Technique for providing uninterrupted switched digital video service
First Claim
1. A method comprising the steps of:
- receiving, from a subscriber of a video content network offering a switched digital video service, a request to establish a new switched digital video session within a service group of said video content network, said service group comprising both preferred and standard subscribers and having a plurality of existing sessions;
determining whether adequate bandwidth is available to establish said new switched digital video session without tearing down any of said existing sessions;
responsive to said determination indicating that said adequate bandwidth is not available without tearing down any of said existing sessions, tearing down at least one of said existing sessions, with those of said existing sessions corresponding to said preferred subscribers being exempted from teardown,wherein, responsive to said determination indicating that said adequate bandwidth is not available without tearing down any of said existing sessions, sending a ping signal to selected ones of said subscribers within said service group who have not changed channels for a predetermined time and who are not preferred subscribers, wherein said preferred subscribers are not sent said ping signal, andrequiring a manual response to said ping signal from set top terminals of said selected ones of said subscribers; and
establishing said new switched digital video session in accordance with said request.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A request is received from a subscriber of a video content network offering a switched digital video service. The request is to establish a new switched digital video session within a service group of the video content network. The service group includes both preferred and standard subscribers and has a plurality of existing sessions. It is determined whether adequate bandwidth is available to establish the new switched digital video session without tearing down any of the existing sessions. Responsive to the determination indicating that adequate bandwidth is not available without tearing down any of the existing sessions, at least one of the existing sessions is torn down. In this step, those of the existing sessions corresponding to the preferred subscribers are exempted from teardown. The new switched digital video session is established in accordance with the request. A switched digital video control apparatus, a set-top terminal, and a system are also disclosed.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method comprising the steps of:
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receiving, from a subscriber of a video content network offering a switched digital video service, a request to establish a new switched digital video session within a service group of said video content network, said service group comprising both preferred and standard subscribers and having a plurality of existing sessions; determining whether adequate bandwidth is available to establish said new switched digital video session without tearing down any of said existing sessions; responsive to said determination indicating that said adequate bandwidth is not available without tearing down any of said existing sessions, tearing down at least one of said existing sessions, with those of said existing sessions corresponding to said preferred subscribers being exempted from teardown, wherein, responsive to said determination indicating that said adequate bandwidth is not available without tearing down any of said existing sessions, sending a ping signal to selected ones of said subscribers within said service group who have not changed channels for a predetermined time and who are not preferred subscribers, wherein said preferred subscribers are not sent said ping signal, and requiring a manual response to said ping signal from set top terminals of said selected ones of said subscribers; and establishing said new switched digital video session in accordance with said request. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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4. A method comprising the steps of:
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receiving, from a subscriber of a video content network offering a switched digital video service, a request to establish a new switched digital video session within a service group of said video content network, said service group comprising both preferred and standard subscribers and having a plurality of existing sessions; determining whether adequate bandwidth is available to establish said new switched digital video session without tearing down any of said existing sessions; responsive to said determination indicating that said adequate bandwidth is not available without tearing down any of said existing sessions, tearing down at least one of said existing sessions, with those of said existing sessions corresponding to said preferred subscribers being exempted from teardown, wherein, responsive to said determination indicating that said adequate bandwidth is not available without tearing down any of said existing sessions, sending a ping signal to selected ones of said subscribers within said service group associated with set top terminals inactive for at least said predetermined time, receiving an automatic response from at least one set top terminal of said preferred subscribers in response to said ping signal based on an indication of a preferred status of said preferred subscribers, and requiring a manual response to said ping signal from at least one set top terminal of those subscribers of said selected ones of said subscribers within said service group associated with a set top terminal inactive for said at least said predetermined time and who is a standard subscriber, wherein said at least one of said existing sessions which is torn down is associated with said set top terminal inactive for said at least said predetermined time and who is said standard subscriber, and fails to manually respond to said ping signal; and establishing said new switched digital video session in accordance with said request. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8)
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13. A switched digital video control apparatus for use in a video content network offering a switched digital video service and having a service group comprising both preferred and standard subscribers, said apparatus comprising:
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a memory; and at least one processor, coupled to said memory, and operative to; receive, from a subscriber of said video content network, a request to establish a new switched digital video session within the service group of the video content network, the service group having a plurality of existing sessions; determine whether adequate bandwidth is available to establish the new switched digital video session without tearing down any of the existing sessions; responsive to said determination indicating that the adequate bandwidth is not available without tearing down any of the existing sessions, tear down at least one of the existing sessions, with those of the existing sessions corresponding to the preferred subscribers being exempted from teardown, wherein responsive to said determination indicating that the adequate bandwidth is not available without tearing down any of the existing sessions, send a ping signal to selected ones of the subscribers within the service group who have not changed channels for a predetermined time and who are not preferred subscribers, and require a manual response to said ping signal from set top terminals of the selected ones of the subscribers, wherein the at least one of the existing sessions which is torn down is with a set top terminal of one of those selected ones of the subscribers who fails to manually respond to said ping signal; and establish the switched digital video session in accordance with said request. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 21, 22)
