Methods and systems for distributing on-demand programming

• US 8,020,186 B1
• Filed: 03/08/2005
• Issued: 09/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Starz Entertainment, LLC (Lions Gate Entertainment Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Starz Entertainment, LLC (Lions Gate Entertainment Corporation)
• Inventors: Barton, Scott G., Beyler, John C., Sie, John J., DePrez, Gregory R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost, IV; William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chowdhury; Sumaiya A
• Application Number:
  US11/076,450
• Time in Patent Office: 2,380 Days
• Field of Search: 725/40, 725/87, 725/89, 725/39, 725/52, 725/101, 725/102, 725/104
• US Class Current: 725/87
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2225 Local VOD servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23106 involving caching operations prefetching while addressing of a memory level in which the access to the desired data or data block requires associative addressing means within memory systems or architectures G06F12/0862; caching at an intermediate stage in a data network H04L67/568
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2541 Rights Management protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10; security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• 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 21/25891 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 21/4263 involving specific tuning arrangements, e.g. two tuners
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44204 Monitoring of content usage, e.g. the number of times a movie has been viewed, copied or the amount which has been watched monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; protecting generic digital content where the protection is independent of the precise nature of the content G06F21/10; arrangements for monitoring the use made of the broadcast services in broadcast systems H04H60/31
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44222 Analytics of user selections, e.g. selection of programs or purchase activity monitoring of user selections in data processing systems G06F11/34; arrangements for monitoring the user's behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33
• 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 21/4751 for defining user accounts, e.g. accounts for children
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6143 involving transmission via a satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6187 involving transmission via a telephone network, e.g. POTS
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6587 Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8355 involving usage data, e.g. number of copies or viewings allowed
• 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 5/76 : Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/781 : on disks or drums
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8042 : involving data reduction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8227 : the additional signal being at least another television signal

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for distributing programming. A fixed linear programming schedule identifying an order of transmission for multiple programs is generated. The programs are transmitted in the order of transmission. An on-demand flag is embedded in at least one of the programs to identify it as available on an on-demand basis. An electronic program guide for the linear schedule displays the programs available on-demand with an on-demand identifier. The identified programs are then made available on an on-demand basis.

Claims

1. A method for distributing a plurality of programs, the method comprising:

generating, at a content provider, a fixed linear programming schedule identifying an order of transmission for a plurality of linearly scheduled programs, at least one of the linearly scheduled programs corresponding with an on-demand program offered by the content provider;

transmitting the programs from the content provider in the order of transmission;

embedding an on-demand flag in the at least one of the linearly scheduled programs at the content provider to identify the at least one of the linearly scheduled programs as corresponding with the on-demand program offered by the content provider, the embedded on-demand flag being configured to trigger display of a first on-demand identifier while the at least one of the linearly scheduled programs is being displayed;

making the on-demand program offered by the content provider available on an on-demand basis; and

generating a program guide for display, the program guide summarizing at least a portion of the fixed linear programming schedule and including a second on-demand identifier identifying the at least one of the linearly scheduled programs as corresponding with the on-demand program, the second on-demand identifier being generated according to a presence of the on-demand flag embedded in the at least one of the linearly scheduled programs.

2. The method recited in claim 1 wherein the programming schedule further identifies a time of transmission for each of the plurality of programs.

3. The method recited in claim 1 wherein making the on-demand program available on an on-demand basis comprises making the on-demand program available on a pay-per-view basis.

4. The method recited in claim 1 wherein making the on-demand program available on an on-demand basis comprises making the on-demand program available as part of a subscription that provides on-demand access to at least the on-demand program, the on-demand program being a substantially identical counterpart to the at least one of the linearly scheduled programs corresponding with the on-demand program.

5. The method recited in claim 1 wherein the plurality of programs comprise a plurality of video programs.

6. The method recited in claim 1 wherein:

making the on-demand program available on an on-demand basis comprises making the on-demand program available in a plurality of on-demand formats; and

the program guide further identifies the plurality of on-demand formats available.

7. The method recited in claim 1 wherein:

making the on-demand program available on an on-demand basis comprises making the on-demand program available in a plurality of languages; and

the program guide further identifies the plurality of languages available.

8. The method recited in claim 1 wherein:

making the on-demand program available on an on-demand basis comprises making supplementary material related to the on-demand program available on an on-demand basis; and

the program guide further identifies the supplementary material available.

9. The method recited in claim 1 wherein:

making the on-demand program available on an on-demand basis comprises providing options for selection of different versions of the on-demand program; and

the program guide further includes a selection icon identified to correspond to a specific version among the different versions in accordance with a previously specified default selection of options.

