Programming distribution system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A system for distributing programming, the system comprising:
- a program server located remotely from a user and configured to;
store a first set of programs; and
play one or more of the stored first set of programs under control of the user;
a subscriber server located remotely from a user and configured to transmit a second set of programs in real time according to a schedule of programming, at least one of the second set of programs having a counterpart in the first set of programs, wherein the counterpart in the first set of programs is substantially identical to the at least one of the second set of programs;
a subscriber management system located remotely from a user, in communication with the program server and subscriber server, and configured to;
determine that the user has tuned to a particular broadcast program;
transmit a first signal causing a notification symbol to be superimposed on the particular broadcast program indicating the particular broadcast program has a counterpart in the first set of programs, distinguished from other broadcast programs not available to be played under control of the user from the program server; and
transmit a second signal to the program server to permit the user to control the play of at least a part of the identified counterpart program from the program server.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method is provided for distributing programming. A first set of programs is transmitted in real time according to a schedule of programming. A second set of programs is stored on a server, with at least one of the first set of programs having a counterpart in the second set of programs. A request from a user for program control over one of the programs in the first set of programs is detected. A determination whether the requested program has a counterpart program stored on the server is made. If so, the counterpart program form the server is played under the control of the user.
64 Citations
65 Claims
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1. A system for distributing programming, the system comprising:
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a program server located remotely from a user and configured to; store a first set of programs; and play one or more of the stored first set of programs under control of the user; a subscriber server located remotely from a user and configured to transmit a second set of programs in real time according to a schedule of programming, at least one of the second set of programs having a counterpart in the first set of programs, wherein the counterpart in the first set of programs is substantially identical to the at least one of the second set of programs; a subscriber management system located remotely from a user, in communication with the program server and subscriber server, and configured to; determine that the user has tuned to a particular broadcast program; transmit a first signal causing a notification symbol to be superimposed on the particular broadcast program indicating the particular broadcast program has a counterpart in the first set of programs, distinguished from other broadcast programs not available to be played under control of the user from the program server; and transmit a second signal to the program server to permit the user to control the play of at least a part of the identified counterpart program from the program server. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method for distributing programming, the method comprising:
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storing a first set of programs at a program server located remotely from a user; transmitting, from a subscriber server located remotely from the user, a second set of programs in real time according to a schedule of programming, at least one of the second set of programs having a counterpart in the first set of programs, wherein the counterpart in the first set of programs is substantially identical to the at least one of the second set of programs; determining that the user has tuned to a particular broadcast program; transmitting a first signal causing a notification symbol to be superimposed on the particular broadcast program indicating the particular broadcast program has a counterpart in the first set of programs, distinguished from other broadcast programs not among the first set of stored programs available to be played under control of the user; and playing from the program server at least a part of the stored counterpart program under the control of the user. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A system for distributing programming, the system comprising:
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a set top box configured to; receive and store a first set of programs transmitted from a remote location; and play one or more of the stored first set of programs under control of a user; a subscriber server configured to transmit a second set of programs in real time according to a schedule of programming, at least one of the second set of programs having a counterpart in the first set of programs, wherein the counterpart in the first set of programs is substantially identical to the at least one of the second set of programs; and a subscriber management system, communicatively coupled with the program server and subscriber server, and configured to; identify when the user has tuned to a particular broadcast program having the counterpart in the first set of programs; transmit a first signal causing a notification symbol to be superimposed on the particular broadcast program to distinguish the particular broadcast program from other broadcast programs not stored at the set top box and available to be played under control of the user; and transmit a control signal to the set top box to allow at least a part of the identified counterpart program to be played under the control of the user. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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44. A method for distributing programming, the method comprising:
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transmitting a first set of programs for storage at a program server located remotely from a user; transmitting, from a subscriber server located remotely from the user, a second set of programs in real time according to a schedule of programming, at least one of the second set of programs having a counterpart in a first set of programs, wherein the counterpart in the first set of programs is substantially identical to the at least one of the second set of programs; determining that the user has tuned to a particular broadcast program; transmitting a first signal causing a notification symbol to be superimposed on the particular broadcast program indicating the particular broadcast program has a counterpart in the first set of programs, distinguished from other broadcast programs not available to be played from the storage under the control of the user; and transmitting from the program server a second signal formatted to permit at least a part of the stored counterpart program to be played under the control of the user. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55)
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56. A method for distributing programming, the method comprising:
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storing a first set of programs; receiving a second set of programs transmitted in real time according to a schedule of programming, at least one of the second set of programs having a counterpart in a first set of programs, wherein the counterpart in the first set of programs is substantially identical to the at least one of the second set of programs; identifying when the user has tuned to a particular broadcast program having the counterpart in the first set of programs; superimposing a notification symbol on the particular broadcast program to distinguish the particular broadcast program from other broadcast programs not stored among the first set of programs; and permitting at least a part of the stored counterpart program to be played under the control of the user, based at least in part on the identifying step. - View Dependent Claims (57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65)
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Specification