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16. A switched digital video control apparatus for use in a video content network offering a switched digital video service and having a service group comprising both preferred and standard subscribers, said apparatus comprising:
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a memory; and at least one processor, coupled to said memory, and operative to; receive, from a subscriber of said video content network, a request to establish a new switched digital video session within the service group of the video content network, the service group having a plurality of existing sessions; determine whether adequate bandwidth is available to establish the new switched digital video session without tearing down any of the existing sessions; responsive to said determination indicating that the adequate bandwidth is not available without tearing down any of the existing sessions, tear down at least one of the existing sessions, with those of the existing sessions corresponding to the preferred subscribers being exempted from teardown, wherein, responsive to said determination indicating that the adequate bandwidth is not available without tearing down any of the existing sessions, send a ping signal to selected ones of the subscribers within the service group associated with set top terminals inactive for at least said predetermined time, receive an automatic response from set top terminals of the preferred subscribers in response to said ping signal based on an indication of a preferred status of said preferred subscribers, and require a manual response to said ping signal from set top terminals of those subscribers of the selected ones of the subscribers within the service group associated with a set top terminal inactive for said at least said predetermined time and who is a standard subscriber, wherein the at least one of the existing sessions which is torn down is associated with said set top terminal inactive for said at least said predetermined time and who is said standard subscriber, and fails to manually respond to said ping signal; and establish the switched digital video session in accordance with said request. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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23. A set-top terminal for use in a video content network offering a switched digital video service, said set-top terminal comprising:
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a memory; and at least one processor, coupled to said memory, and operative to; receive, from a head end of said video content network, a ping message requiring a response to exclude a session of said set-top terminal from a teardown; and responsive to receiving the ping message, automatically respond to the ping message based on a preferred status of associated with said set-top terminal.
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24. A method comprising:
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receiving, from a subscriber of a video content network offering a switched digital video service, a request to establish a new switched digital video session within a service group of said video content network, said service group comprising both preferred and standard subscribers and having a plurality of existing sessions; determining whether adequate bandwidth is available to establish said new switched digital video session without tearing down any of said existing sessions; responsive to said determination indicating that said adequate bandwidth is not available without tearing down any of said existing sessions, tearing down at least one of said existing sessions, with those of said existing sessions corresponding to said preferred subscribers being exempted from teardown, wherein, responsive to said determination indicating that said adequate bandwidth is not available without tearing down any of said existing sessions, send a ping signal to selected ones of said subscribers within said service group associated with set top terminals inactive for at least said predetermined time, receive an automatic response from set top terminals of said preferred subscribers in response to said ping signal based on an indication of a preferred status of said preferred subscribers, and require a manual response to said ping signal from set top terminals of those subscribers of said selected ones of said subscribers within said service group associated with a set top terminal inactive for said at least said predetermined time and who is a standard subscriber; and establishing said new switched digital video session in accordance with said request.
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25. A system comprising:
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a video content network offering a switched digital video service; a service group coupled to said video content network and having a plurality of terminals, said service group servicing both preferred and standard subscribers; and a switched digital video control apparatus coupled to said video content network, said switched digital video control apparatus, said apparatus in turn comprising; a memory; and at least one processor, coupled to said memory, and operative to; receive, from a given one of the subscribers, a request to establish a new switched digital video session within said service group, said service group having a plurality of existing sessions; determine whether adequate bandwidth is available to establish said new switched digital video session without tearing down any of said existing sessions; responsive to said determination indicating that said adequate bandwidth is not available without tearing down any of said existing sessions, tear down at least one of said existing sessions, with those of said existing sessions corresponding to said preferred subscribers being exempted from teardown, wherein, responsive to said determination indicating that said adequate bandwidth is not available without tearing down any of said existing sessions, send a ping signal to selected ones of said subscribers within said service group associated with set top terminals inactive for at least said predetermined time, receiving an automatic response from set top terminals of said preferred subscribers in response to said ping signal based on an indication of a preferred status of said preferred subscribers, and require a manual response to said ping signal from set top terminals of those subscribers of said selected ones of said subscribers within said service group associated with a set top terminal inactive for said at least said predetermined time and who is a standard subscriber; and establish said switched digital video session in accordance with said request.
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Specification