playback of the program.
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13. A method of transmitting a program to multiple users over a distribution system, comprising:
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at a head end of the distribution system, providing a program divided into a plurality of segments; and transmitting the segments from the head end to users'"'"' receivers, such that at least some of the segments are simultaneously sent to more than one receiver with no requirement at any time to dedicate the head end of the distribution system to any specific receivers. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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15. A system for transmitting a program to users comprising:
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means for dividing a program into segments; means for dividing at least some of the segments into a plurality of fragments; means for transmitting at successive intervals at least one fragment of the plurality of fragments of each segment that has been divided into the plurality of fragments; and means for receiving and storing the fragments of the segments, which have been divided into the plurality of segments, necessary for continuous playback of the program. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of transmitting a program to multiple users over a distribution system comprising:
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providing a program divided into a plurality of segments wherein at least some of the segments are divided into a plurality of fragments; during each predetermined time interval transmitting one fragment of each segment to users'"'"' receivers; and during each predetermined interval accepting at the receivers the fragments of the segments which have not yet been played back and deleting from the receivers the fragments of the segments which have been played back.
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20. A method of transmitting a program to multiple users over a distribution system comprising:
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providing a program divided into a plurality of segments wherein at least some of the segments are divided into a plurality of fragments; and during each predetermined time interval transmitting one fragment of each segment to users'"'"' receivers; wherein each of the segments is divided into a number of fragments corresponding to a sequential position of such a segment in the program.
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21. A method of transmitting a program to multiple users over a distribution system comprising:
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providing a program divided into a plurality of segments wherein at least some of the segments are divided into a plurality of fragments; during each predetermined time interval transmitting one fragment of each segment to users'"'"' receivers; and receiving and permanently storing fragments of initial segments of the program.
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22. A method of transmitting a program to multiple users over a distribution system comprising:
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providing a program divided into a plurality of segments wherein at least some of the segments are divided into a plurality of fragments; and during each predetermined time interval transmitting one fragment of each segment to users'"'"' receives; wherein segments of the plurality of segments at an ending potion of the program are divided into fewer fragments than a sequential number of the segments in the ending portion of the program.
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23. A method of transmitting a program to multiple users over a distribution system comprising:
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providing a program divided into a plurality of segments wherein at least some of the segments are divided into a plurality of fragments; and during each predetermined time interval transmitting one fragment of each segment to users'"'"' receivers; wherein segments of the plurality of segments belonging to a beginning portion of the program are transmitted more frequently than segments of the plurality of segments belonging to an ending portion of the program.
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24. A receiver for receiving a program supplied to multiple users over a distribution system from a head end, said program being divided into a plurality of program segments, the receiver comprising:
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a buffer storage means for storing a plurality of program segments transmitted from the head end of the distribution system; and a processing means including means for determining whether segments already held in said buffer storage means will be presented on the distribution system prior to playback and removing the segments that will be presented a again prior to playback from the buffer storage means whereby, in use, the program segments required for continuous playback of the program will always be available at the receiver.
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25. A method of transmitting a program to multiple users over a distribution system, the method comprising:
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at a head end of the distribution system, providing a program divided into a plurality of segments; and transmitting the segments from the head end to users'"'"' receivers such that, at least some of the segments are transmitted more than once at different times from the head end so as to enable multiple receivers of users requesting playback of the program at different times to simultaneously receive the segments required for continuous playback of the program; wherein at least some of the segments represent a portion of the program having playing time essentially equal to one maximum response time, which is a maximum time interval a user needs to wait to commence playing back the program, and wherein transmission of each set of segments of the plurality of segments is separated in time by a time interval essentially equal to the maximum response time.
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26. A method of transmitting a program to multiple users over a distribution system, the method comprising:
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at a head end of the distribution system, providing a program divided into a plurality of segments; and transmitting the segments from the head end to users'"'"' receivers such that, at least some of the segments are transmitted more than once at different times from the head end so as to enable multiple receivers of users requesting playback of the program at different times to simultaneously receive the segments required for continuous playback of the program; wherein at most a maximum number of segments, of the plurality of segments, is transmitted during a predetermined time interval, the transmission of other segments of the plurality of segments, exceeding the maximum number, is delayed until an interval in which the number of segments scheduled for transmission is less than the predetermined maximum number.
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27. A method of transmitting a program to multiple users over a distribution system, the method comprising:
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at a head end of the distribution system, providing a program divided into a plurality of segments; and transmitting the segments from the head end to users'"'"' receivers such that, at least some of the segments are transmitted more than once at different times from the head end so as to enable multiple receivers of users requesting playback of the program at different times to simultaneously receive the segments required for continuous playback of the program; and transmitting a given segment of the plurality of segments in a time interval occurring prior to a time interval when the given segment is scheduled for transmission, if a number of segments, scheduled for the interval when the given segment is scheduled for transmission exceeds a predetermined limit.
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28. A method of transmitting a program to multiple users over a distribution system, comprising:
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at a head end of the distribution system, providing a program divided into a plurality of segments; and transmitting the segments from the head end to users'"'"' receivers, such that at least some of the segments are simultaneously sent to more than one receiver with no requirement at any time to dedicate the head end of the distribution system to any specific receivers; wherein each of the segments is divided into fragments such that the segments representing an ending portions of the program are divided into a greater number of fragments than the segments representing a beginning portions of the program. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30)
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31. A method of transmitting a program to multiple users over a distribution system comprising:
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providing a program divided into a plurality of segments wherein at least some of the segments are divided into a plurality of fragments; and during each predetermined time interval transmitting at least one fragment of each segment to users'"'"' receivers; wherein initial segments of the program are divided into a greater number of fragments than that corresponding to the sequential position of such segments in the program and subsequent segments are divided into a number of fragments corresponding to the position of segments in the program. - View Dependent Claims (32)
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33. A method of transmitting a program to multiple users over a distribution system comprising:
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providing a program divided into a plurality of segments wherein at least some of the segments are divided into a plurality of fragments; during each predetermined time interval transmitting at least one fragment of each segment to users'"'"' receivers; and wherein the fragments of the segments that represent an ending portion of the program are not accepted at the receivers when initial segments of the program are being played to a user in order to decrease the storage requirement of the receivers. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36)
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37. A receiver for receiving a program supplied to multiple users over a distribution system from a head end, said program being divided into a plurality of program segments, the receiver comprising:
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a buffer storage means for storing a plurality of program segments transmitted from the head end of the distribution system; and means for determining whether segments presented on the distribution system will be presented again prior to playback and rejecting the segments that will be presented again, but accepting the segments that will not be presented again for storing in the buffer storage means.
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Specification