Method and apparatus for video on demand asset management

• US 8,726,321 B2
• Filed: 04/03/2006
• Issued: 05/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Verizon Laboratories Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Laboratories Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Fransman, Andrew, Chipalkatti, Renu
• Primary Examiner(s): Kumar, Pankaj
• Assistant Examiner(s): BROWN, RUEBEN M
• Application Number:
  US11/395,217
• Publication Number:
  US 20060179469A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,962 Days
• Field of Search: 725/82, 725 91- 97, 725/103, 725114-117, 725144-147, 725/39, 725/50
• US Class Current: 725/93
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2385 Channel allocation H04N21/266 takes precedence; Bandwidth allocation H04N21/24 takes precedence ; allocation of channels according to the instantaneous demands of the users in time-division multiplex systems H04J3/1682; admission control, resource allocation in open networks H04L12/5692; arrangements for maintenance or administration in data switching networks involving bandwidth and capacity management H04L41/0896; negotiating bandwidth in wireless networks H04W28/16
• 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 21/26233 involving content or additional data duration or size, e.g. length of a movie, size of an executable file
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47208 for requesting near-video-on-demand content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17327 with deferred transmission or handling of upstream communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17336 Handling of requests in head-ends

Abstract

A master scheduler system and method automatically operate and/or coordinate operation of a plurality of relatively independent systems, including manual systems, to function as an NVOD system to provide automating diverse operations for supporting and maintaining an NVOD system. The master scheduler system and method may also be applied to automate manual processes of analog-based and digital broadcast based service. The master scheduler receives, processes, and disseminates NVOD schedule-related information for end-to-end NVOD service; that is, sending video from a back-end which stores video data to a head-end for viewing by a user. The master scheduler also provides operations support for the NVOD system, such as maintaining the head-end configuration, allocating channels, performing asset management, performing content management, etc. The master scheduler provides validation of scheduling information by comparing information such as programmed schedules, asset metadata, and data obtained by measuring asset parameters, for example duration.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a schedule management system arranged to receive and validate a schedule;

wherein validating the schedule includes comparing duration information measured from an asset to duration information included in the schedule;

a content manager system arranged to monitor and control the loading of assets into a video server according to the validated schedule, wherein the assets include video content scheduled for transmission to subscribers of a video on demand;

wherein the content manager includes a graphical user interface configured to allow an administrator to view a selected asset and verify the integrity of the selected asset loaded into the video server; and

a schedule distributor arranged to distribute a finalized schedule of programming events to external entities of the video on demand system, including the video server;

wherein the schedule management system, responsive to commands from the administrator, modifies the validated schedule to generate the finalized schedule of programming events.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the graphic user interface is further configured to receive commands from the administrator and interact with the content manager system to control the loading of the assets.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a head-end configuration manager, responsive to commands from the administrator, arranged to track configuration parameters of a head-end of the video on demand system;

wherein the configuration parameters determine video on demand system channel allocations.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a task management system arranged to generate an indication of tasks to be performed to conduct the loading of assets to the video server.

5. The system of claim 4, further comprising:

a notification generator, responsive to the occurrence of conditions associated with generated tasks, arranged to generate notifications of the conditions.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an asset management system arranged to monitor the status and conditions of assets in the video on demand system.

7. The system of claim 6, further comprising:

a graphic user interface arranged to generate an asset management screen to allow an administrator to access the asset management system for viewing asset-related data.

8. A method comprising:

receiving a schedule from a schedule provider;

validating the schedule, including comparing duration information measured from an asset to duration information included in the schedule;

processing the schedule to generate a finalized schedule;

receiving assets including video content;

loading the assets into a video server according to at least one of the validated schedule and the finalized schedule;

distributing the finalized schedule to the video server, to a business support system, and to an electronic program guide system;

transmitting the content over a video on demand system; and

verifying the integrity of a selected asset loaded into the video server via at least one channel of the video on demand system.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein receiving assets includes cataloging the received assets using an asset management system.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

generating a graphic user interface (GUI) screen to allow an administrator to monitor the loading of the assets into the video server.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving an asset selection command through the GUI screen to select an asset loaded into the video server;

receiving a test actuation signal through the GUI screen; and

sending the asset to a display of an administrator over a test channel of the at least one channel for viewing the selected asset.

12. A method comprising:

receiving at a master scheduler scheduling information from a schedule provider;

validating the scheduling information;

receiving an asset from an asset provider, the asset including video content;

loading said asset into a video server according to the validated scheduling information;

verifying an integrity of said asset via at least one channel of a video on demand system;

obtaining asset information from said video server;

comparing said asset information to said scheduling information, including comparing duration information measured from said asset to duration information included in said scheduling information.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein comparing asset information to said scheduling information further comprises:

obtaining calculated duration information based on a difference between a scheduled start time and a scheduled end time; and

comparing said asset information comprising measured duration information measured from said asset to said calculated duration information.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein comparing asset information to said scheduling information further comprises:

comparing said asset information comprising an asset return date to said scheduling information comprising a scheduled play date; and

inhibiting playing of said asset when said scheduled play date is later than said asset return date.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving at said master scheduler program guide information from a program guide system; and

comparing said program guide information to said scheduling information.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

modifying said scheduling information at said master scheduler to obtain modified scheduling information; and

transmitting said modified scheduling information to a program guide system and to a business support system, said program guide system disseminating program guide information and said business support system generating billing information.

17. A method comprising:

receiving at a master scheduler scheduling information from a schedule provider;

receiving an asset from an asset provider, the asset including video content;

loading said asset into a video server;

verifying an integrity of said asset via at least one channel of a video on demand system;

obtaining asset information from said video server;

comparing said asset information to said scheduling information, including;

comparing duration information measured from said asset to duration information included in said scheduling information,

comparing an asset return date to a scheduled play date; and

inhibiting playing of said asset when said scheduled play date is later than said asset return date.