Systems and methods for adaptive pricing in a digital broadband delivery system

• US 7,340,759 B1
• Filed: 11/10/2000
• Issued: 03/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Scientific-Atlanta Incorporated (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rodriguez, Arturo A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lonsberry; Hunter B.
• Application Number:
  US09/709,145
• Time in Patent Office: 2,671 Days
• Field of Search: 725/47, 725/8
• US Class Current: 725/8
• 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 21/2547 Third Party Billing, e.g. billing of advertiser
• 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 21/4263 involving specific tuning arrangements, e.g. two tuners
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47208 for requesting near-video-on-demand content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6118 involving cable transmission, e.g. using a cable modem
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6137 involving transmission via a telephone network, e.g. POTS
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6175 involving transmission via Internet broadcast-related systems characterised by the transmission system being the Internet H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6187 involving transmission via a telephone network, e.g. POTS

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for dynamically pricing viewing options in a digital broadband communication network by receiving bandwidth allocation information from a bandwidth allocation manager and dynamically assigning a price criterion to each of a group of viewing options based at least in part on the bandwidth allocation information. The group of viewing options may, for example, comprise a reservation option, a normal-play option, a random access option, an on-demand random access option, and an adjust preference option. In addition, the method may optionally comprise receiving a subscriber request related to at least one viewing option selected from the group of viewing options and transmitting a price criterion for the viewing option to the subscriber in response to the subscriber request. The subscriber request may comprise, for example, a request for a price criterion for a viewing option, a request for viewing a program according to a viewing option, and/or a request for a list of available viewing options. In addition, the price criterion may be based, in part, on subscriber profile data.

Claims

1. A method for dynamically pricing viewing options in a digital broadband delivery system, the method comprising:

receiving bandwidth allocation schedule information describing a division of bandwidth during a plurality of time periods, the division of bandwidth being between at least a first service and a second service provided by the digital broadband delivery system to a plurality of digital home communication terminals; and

dynamically assigning a price criterion to each of a group of viewing options for a video program, each viewing option associated with a content delivery mode, the assignment based at least in part on the bandwidth allocation schedule information.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a subscriber request related to at least one viewing option selected from the group of viewing options.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein receiving the subscriber request comprises receiving a subscriber request that comprises a request for a list of available viewing options.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising transmitting a price criterion for the viewing option to the subscriber in response to the subscriber request.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein dynamically assigning the price criterion to a group of viewing options comprises dynamically assigning a price criterion to each of a group of viewing options, wherein the group of viewing options comprises one of a reservation option, a random access option, and an on-demand random access option.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein dynamically assigning a price criterion to a group of viewing options comprises dynamically assigning a price criterion to a group of viewing options wherein the price criterion assigned to the random access option comprises a fee associated with a length of time that random access features are employed.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein dynamically assigning a price criterion to a group of viewing options comprises dynamically assigning a price criterion to a group of viewing options wherein the price criterion is based at least in part on one of subscriber profile data and subscriber priority data.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein dynamically assigning a price criterion to a group of viewing options comprises dynamically assigning a price criterion to a group of viewing options, wherein the price criterion comprises one of a subscriber incentive and a subscriber reward.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending the assigned price criterion for at least one of the group of viewing options to a subscriber.

10. A pricing system for a digital broadband delivery system wherein the digital broadband delivery system comprises a bandwidth allocation manager and wherein the pricing system receives bandwidth allocation schedule information describing a division of bandwidth during a plurality of time periods, the division of bandwidth being between at least a first service and a second service provided by the digital broadband delivery system to a plurality of digital home communication terminals, and dynamically assigns a price criterion to each of a group of viewing options for a video program, each viewing option associated with a content delivery mode, the assignment based at least in part on the bandwidth allocation information.

11. The pricing system of claim 10, wherein the pricing system receives a subscriber request related to at least one viewing option selected from the group of viewing options.

12. The pricing system of claim 11, wherein the subscriber request received by the pricing system comprises a request for a list of available viewing options.

13. The pricing system of claim 11, wherein the pricing system transmits at least one price criterion to the subscriber in response to the subscriber request.

14. The pricing system of claim 10, wherein the group of viewing options comprises one of a reservation option, a random access option, and an on-demand random access option.

15. The pricing system of claim 14, wherein price criterion assigned to the random access option comprises a fee associated with a length of time that random access features are employed.

16. The pricing system of claim 10, wherein the price criterion for at least one viewing option selected from the group of viewing options is based at least in part on at least one of subscriber profile data and subscriber priority data.

17. The pricing system of claim 10, wherein the price criterion for at least one viewing option selected from the group of viewing options comprises one of a subscriber incentive and a subscriber reward.

18. A headend in a digital broadband delivery system comprising:

a bandwidth allocation manager that produces a bandwidth allocation schedule by dynamically assigning one of a plurality of content delivery modes to each of a plurality of digital transmission channels for each of a plurality of time periods, resulting in a division of bandwidth between the plurality of content delivery modes for each of the time periods; and

a pricing system that receives bandwidth allocation information, from the bandwidth allocation manager describing the division of bandwidth between the content delivery modes and that dynamically assigns a price criterion to each of a group of viewing options based at least in part on the bandwidth allocation information received from the bandwidth allocation manager.

