System and method of mapping customer premise equipment in a VOD system of a cable service provider
First Claim
1. A method of enabling a television user to utilize an Internet device to request a Video-On-Demand (VOD) server in a television delivery system to stream a selected video to a Set Top Box (STB) of the television user, the method comprising the steps of:
- establishing an Internet Protocol (IP) connection between the Internet device and an application external to the television delivery system executing at a web site external to the television delivery system, wherein the step of establishing the IP connection includes providing an Internet device identifier to the application;
the application communicating with the VOD server to obtain a listing of videos available in the television delivery system;
the application providing the Internet device with access to the listing of available videos through the IP connection;
receiving at the application from the Internet device, an indication of the selected video;
accessing by the application, an equipment-mapping table associating the Internet device identifier with an identifier of the STB of the user; and
sending a request for the selected video from the application to the VOD server, the request including the identifier of the STB of the user; and
wherein the Internet device is a device other than a Set Top Box (STB) that can access the Internet,delivering the selected video to the STB of the user through the television delivery system.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system, method, and web-based application platform enabling a television viewer to utilize an Internet device to request a Video-On-Demand (VOD) server to stream a selected video to the viewer'"'"'s Set Top Box (STB). An Internet Protocol (IP) connection is established between the Internet device and an application executing at a web site, and an Internet device identifier is passed to the application. The application communicates with the VOD server to obtain a listing of available videos, and provides the listing to the Internet device. When the viewer selects a video, the application accesses an equipment-mapping table, which associates the Internet device identifier with an STB identifier. The application then sends the STB identifier and a request for the selected video to the VOD server, which delivers the video to the STB over a television delivery system.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method of enabling a television user to utilize an Internet device to request a Video-On-Demand (VOD) server in a television delivery system to stream a selected video to a Set Top Box (STB) of the television user, the method comprising the steps of:
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establishing an Internet Protocol (IP) connection between the Internet device and an application external to the television delivery system executing at a web site external to the television delivery system, wherein the step of establishing the IP connection includes providing an Internet device identifier to the application; the application communicating with the VOD server to obtain a listing of videos available in the television delivery system; the application providing the Internet device with access to the listing of available videos through the IP connection; receiving at the application from the Internet device, an indication of the selected video; accessing by the application, an equipment-mapping table associating the Internet device identifier with an identifier of the STB of the user; and sending a request for the selected video from the application to the VOD server, the request including the identifier of the STB of the user; and wherein the Internet device is a device other than a Set Top Box (STB) that can access the Internet, delivering the selected video to the STB of the user through the television delivery system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 17)
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9. An application platform at a web site external to a television delivery system for enabling a television user to utilize an Internet device to request a Video-On-Demand (VOD) server in the television delivery system to stream a selected video to a Set Top Box (STB) of the television user, the application platform comprising:
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a processor and a memory; an equipment-mapping table associating an identifier of the Internet device with an identifier of the STB of the user; and an application stored in the memory, wherein when the application is executed by the processor, the application platform performs the steps of; establishing an Internet Protocol (IP) connection with the Internet device and obtaining the Internet device identifier; obtaining from the VOD server, a listing of videos available in the television delivery system; providing the Internet device with access to the listing of available videos through the IP connection; receiving at the application from the Internet device, an indication of the selected video; and sending a request for the selected video from the application to the VOD server, the request including the identifier of the STB of the user and requesting the selected video to be delivered to the STB of the user through the television delivery system, wherein the Internet device is a device other than a Set Top Box (STB) that can access the Internet. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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18. A system for enabling a television user to request over the Internet, a selected video to be delivered over a television delivery system, the system comprising:
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a Set Top Box (STB) of the user for receiving the selected video over the television delivery system; an Internet device other than the STB connected to the Internet at the viewer'"'"'s premises, the Internet device including an Internet device identifier; an application executing on a processor at a web site external to the television delivery system, the application in communication with the Internet device through an Internet Protocol (IP) connection; an equipment-mapping table accessible by the application, the equipment-mapping table associating the Internet device identifier with an identifier of the STB of the user; and a Video-On-Demand (VOD) server in the television delivery system, the VOD server being in communication with the application; wherein the Internet device includes means for sending indications of viewer inputs to the application; wherein when the processor executes the application, the processor is caused to; obtain the Internet device identifier through the IP connection; obtain from the VOD server, a listing of videos available in the television delivery system, and provide the listing to the Internet device; receive from the Internet device, an indication of the selected video; access the equipment-mapping table with the Internet device identifier to obtain the STB identifier; and send the indication of the selected video and the STB identifier to the VOD server; wherein the VOD server is configured to send the selected video to the STB over the television delivery system. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification