Method and system for providing instant start multimedia content

• US 8,458,754 B2
• Filed: 01/22/2001
• Issued: 06/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Corson, Greg
• Primary Examiner(s): Kumar, Pankaj
• Assistant Examiner(s): Raman, Usha
• Application Number:
  US09/765,593
• Publication Number:
  US 20020147979A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,516 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217, 709/219, 725/35, 725/90, 725/93, 725 86- 89, 725/95, 725/97, 725/101, 725/134, 725/142
• US Class Current: 725/90
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/262 Content or additional data distribution scheduling, e.g. sending additional data at off-peak times, updating software modules, calculating the carousel transmission frequency, delaying a video stream transmission, generating play-lists scheduling strategies for dispatcher in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/4881; arrangements for scheduling broadcast services or broadcast-related services H04H60/06; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; establishing a time schedule or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/62
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26208 the scheduling operation being performed under constraints
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26216 involving the channel capacity, e.g. network bandwidth admission control, resource allocation in open networks H04L12/5692; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; establishing a schedule or organising the servicing of application requests taking into account QoS H04L67/61
• 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 21/26266 for determining content or additional data repetition rate, e.g. of a file in a DVB carousel according to its importance arrangements for broadcast or for distribution of identical information repeatedly in broadcast distribution systems H04H20/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26275 for distributing content or additional data in a staggered manner, e.g. repeating movies on different channels in a time-staggered manner in a near video on demand system
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47208 for requesting near-video-on-demand content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8456 by decomposing the content in the time domain, e.g. in time segments
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/173 with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal

Abstract

A system and method for providing multimedia content through a cable, satellite television or other content server system. A server facility which provides multimedia content divides formatted multimedia content into data chunks (e.g., collections of data corresponding to one minute lengths) prior to transmission to a user/subscriber receptor unit, and sends the divided data chunks according to a schedule which permits instantaneous starting and viewing of the multimedia content, such as movies, upon user/subscriber request. The user/subscriber receptor unit includes a cable box, video game device, or the like having a digital video recording capability and at least a memory capacity or disk space sufficient to store a complete unit of media content, such as full-length feature film. The invention does not require intensive interaction between the server facility and the receptor unit, but rather, only requires sending of content signals in the form of an interleaved media stream from the server facility to the receptor unit. Further, the invention requires the use of no more than six times the bandwidth of the original signal for operation.

Claims

1. A method of delivering digital content from a server to a user/subscriber device, comprising:

providing digital content;

dividing the digital content into a plurality of data chunks prior to transmission;

determining a time schedule for the-transmission of the digital content, the time schedule being determined by the server when the user/subscriber device makes a request for the transmission of the digital content, the time schedule optimizing bandwidth consumption;

pre-storing at least one of the plurality of data chunks on the user/subscriber device independent of the time schedule and prior to the transmission of the digital content;

transmitting the divided data chunks from the server to the user/subscriber device according to the time schedule, the transmission occurring over a communication network comprising a plurality of channels, wherein each of the plurality of data chunks are transmitted over the plurality of channels at a frequency equal to a time index of the data chunk in the digital content; and

removing particular divided data chunks from the time schedule upon a determination that all user/subscriber devices receiving the digital content have received the particular divided data chunk to be removed, wherein the server may determine that all the user/subscriber devices have received the particular divided data chunks upon receipt of a data signal sent to the server by all of the user/subscriber devices indicating receipt of the particular divided data chunks.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein dividing said digital content into said plurality of data chunks occurs at a server facility.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the divided digital content comprises p data chunks, each data chunk occupying a substantially equal unit of time, and wherein said transmitting step comprises transmitting an nth data chunk once every n units of time.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising selecting digital content provided by a server facility.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising scheduling the transmission of at least one of said data chunks for non-sequential transmission.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising transmitting at least one data chunk non-sequentially.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising storing at least one transmitted data chunk non-sequentially at the user/subscriber device.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the transmitted data chunks are made available for immediate consumption by a user/subscriber.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one transmitted data chunk is stored at the user/subscriber device prior to consumption by a user/subscriber.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein a first transmitted data chunk is consumed while at least one second transmitted data chunk is simultaneously stored at the user/subscriber device for subsequent consumption.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the user/subscriber device comprises data memory for storing at least one complete version of said digital content.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein said digital content comprises at least one of video, audio, or graphics.

13. The method according to claim 1, further comprising using less than the maximum number of available channels for transmitting the divided data chunks.

14. The method according to claim 1, further comprising dedicating at least one transmission channel to common portions of digital content.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein said common portions of-digital content include at least one of ratings notices, copyright notices, sound production logos, production trademarks, or service marks.

16. The method according to claim 1, further comprising Providing a number q of digital content starts per digital transmission, wherein 1 <

q≦

M and M is the maximum number of available channels.

17. The method ac cording to claim 1, further comprising:

allocating a plurality of channels to a first user/subscriber according to the transmission schedule of divided data chunks;

adding a second user/subscriber to said transmission schedule for said plurality of channels; and

receiving said data chunks by said second user/subscriber simultaneously with those data chunks being transmitted to the first user/subscriber following a request for said digital content.

18. The method according to claim 1, further comprising using a same amount of bandwidth for the transmission of digital content irrespective of how many users/subscribers have requested and are receiving such content transmitted to their user/subscriber device.

19. The method according to claim 1, wherein the user/subscriber device includes a digital cable/satellite set-top-box or a video game console unit.

20. The method according to claim 1, wherein the user/subscriber device includes at least one of an external memory storage device, an internal memory storage device, or a detachable storage medium.

