Program delivery system for VOD

• US 7,343,614 B1
• Filed: 04/02/1999
• Issued: 03/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Comcast IP Holdings I LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sedna Patent Services LLC
• Inventors: Hendricks, John S., Wunderlich, Richard E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Koenig; Andrew Y
• Application Number:
  US09/285,249
• Time in Patent Office: 3,266 Days
• Field of Search: 725 91- 96, 725/87, 725/114, 725/116, 725/86, 725/104, 725/115, 725/8, 725/31, 709/217, 709/218, 709/219, 709/104, 709/87, 709/86, 709/92, 709/95, 709/96, 709/115
• US Class Current: 725/8
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2668 Creating a channel for a dedicated end-user group, e.g. insertion of targeted commercials based on end-user profiles information retrieval from the Internet by querying with filtering and personalisation G06F16/9535; arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast H04H20/10; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; adaptation of message content in packet-switching networks H04L51/063
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4667 Processing of monitored end-user data, e.g. trend analysis based on the log file of viewer selections
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47205 for manipulating displayed content, e.g. interacting with MPEG-4 objects, editing locally
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47211 for requesting pay-per-view content payment schemes payment architectures or payment protocols G06Q20/00, G07F
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4758 for providing answers, e.g. voting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6118 involving cable transmission, e.g. using a cable modem
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8549 Creating video summaries, e.g. movie trailer retrieval in video databases by using presentations in form of a video summary G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17336 Handling of requests in head-ends

Abstract

A novel network manager for use with a cable television system headend capable of monitoring and managing headend components and set top terminals in a television delivery system. The invention relates to methods and apparatus that manage and coordinate the reception of requested video on demand programs. The invention manages and coordinates the storage of the requested video on demand programs for intelligent selection and distribution to set top terminals

Claims

1. An apparatus for video on demand programs comprising:

a receiver to receive requests for video on demand programs;

a network manager, connected to said receiver, to process said program requests;

an authorization component, connected to said network manager, to transmit a first authorization code, in response to a request for a video on demand program, to authorize a set top terminal to tune to a specific preview channel and to enable delivery of a requested program, wherein the specific preview channel does not provide the full video on demand program; and

a file server, coupled to said network manager, to receive said first authorization code and send a second authorization code, wherein when the requested program is scrambled, the second authorization code enables descrambling said scrambled requested program, wherein said requested program is stored in the file server.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said network manager comprises a processor, connected to an instruction memory, to process said program requests.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said processor comprises control software to compile, group or count said program requests.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the network manager comprises a timer, wherein the network manager monitors program requests for a same program within a time period set by the time, and wherein set top terminals requesting the same program within the time period receive the requested same program.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said file server comprises process software to deliver or authorize to receive at least one requested program.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said requested program is stored in the file server in MPEG format.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said requests for video on demand programs are received from set top terminals.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said authorization component is connected to said network manager by an interface.

9. An apparatus for delivering video on demand programs to set top terminals comprising:

(a) a receiver to receive request for video on demand programs from the set top terminals;

(b) a network manager, connected to said receiver, comprising;

a processor to process said program requests, wherein said processor includes an instruction memory and said processor comprises control software to compile, group or count said program requests;

(c) an authorization component, connected to said network manager by an interface, to transmit a first authorization code, in response to a request for a video on demand program, to authorize the set top terminals to tune to a specific preview channel and to enable delivery of a requested program, wherein the specific preview channel does not provide the full video on demand program; and

(d) a file server, connected to said network manager, to receive said first authorization code and send a second authorization code, wherein when the requested program is scrambled, the second authorization code enables descrambling said scrambled requested program, wherein said requested program is stored in the file server.

10. An apparatus for video on demand programs comprising:

an authorization component to receive requests for video on demand programs;

an interface connected to said authorization component;

a network manager, connected to said interface, to process said program requests; and

a file server, connected to said authorization component to (i) receive a first authorization code, generated in response to a request for a video on demand program, to authorize set top terminals to tune to a specific preview channel and to enable delivery of a requested program, wherein the specific preview channel does not provide the full video on demand program, and (ii) send a second authorization code, wherein when the requested program is scrambled, the second authorization code descrambles said scrambled requested program, wherein said requested program is stored in the file server.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said network manager comprises:

a processor, connected to an instruction memory, to process said program requests.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said processor comprises control software to compile, group or count said program requests.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said requests for video on demand programs are received from set top terminals.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said file server comprises process software to deliver or authorize to receive at least one requested program.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said file server comprises process software to deliver or authorize to receive at least one requested program.

16. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said requested program is stored in the file server in MPEG format.

17. An apparatus for delivering video on demand programs to set top terminals comprising:

an authorization component to receive requests for video on demand programs from the set top terminals;

an interface connected to said authorization component;

a network manager, connected to said interface, comprising;

a timer, wherein the network manager monitors program requests for a same program within a time period extending from an initial request for a video on demand program; and

a processor to process said program requests, wherein said processor includes an instruction memory, and said processor comprises control software to compile, group or count said program requests; and

a file server, connected to said authorization component to (i) receive a first authorization code, generated in response to a request for a video on demand program, to authorize set top terminals to tune to a specific preview channel and to enable delivery of a requested program to all the set top terminals requesting the same requested program within the time period, and (ii) send a second authorization code to all the set top terminals requesting the same requested program within the time period, wherein when the requested program is scrambled, the second authorization code enables descrambling said scrambled requested program, wherein said requested program is stored in the file server.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said requested program is digital.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said requested program is stored in the file server in MPEG code.

20. A method for delivering video on demand programming comprising the steps of:

a) receiving a request for a video on demand program from a set top terminal;

b) processing at least one received request the processing further comprising;

counting a period of time extending from an initial request for a video on demand program,

monitoring for additional requests from additional set top terminals until said period of time expires, and

authorizing viewing or delivering of said requested program, after said period of time expires, for all the set top terminals requesting the same requested program within the time period;

c) sending a first authorization code to a file server, generated in response to a request for a video on demand program, to authorize set top terminals to tune to a specific preview channel and to enable set top terminals to receive a requested program, wherein said requested program is stored in the file server;

d) spooling said requested program from said file server; and

e) downloading a second authorization code to all the set top terminals requesting the same requested program within the time period, wherein when the requested program is scrambled, the second authorization code enables descrambling said scrambled requested program.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein said step of authorizing further comprises authorizing viewing of previews.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of:

compiling, grouping or counting all said program requests.

23. A method for delivering video on demand programming comprising the steps of:

a) receiving a request for a video on demand program from a set top terminal;

b) processing at least one received request;

c) sending a first authorization code to a file server, the first authorization code authorizing the set top terminal to tune to a specific preview channel, wherein the specific preview channel does not provide the full video on demand program, wherein said requested program is stored in the file server;

d) spooling said requested program from said file server; and

e) sending a second authorization code, wherein when the requested program is scrambled, the second authorization code enables descrambling said scrambled requested program.