System and method of managing video content delivery

• US 8,893,199 B2
• Filed: 06/22/2005
• Issued: 11/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Grannan, Michael F., Suryanarayana, Lalitha
• Primary Examiner(s): Goodarzi, Nasser
• Assistant Examiner(s): Peng, Fred
• Application Number:
  US11/158,926
• Publication Number:
  US 20060294561A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,436 Days
• Field of Search: 725 86- 97
• US Class Current: 725/97
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2393 involving handling client requests scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26208 the scheduling operation being performed under constraints
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2625 for delaying content or additional data distribution, e.g. because of an extended sport event
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26258 for generating a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlist, or scheduling item distribution according to such list retrieval of multimedia data based on playlists G06F16/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2668 Creating a channel for a dedicated end-user group, e.g. insertion of targeted commercials based on end-user profiles information retrieval from the Internet by querying with filtering and personalisation G06F16/9535; arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast H04H20/10; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; adaptation of message content in packet-switching networks H04L51/063
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47208 for requesting near-video-on-demand content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6581 Reference data, e.g. a movie identifier for ordering a movie or a product identifier in a home shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17327 with deferred transmission or handling of upstream communications

Abstract

A system and method of managing delivery of content is disclosed. The method includes receiving a first request for delayed broadcast of a content item at a first time. The first request is from a first user having access to broadcast content. The method further includes receiving a second request for delayed broadcast of the content item at a second time. The second request is from a second user having access to broadcast content. The method further includes scheduling the content item for broadcast to a plurality of users at a third time. The third time is after the first time and after the second time. The plurality of users includes the first and second user.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, at a head end that supports a plurality of end user media devices, input from a user device that indicates selection of a delayed delivery option of a particular content item from a search result listing, wherein the search result listing is generated at a search engine based on a search request and a delivery requirement received from the user device, and wherein an entry of the search result listing identifies a content item and a delivery option for the content item;

incrementing a pea counter associated with the particular content item in response to receiving the input, wherein the pea counter indicates a number of requests received for delayed delivery of the particular content item;

storing user information associated with the input;

comparing, at the head end, a value of the pea counter to a broadcast efficiency threshold; and

when the value of the pea counter exceeds the broadcast efficiency threshold;

scheduling, at the head end, delivery of the particular content item to a plurality of user devices that requested delayed delivery of the particular content item; and

resetting the peg counter.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the search result listing is a portion of an offer page.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the search result listing includes at least one an additional delivery option in addition to the delayed delivery option.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the additional delivery option includes an immediate delivery option.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the search result listing results from a content search request that includes a delivery parameter.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the delivery parameter includes a price, a video fidelity, an audio fidelity, or a delivery time.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the entry of the search result listing includes a price, a video fidelity, an audio fidelity, a delivery time, or a combination thereof.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending an offer page to the user device prior to receiving the input from the user device, wherein the input corresponds to a particular delivery option included in a display of the offer page.

9. The method of claim 3, wherein the additional delivery option includes downloading the particular content item from a peer-to-peer network for immediate playback.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the particular content item is a video game.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein scheduling delivery of the particular content item comprises scheduling delivery of the particular content item via a broadcast network.

12. A method comprising:

receiving a search request and a delivery requirement at a search engine server, the search request received from a set top box;

performing a search at the search engine server of a plurality of databases to identify video content sources able to provide content that satisfies the search request;

sending the delivery requirement to the video content sources to determine a particular video content source able to satisfy the delivery requirement;

providing a search result to the set top box that satisfies the search request and the delivery requirement, wherein an entry of the search result identifies a particular video content item available from the particular video content source and a delayed delivery option for the particular video content item;

receiving a selection of the entry that identifies the particular video content item and the delayed delivery option from the search result;

incrementing a peg counter associated with the particular video content item in response to the selection;

storing user information associated with the selection; and

when a determination indicates a value of the peg counter exceeds a broadcast efficiency threshold;

scheduling a broadcast of the particular video content item to a plurality of user devices that requested delayed delivery of the particular video content item; and