21. The method according to claim 1, further comprising modifying digital content consumption variables, wherein said variables include, speed, direction of play, or volume of the digital content.

44. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving the plurality of data chunks at the user/subscriber device in a time period shorter than that of the playing time of the digital content.

45. The method of claim 1, further comprising interleaving the received plurality of data chunks.

22. A system for delivering digital content from a server to a user/subscriber device, comprising:

a digital content database comprising digital content, the digital content having been divided into a plurality of data chunk;

prior to transmission;

a server configured to transmit the digital content at a frequency equal to a time index of the data chunk in the digital content, the server further configured to, pre-store at least one of the data chunks at the user/subscriber device independent of a time schedule and prior to transmission of the divided data chunks according to the time schedule;

a user/subscriber device for receiving at least one of the pre-stored and said transmitted data chunks; and

a communications network comprising a plurality of channels for transmitting said divided data chunks from said server according to the time schedule, the time schedule determined by the server when the user/subscriber device makes a request for the transmission of the digital content, the time schedule optimizing bandwidth consumption, and wherein the server removes a particular divided data chunk from the time schedule when it is determined that all user/subscriber devices receiving the digital content have received the particular divided data chunk to be removed from the time schedule upon receipt of a data signal sent to the server by all of the user/subscriber devices indicating receipt of the particular divided data chunk.

23. The system according to claim 22, wherein a server facility comprises means for dividing said digital content into said divided data chunks.

24. The system according to claim 22, wherein a server facility divides said digital content into n discrete data chunks, each data chunk occupying a substantially equal unit of time, and wherein an nth data chunk is transmitted from said server facility once every n units of time.

25. The system according to claim 22, wherein at least some of said data chunks are transmitted to and stored non-sequentially at the user/subscriber device prior to user/subscriber consumption of the digital content.

26. The system according to claim 22, wherein said data chunks are transmitted to and stored at the user/subscriber device prior to user/subscriber consumption of the digital content.

27. The system acceding to claim 22, wherein the user/subscriber device includes a digital cable/satellite set-top-box or a video game console unit.

28. The system according to claim 22, wherein the user/subscriber device includes at least one of an external memory storage device, an internal memory storage device, or a detachable storage medium.

29. The system according to claim 22, wherein said server transmits at least one of said data chunks non-sequentially.

30. The system according to claim 22, wherein said server transmits at least one data chunk non-sequentially according to the time schedule.

31. The system according to claim 22, wherein the user/subscriber device permits the storing of at least one data chunk non-sequentially.

32. The system according to claim 22, wherein the user/subscriber device makes the transmitted data chunks available for immediate consumption by a user/subscriber.

33. The system according to claim 22, wherein the user/subscriber device has a data memory for storing at least one complete version of said digital content.

34. The system according to claim 22, wherein said server uses less than the maximum number of channels for transmission.

35. The system according to claim 22, wherein said server dedicates at least one channel to common portions of digital content.

36. The system according to claim 22, wherein said server provides a number q of digital content star per digital transmission, wherein 1<

q≦

M and M is the maximum number of available channels.

37. The system according to claim 22, wherein said server is further configured to:

allocate a plurality of channels to a first user/subscriber according to the transmission schedule of said divided data chunks;

add a second user/subscriber to said transmission schedule; and

permit the receiving of said data chunks by said second user/subscriber simultaneously with those being transmitted to the first user/subscriber following a request for, said digital content.

38. The system according to claim 22, wherein said server uses a same amount of bandwidth for the transmission of digital content irrespective of how many users/subscribers have requested and are receiving such content at their respective user/subscriber device.

39. A server facility for delivering digital content to a user/subscriber device, comprising;

a data processing unit for dividing said digital content into a plurality of data chunks prior to transmission over a plurality of transmission channels; and

a communication unit configured to pre-store at least one of the divided data chunks at the user/subscriber device prior lo and independent of the transmission of the remainder of the plurality of divided data chunks, the communication unit further configured to transmit the divided data chunks to the user/subscriber device according to a transmission schedule determined by the server when the user/subscriber device makes a request for the transmission of the digital content, the user/subscriber device comprising a data receiving unit and a data storage unit, said communication unit further configured to transmit the divided data chunks to a first user/subscriber device and a second user/subscriber device simultaneously when the second user/subscriber device is added to said transmission schedule during transmission of the divided data chunks, said transmission occurring at a frequency equal to a time index of the data chunk in the digital content, and wherein the communication unit is further configured to remove a particular divided data chunk from the transmission schedule upon a determination that all user/subscriber devices receiving the digital content have received the divided data chunk to be removed from the transmission schedule, wherein all the user/subscriber devices may be determined to have received the particular divided data chunk upon receipt of a data signal sent by all of the user/subscriber devices indicating receipt of the particular divided data chunk.

40. The server facility according to claim 39, wherein said transmission schedule is further determined such that said data receiving unit of said user/subscriber device receives a first divide data chunk to be reproduced later while said data storage unit of said user/subscriber device simultaneously stores a second divided said data chunk while said user/subscriber device is playing the transmitted digital content.

41. The server facility according to claim 39, wherein said addition of the second user/subscriber device to said transmission schedule is performed by said user/subscriber device without transmission of a request for said digital content from the second user/subscriber device to said server facility.

42. The server facility according to claim 39, further comprising a database for registering a user/subscriber, said addition of a second user/subscriber device to said transmission schedule is performed by registering the second user/subscriber device in said database when said communication unit receives a request for said digital content from said second user/subscriber device.

43. The server facility according to claim 42, wherein said transmission schedule is revised according to the status of current user/subscriber devices when a second user/subscriber device is added to, or an existing user/subscriber device is deleted from, said transmission schedule.