10. The method recited in claim 1 wherein transmitting the programs comprises transmitting the programs over a public network.

11. The method recited in claim 10 wherein the public network is the Internet.

12. The method recited in claim 1 wherein transmitting the programs comprises transmitting the programs over a cable network or broadcast satellite network.

13. The method recited in claim 1 wherein the on-demand program comprises supplemental content relating to the at least one of the linearly scheduled programs corresponding with the on-demand program.

14. The method recited in claim 1 wherein the first on-demand identifier is configured to be activated to initiate viewing of the on-demand program, the method further comprising:

detecting activation of the first on-demand identifier; and

in response to detecting the activation, transmitting the on-demand program from the content provider.

15. A method for distributing a plurality of video programs, the method comprising:

generating, at a content provider, a fixed linear programming schedule identifying an order of transmission for a plurality of linearly scheduled video programs, at least one of the linearly scheduled video programs corresponding with an on-demand program;

transmitting the programs in the order of transmission;

embedding an on-demand flag in the at least one of the linearly scheduled video programs at the content provider to identify the at least one of the linearly scheduled video programs as corresponding with the on-demand program, the embedded on-demand flag being configured to trigger display of a first on-demand identifier while the at least one of the linearly scheduled programs is being displayed;

making the on-demand program available on an on-demand basis; and

generating a program guide for display, the program guide summarizing at least a portion of the fixed linear programming schedule and including a second on-demand identifier identifying the at least one of the linearly scheduled video programs as corresponding with the on-demand program, the second on-demand identifier being generated according to a presence of the on-demand flag embedded in the at least one of the linearly scheduled video programs.

16. The method recited in claim 15 wherein making the on-demand program available on an on-demand basis comprises making the on-demand program available as part of a subscription that provides on-demand access to a plurality of subscription video programs, the on-demand program being a substantially identical counterpart to the at least one of the linearly scheduled video programs corresponding with the on-demand program.

17. The method recited in claim 15 wherein making the on-demand program available on an on-demand basis comprises providing options for selection of different versions of the on-demand program;

and

the program guide further includes a selection icon identified to correspond to a specific version among the different versions in accordance with a previously specified default selection of options.

18. The method recited in claim 15 wherein the first on-demand identifier is configured to be activated to initiate viewing of the on-demand program, the method further comprising:

detecting activation of the first on-demand identifier; and

in response to detecting the activation, transmitting the on-demand program.

19. A system for distributing programming, the system disposed at a content provider and comprising:

a transmission system;

a storage device in communication with the transmission system; and

a communications device in communication with the transmission system,

wherein the transmission system comprises a computer-readable storage medium having a computer-readable program embodied therein for directing operation of the transmission system, the computer-readable program comprising;

instructions for generating a fixed linear programming schedule identifying an order of transmission for a plurality of linearly scheduled programs, at least one of the linearly scheduled programs corresponding with an on-demand program stored on the storage device;

instructions for transmitting the programs over the communications device in the order of transmission;

instructions for confirming an on-demand flag is embedded in the at least one of the linearly scheduled programs to identify the at least one of the linearly scheduled programs as corresponding with the on-demand program stored on the storage device, the embedded on-demand flag being configured to trigger display of a first on-demand identifier while the at least one of the linearly scheduled programs is being displayed;

instructions for making the on-demand program offered by the content provider available on an on-demand basis; and

instructions for generating a program guide for display, the program wide summarizing at least a portion of the fixed linear programming schedule and including a second on-demand identifier identifying the at least one of the linearly scheduled programs as corresponding with the on-demand program, the second on-demand identifier being generated according to a presence of the on-demand flag embedded in the at least one of the linearly scheduled programs.

20. The system recited in claim 19 wherein the instructions for making the on-demand program available on an on-demand basis comprise instructions for making the on-demand program available as part of a subscription that provides on-demand access to at least the on-demand program, the on-demand program being a substantially identical counterpart to the at least one of the linearly scheduled programs corresponding with the on-demand program.

21. The system recited in claim 19 wherein:

the instructions for making the on-demand program available on an on-demand basis comprise instructions for making supplementary material related to the on-demand program available on an on-demand basis; and

the program guide further identifies the supplemental material available.

22. The system recited in claim 19 wherein the first on-demand identifier is configured to be activated to initiate viewing of the on-demand program, the computer-readable medium further comprising:

instructions for detecting activation of the first on-demand identifier; and

instructions for transmitting the on-demand program over the communications device in response to detecting the activation.