resetting the peg counter.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the plurality of databases includes an electronic programming guide database.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the plurality of databases includes a local video on demand content database.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the video content sources include a multicast-capable internet protocol network.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the search request includes user location information, a content title, a performer name, a team name, program subject matter, or any combination thereof.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the delivery requirement includes a price, a video fidelity, an audio fidelity, a delivery time, or any combination thereof.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein a second entry of the search result identifies the particular video content item and indicates the particular video content is available for immediate delivery via streaming for a first price.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the first price is greater than a second price associated with the delayed delivery option.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the plurality of databases includes a database associated with a peer-to-peer network.

21. A device comprising:

a processor;

a memory accessible to the processor; and

a computer program embedded within the memory, the computer program comprising instructions executable by the processor to perform operations including;

receiving input from a user device indicating selection of an entry from a search result listing, wherein the search result listing is generated at a search engine based on a search request and a delivery requirement received from the user device, and wherein the input identifies a delayed delivery option of a particular content item;

incrementing a peg counter associated with the particular content item in response to the input, wherein the peg counter indicates a number of requests received for delayed delivery of the particular content item;

storing user information associated with the input; and

when a determination indicates a value of the peg counter exceeds a broadcast efficiency threshold;

scheduling a broadcast of the particular content item to a plurality of user devices that requested delayed delivery of the particular content item; and

resetting the peg counter.

22. The device of claim 21, wherein a first particular entry in the search result listing is associated with a video game.

23. The device of claim 21, wherein a second particular entry in the search result listing is associated with a video content item.

24. A computer-readable storage device comprising instructions executable by a processor to perform operations including:

sending a search result listing to a user device via a network, wherein the search result listing is generated at a search engine server based on a search request and a delivery requirement received from the user device, and wherein an entry of the search result listing identifies a content item and a delivery option for the content item;

receiving input from the user device via the network, wherein the input indicates selection of a delayed delivery option of a particular content item from the search result listing;

incrementing a peg counter associated with the particular content item in response to receiving the input, wherein the peg counter indicates a number of requests received for delayed delivery of the particular content item;

storing user information associated with the input;

comparing a value of the peg counter to a broadcast efficiency threshold; and

when the value of the peg counter exceeds the broadcast efficiency threshold;

scheduling delivery of the particular content item to a plurality of user devices that requested delayed delivery of the particular content item; and

resetting the peg counter.

25. The computer-readable storage device of claim 24, wherein the network is the internet.

26. A computer-readable storage device comprising instructions executable by a processor to perform operations including:

receiving data from a user device, wherein the data includes a search request criterion and a delivery requirement;

determining content sources able to provide content that satisfies the search request criterion and the delivery requirement;

sending a search result listing to the user device that includes content sources that satisfy the search request criterion and the delivery requirement, wherein an entry of the search result listing identifies a particular content item, a delayed delivery option, and a cost associated with the delayed delivery option;

receiving, from the user device, second data indicating selection of the entry that identifies the particular content item and the delayed delivery option from the search result listing;

incrementing a peg counter associated with the particular content item in response to the second data;

storing user information associated with the second data; and

when a determination indicates a value of the peg counter exceeds a broadcast efficiency threshold;

scheduling a broadcast of the particular content item to a plurality of user devices that requested delayed delivery of the particular content item; and

resetting the peg counter.

27. The computer-readable storage device of claim 26, wherein the search result listing includes a second entry that identifies the particular content item, a download and store delivery option, and a cost associated with the download and store delivery option, wherein the cost associated with the download and store delivery option is greater than the cost associated with the delayed delivery option, and wherein the operations further include:

receiving, from the user device, third data indicating selection of the second entry that identifies the particular content item, the download and store delivery option; and

sending the particular content item to the user device for storage.

28. The computer-readable storage device of claim 26, wherein the search request criterion includes user location information, a content title, a performer name, a team name, program subject matter, or combinations thereof and wherein the delivery requirement includes a price, a video fidelity, an audio fidelity, or combinations thereof.