Method and apparatus for near video on demand

• US 7,024,681 B1
• Filed: 12/03/1998
• Issued: 04/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Verizon Laboratories Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Laboratories Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Fransman, Andrew, Chipalkatti, Renu
• Primary Examiner(s): Grant, Christopher
• Assistant Examiner(s): BROWN, RUEBEN M
• Application Number:
  US09/204,523
• Time in Patent Office: 2,679 Days
• Field of Search: 348/7, 709/217, 709/219, 725 86-153, 360/31, 386/25
• US Class Current: 725/115
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2385 Channel allocation H04N21/266 takes precedence; Bandwidth allocation H04N21/24 takes precedence ; allocation of channels according to the instantaneous demands of the users in time-division multiplex systems H04J3/1682; admission control, resource allocation in open networks H04L12/5692; arrangements for maintenance or administration in data switching networks involving bandwidth and capacity management H04L41/0896; negotiating bandwidth in wireless networks H04W28/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2543 Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25866 Management of end-user data customer care in data networks H04L41/5077
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26233 involving content or additional data duration or size, e.g. length of a movie, size of an executable file
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47208 for requesting near-video-on-demand content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17327 with deferred transmission or handling of upstream communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17336 Handling of requests in head-ends

Abstract

A master scheduler system and method automatically operate and/or coordinate operation of a plurality of relatively independent systems, including manual systems, to function as an NVOD system to provide automating diverse operations for supporting and maintaining an NVOD system. The master scheduler system and method may also be applied to automate manual processes of analog-based and digital broadcast based service. The master scheduler receives, processes, and disseminates NVOD schedule-related information for end-to-end NVOD service; that is, sending video from a back-end which stores video data to a head-end for viewing by a user. The master scheduler also provides operations support for the NVOD system, such as maintaining the head-end configuration, allocating channels, performing asset management, performing content management, etc. The master scheduler provides validation of scheduling information by comparing information such as programmed schedules, asset metadata, and data obtained by measuring asset parameters, for example duration.

Claims

1. A master scheduler arranged to control a near-video-on-demand (NVOD) system, the master scheduler comprising:

a schedule management system arranged to receive and validate a schedule; and

a content manager system arranged to monitor and control the loading of assets into a video server according to the validated schedule, wherein the assets include video content scheduled for staggered transmission to subscribers of the NVOD system using a plurality of channels, the plurality of channels including a test channel dedicated solely for testing a selected asset,

wherein the content manager includes a graphical user interface configured to allow an administrator to view the selected asset using the test channel to verify the integrity of the selected asset loaded into the video server.

2. The master scheduler of claim 1 further comprising:

a management processor including a graphic user interface (GUI), responsive to GUI-based commands from an administrator, arranged to interact with the content manager system to control the loading of the assets.

3. The master scheduler of claim 1 further comprising:

a schedule distributor arranged to distribute a finalized schedule of programming events to external entities of the NVOD system, including the video server;

where in the schedule management system, responsive to commands from an administrator, modifies the validated schedule to generate the finalized schedule of programming events.

4. The master scheduler of claim 1 further comprising:

a head-end configuration manager, responsive to commands from an administrator, arranged to track configuration parameters of a head-end of the NVOD system, wherein the configuration parameters determine NVOD channel allocations.

5. The master scheduler of claim 1 further comprising:

a task management system arranged to generate an indication of tasks to be performed to conduct the loading of assets to the video server.

6. The master scheduler of claim 5 further comprising:

a notification generator, responsive to the occurrence of conditions associated with generated tasks, arranged to generate notifications of the conditions.

7. The master scheduler of claim 1 further comprising:

an asset management system arranged to monitor the status and conditions of assets in the NVOD system.

8. The master scheduler of claim 7 further comprising:

a graphic user interface (GUI) arranged to generate an asset management screen to allow an administrator to access the asset management system for viewing asset-related data.

9. A method for controlling a near-video-on-demand (NVOD) system, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a schedule from a schedule provider;

validating the schedule;

processing the schedule to generate a finalized schedule;

receiving assets including content;

loading the assets into a video server via a group of channels according to the finalized schedule, at least one of the group of channels includes a test channel dedicated solely for testing purposes;

distributing the finalized schedule to the video server, to a business support system, and to an electronic program guide system; and

transmitting the content using staggered transmission over a plurality of channels to subscribers of the NVOD system.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the step of receiving assets includes the step of:

cataloging the received assets using an asset management system.

11. The method of claim 9 further comprising the step of:

generating a graphic user interface (GUI) screen to allow an administrator to monitor the loading of the assets into the video server.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising the steps of:

receiving an asset selection command through the GUI screen to select an asset loaded into the video server;

receiving a test actuation signal through the GUI screen; and

sending the asset to a display of an administrator over the test channel for viewing the selected asset.

13. A method for validation of scheduling information comprising:

receiving at a master scheduler said scheduling information from a schedule provider;

receiving an asset from an asset provider;

loading said asset into a video server;

verifying an integrity of said asset via a test channel, the test channel being dedicated solely for testing assets in said video server;

obtaining asset information from said video server;

comparing said asset information to said scheduling information;

identifying a variance of said asset information to said scheduling information;

modifying said scheduling information at said master scheduler to obtain modified scheduling information; and

transmitting said modified scheduling information to a program guide system and to a business support system, said program guide system disseminating program guide information and said business support system generating billing information.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein said step of comparing asset information to said scheduling information comprises:

comparing said asset information comprising measured duration information measured from said asset to said scheduling information comprising stored duration information.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein said step of comparing asset information to said scheduling information comprises:

obtaining calculated duration information based on a difference between a scheduled start time and a scheduled end time;

comparing said asset information comprising measured duration information measured from said asset to said calculated duration information.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein said step of comparing asset information to said scheduling information comprises:

comparing said asset information comprising an asset return date to said scheduling information comprising a scheduled play date;

said method further comprising;

inhibiting playing of said asset if said scheduled play date is later than said asset return date.

17. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

receiving at said master scheduler program guide information from a program guide system;

comparing said program guide information to said scheduling information.

18. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

obtaining pricing information from said asset provider;

modifying said pricing information at said master scheduler to obtain modified pricing information;

transmitting said modified pricing information from said master scheduler to a business support system, said business support system generating billing information.