System and method for facilitating fast-forwarding of first-run programs

• US 8,196,172 B2
• Filed: 04/10/2006
• Issued: 06/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xylon LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Beach Unlimited LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Oesterreicher, Richard T., Murphy, Craig
• Primary Examiner(s): HARVEY, DAVID E
• Application Number:
  US11/401,605
• Publication Number:
  US 20060181606A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,248 Days
• Field of Search: 725 91- 95, 725/100, 725/105, 725114-120, 725/131, 725/133, 725 86- 90, 386/46
• US Class Current: 725/115
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234381 by altering the temporal resolution, e.g. decreasing the frame rate by frame skipping
• 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 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• 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 21/440281 by altering the temporal resolution, e.g. by frame skipping television signal recording using magnetic recording on tape for reproducing at a rate different from the recording rate H04N5/783
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4627 Rights management associated to the content 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 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47217 for controlling playback functions for recorded or on-demand content, e.g. using progress bars, mode or play-point indicators or bookmarks specific graphical features in visual interfaces H04N21/4312
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/63345 by transmitting keys key distribution for secret or secure communication H04L9/08; network support of key management H04L63/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6405 Multicasting data broadcast and multicast in packet switching networks H04L12/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6408 Unicasting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/781 on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17336 Handling of requests in head-ends

Abstract

A system and method are disclosed for facilitating fast-forwarding by viewers through a first-run program beyond the current broadcast point. In one embodiment, the first-run program is distributed before its scheduled publication time, and may be viewed at any time after the publication time. In a second embodiment, content is distributed on or after the publication time, but at a rate greater than the normal viewing rate. In a third embodiment, content is distributed on demand after the publication time by a media distribution server. In a fourth embodiment, a viewer participating in a multicast session of the content requests content beyond the current broadcast point. The viewer is switched to a unicast session, and the requested content is transmitted to the viewer. In alternative embodiments, a release code may be provided to control the time after which the viewer will be permitted to view program segments beyond the current broadcast point.

Claims

1. A method of distributing first-run programming content to a viewer, comprising:

digitally multicasting digitally encoded first-run programming content at a scheduled publication time of said first-run programming content, said first-run programming content comprising a plurality of segments, wherein at least one segment has an associated segment publication time, and wherein at least one associated segment publication time occurs after the scheduled publication time;

receiving a request to view a segment of said first-run programming content after said scheduled publication time, wherein a segment publication time of the segment is beyond a current broadcast point;

transferring the viewer from a multicasting to a unicast session;

digitally transmitting the segment of said first-run programming content in the unicast session before the segment publication time.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of digitally transmitting further comprises transmitting the segment of said first-run programming content at a rate greater than the normal viewing rate.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of digitally transmitting further comprises transmitting the segment of said first-run programming content at a rate equal to a requested fast-forwarding rate.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of digitally transmitting further comprises transmitting up to an allowed number of segments of said first-run programming content at a rate greater than the normal viewing rate.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said allowed number of segments corresponds to a release code.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a release code to permit said transferring and digitally transmitting.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising embedding said release code in said first-run programming content prior to digitally multicasting said digitally encoded first-run programming content.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a request from the viewer to view the requested first-run programming content on a display.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said digitally multicasting the digitally encoded first-run programming content is performed at a normal viewing rate.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising digitally encoding said first-run programming content.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said first-run programming content comprises a pre-produced television program initially broadcast by a television station owned or affiliated with a television network.

12. A media distribution server for distributing first-run programming content to a viewer, said media distribution server comprising:

a storage device comprising at least one digitally-encoded first-run program segment, wherein said digitally-encoded first-run program segment is a portion of a digitally-encoded first-run program, said digitally-encoded first-run program having a scheduled publication time, and wherein said digitally-encoded first-run program segment has an associated segment publication time that occurs after said scheduled publication time; and

a transmission component configured to multicast said digitally-encoded first-run program segment to a plurality of recording devices;

said media distribution server configured to receive a request to view said digitally-encoded first-run program segment after said scheduled publication time, wherein the segment publication time of said digitally-encoded first-run program segment is beyond a current broadcast point;

said media distribution sewer further configured to transfer the viewer from a multicasting to a unicast session, wherein said digitally-encoded first-run program segment is transmitted to said viewer in said unicast session before the segment publication time of said digitally-encoded first-run program segment.

13. The media distribution server of claim 12, further comprising a digital encoding component configured to encode at least one release code into said digitally-encoded first-run program segment.

14. The media distribution server of claim 12, said media distribution server further configured to receive a release code prior to transmitting requested digitally-encoded first-run programming content beyond a current broadcast point.