19. The headend of claim 18, wherein the pricing system receives a subscriber request related to at least one viewing option selected from the group of viewing options.

20. The headend of claim 19, wherein the subscriber request received by the pricing system comprises a request for a list of available viewing options.

21. The headend of claim 19, wherein the pricing system transmits at least one price criterion to the subscriber in response to the subscriber request.

22. The headend of claim 18, wherein the group of viewing options comprises one of a reservation option, a random access option, and an on-demand random access option.

23. The headend of claim 22, wherein price criterion assigned to the random access option comprises a fee associated with the length of time that random access features are employed.

24. The headend of claim 18, wherein the price criterion for at least one viewing option selected from the group of viewing options is based at least in part on one of subscriber profile data, subscriber priority data, and subscriber priority data.

25. The headend of claim 18, wherein the price criterion for at least one viewing option selected from the group of viewing options comprises one of a subscriber incentive and a subscriber reward.

26. The headend of claim 18, wherein the bandwidth allocation information comprises information from the bandwidth allocation schedule.

27. A digital broadband delivery system comprising:

a bandwidth allocation scheduler that dynamically assigns one of a plurality of content delivery modes to each of a group of digital transmission channels for each of a plurality of time periods, resulting in a division of bandwidth between the plurality of content delivery modes for each of the time periods;

a pricing system that receives bandwidth allocation information, from the bandwidth allocation manager, describing the division of bandwidth between the content delivery modes, and that dynamically assigns a price criterion to each of a group of viewing options based at least in part on the bandwidth allocation information; and

a digital home communication terminal comprising an interface that receives a subscriber request regarding one of the group of viewing options and a tuner that transmits the subscriber request to the headend.

28. The digital broadband delivery system of claim 27, wherein the digital home communication terminal further comprises an interface for displaying a price criterion received from the headend in response to the subscriber request.

29. The digital broadband delivery system of claim 27, wherein the digital home communication terminal further comprises an interface for displaying a menu comprising at least two viewing options selected from the group of viewing options and the price criteria assigned to the at least two viewing options.

30. The digital broadband delivery system of claim 27, wherein the digital home communication terminal further comprises an interface for displaying an indication of usage of a viewing option.

31. The digital broadband delivery system of claim 30, wherein the interface for displaying an indication of usage of a viewing option comprises an interface for displaying one of elapsed time, time remaining, and cost incurred through use of a viewing option.

32. The digital broadband delivery system of claim 30, wherein the interface for displaying an indication of usage of a viewing option comprises an interface for displaying the indication of usage of a viewing option intermittently.

33. The digital broadband delivery system of claim 30, wherein the interface for displaying an indication of usage of a viewing option comprises an interface for displaying the indication of usage of a viewing option in response to the occurrence of a predefined event.

34. The digital broadband delivery system of claim 33, wherein the predefined event comprises one of a change in usage of a viewing option, use of a random access feature associated with a viewing option, and expiration of an elapsed time period.

35. The digital broadband delivery system of claim 27, wherein the digital home communication terminal further comprises an interface for displaying an indication of an available alternate viewing option.

36. The digital broadband delivery system of claim 35, wherein the interface for displaying an indication of an available alternate viewing option comprises a selectable icon representing a menu of available alternate viewing options.

37. The digital broadband delivery system of claim 35, wherein the interface for displaying an indication of an available alternate viewing option comprises an interface for displaying the indication of an available alternate viewing option in response to the occurrence of a predefined event.

38. The digital broadband delivery system of claim 35, wherein the predefined event comprises one of a change in usage of a viewing option, use of a random access feature associated with a viewing option, expiration of an elapsed time period, and a change in available alternate viewing options.

39. The digital broadband delivery system of claim 27, wherein the subscriber request received by the digital home communication terminal comprises one of a request for a price criterion for a viewing option, a request for viewing a program according to a viewing option, and a request for a list of available viewing options.

40. The digital broadband delivery system of claim 27, wherein the group of viewing options comprises one of a reservation option, a normal-play option, a random access option, an on-demand random access option, and an adjust preference option.

41. The digital broadband delivery system of claim 40, wherein the price criterion assigned to the random access option comprises a fee associated with a length of time that random access features are employed.

42. The digital broadband delivery system of claim 27, wherein the price criterion for at least one viewing option selected from the group of viewing options is based at least in part on one of subscriber profile data, subscriber priority data, time of bandwidth consumption, and a subscriber viewing time preference.

43. The digital broadband delivery system of claim 27, wherein the digital home communication terminal further comprises a storage device for storing content associated with a viewing option.

44. The digital broadband delivery system of claim 43, wherein the digital home communication terminal downloads content associated with a viewing option during a time period of low bandwidth consumption and stores the content in the storage device for later retrieval.