Updating download options for unavailable media content

• US 8,006,273 B2
• Filed: 07/25/2008
• Issued: 08/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Synamedia Limited
• Original Assignee: Scientific-Atlanta LLC (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rodriguez, Arturo A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lonsberry; Hunter B
• Application Number:
  US12/180,416
• Publication Number:
  US 20080281968A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,124 Days
• Field of Search: 725 86- 87, 725/89, 725/91, 725 95- 97, 725/100, 725/104, 709/217, 709/227, 709/238
• US Class Current: 725/86
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23439 for generating different versions
• 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 21/25435 involving characteristics of content or additional data, e.g. video resolution or the amount of advertising
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26241 involving the time of distribution, e.g. the best time of the day for inserting an advertisement or airing a children program
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4117 for generating hard copies of the content, e.g. printer, electronic paper interfaces to printers G06F3/12; printing data G06K15/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4135 external recorder interface circuits between an apparatus for recording television signals and a television receiver H04N5/775
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/443 OS processes, e.g. booting an STB, implementing a Java virtual machine in an STB or power management in an STB
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/472 End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• 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 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/60 Network structure or processes for video distribution between server and client or between remote clients; Control signalling between clients, server and network components; Transmission of management data between server and client , e.g. sending from server to client commands for recording incoming content stream; Communication details between server and client
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/08 Systems for the simultaneous or sequential transmission of more than one television signal, e.g. additional information signals, the signals occupying wholly or partially the same frequency band , e.g. by time division H04N7/007 takes precedence
• 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 method provides download options for purchasable recordable media (PRM). The method includes storing a download option associated with a PRM content instance, updating the option, and transmitting the option to a digital home communication terminal. The option includes a time at which the PRM content instance is downloadable from a digital content delivery system. The update and transmit occurs in response to a change in availability of resources for transmitting the PRM content instance to a subscriber. Another method includes providing a download option to a user. The option is associated with a PRM content instance and includes an indication of a time at which the PRM content instance is available for download from the remote server. The option is updated responsive to a change in availability of the option due to a change in download resources that are associated with transmitting the PRM content instance to the subscriber.

Claims

1. A method, implemented in a digital content delivery system, for providing download options for purchasable recordable media (PRM), the method comprising:

storing a download option associated with a PRM content instance, the download option including at least one time at which the PRM content instance is downloadable from the digital content delivery system; and

responsive to a change in availability of resources that are associated with transmitting the PRM content instance to a subscriber, updating the PRM download option and transmitting the PRM download option to a digital home communication terminal (DHCT).

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the updating further comprises omitting the at least one time from the download option when the at least one time is no longer available to the subscriber due to a greater than scheduled use of the resources that are associated with transmitting the PRM content instance to the subscriber.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the updating further comprises adding the at least one time to the download option when the at least one time becomes available to the subscriber due to a less than scheduled use of the download resources.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one time comprises a plurality of download times at which the PRM content instance is available for download.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the updating occurs on a periodic schedule ahead of the start time of a next predefined download schedule.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the updating occurs upon the DHCT requesting the download option.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the download option further includes a price.

8. A digital content delivery system for providing download options for purchasable recordable media (PRM), the system comprising:

a tangible computer-readable medium encoded with software; and

a processor configured to execute the software to;

maintain a download option associated with a PRM content instance, the download option including at least one time at which the PRM content instance is downloadable from the digital content delivery system; and

update a PRM database in a digital home communication terminal (DHCT) with the purchasable recordable media (PRM) download option, responsive to a change in availability of resources that are associated with transmitting the PRM content instance to a subscriber.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the software to omit the at least one time from the download option when the at least one time is no longer available to the subscriber due to a greater than scheduled use of the resources that are associated with transmitting the PRM content instance to the subscriber.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the software to add the at least one time to the download option when the at least one time becomes available to the subscriber due to a less than scheduled use of the download resources.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one time comprises a plurality of download times at which the PRM content instance is available for download.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the update occurs on a periodic schedule ahead of the start time of a next predefined download schedule.

13. A method, implemented at a subscriber location, for providing improved availability of purchasable recordable media (PRM) content downloaded from a remote server, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a download option to a user, the download option associated with a purchasable recordable media content instance and including an indication of at least one time at which the PRM content instance is available for download from the remote server; and

updating the download option responsive to a change in availability of the download option due to a change in download resources that are associated with transmitting the PRM content instance to the subscriber.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the at least one download time comprises a plurality of download times at which the PRM content instance is available for download.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

providing the user notice that an initially selected download option, selected before the change in availability, is unavailable; and

providing an updated download option to the user that, if selected, enables the PRM content instance to be downloaded at a time that is different than the at least one time in the initially selected download option.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

providing the user notice that an initially selected download option, selected before the change in availability, is unavailable; and

providing an updated download option to the user that, if selected, enables the PRM content instance to be downloaded over a different duration than the initially selected download option.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the download option further includes a quality level, the method further comprising:

providing the user notice that an initially selected download option, selected before the change in availability, is unavailable; and

providing an updated download option to the user that, if selected, enables the PRM content instance to be downloaded at a quality level that is different than the quality level in the initially selected download.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

providing the user notice that an initially selected download option, selected before the change in availability, is unavailable; and

providing an updated download option to the user that, if selected, enables the user to be placed on stand-by for receiving the PRM media content instance of the initially selected download option.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

providing the user notice that an initially selected download option, selected before the change in availability, is unavailable; and

providing an updated download option to the user that, if selected, enables another PRM content instance to be downloaded in place of the PRM content instance of the initially selected download option.

20. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

providing the user notice that an initially selected download option, selected before the change in availability, is unavailable; and

providing an override option to the user that, if selected, enables the user to receive the initially selected PRM content instance, that is unavailable, by paying a premium.