Systems and methods for initializing allocations of transport streams based on historical data

• US 9,049,073 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2011
• Issued: 06/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ROVI Product Corporation (Xperi Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Klappert, Walter R., McCarty, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Baturay, Alicia
• Application Number:
  US13/171,019
• Publication Number:
  US 20130007191A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,435 Days
• Field of Search: 709/219
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1089 by adding media; by removing media
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23109 by placing content in organized collections, e.g. EPG data repository details of retrieval of video data and associated meta data in video databases G06F16/739
• 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 21/2393 involving handling client requests scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25866 Management of end-user data customer care in data networks H04L41/5077
• 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 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time

Abstract

Systems and methods for allocating media assets to a plurality of transport streams in a mixed service system to allow simultaneous receipt of at least two media assets using a single stream selector are provided. The mix-service content delivery system comprises a content delivery server comprising control circuitry. At a first time, the first instance of the at least two media assets may be allocated to different transport streams. A user request to simultaneously receive the at least two media assets may be received. A viewing history based on the user request may be generated during a predetermined time period. At a second time after the first time, the control circuitry may allocate a second instance of the at least two media assets to a same transport stream of the plurality of transport streams. The allocations may be determined based on the generated viewing history.

Claims

1. A method for allocating media assets to a plurality of transport streams in a mixed service system to allow simultaneous receipt of at least two media assets using a single stream selector, the method comprising:

allocating at a first time a first instance of a first media asset to a first transport stream of the plurality of transport streams and a first instance of a second media asset to a second transport stream of the plurality of transport streams;

receiving from a user a request to simultaneously receive the first instance of the first media asset and the first instance of the second media asset using the single stream selector;

generating a viewing history based on the request received from the user during a predetermined time period; and

allocating at a second time a second instance of the first media asset and a second instance of the second media asset to a same one of the plurality of transport streams for simultaneous receipt based on the viewing history, wherein the second time is later than the first time.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the viewing history comprises generating the viewing history based on a plurality of requests to receive the first and the second media assets and the plurality of requests are received from a plurality of users including users different from the user.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein each of the plurality of requests to receive is at least one of a request to tune to a transport stream of one of the first and the second media assets and a request to schedule a reminder or recording of one of the first and the second media assets.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the viewing history includes at least one of:

time of a day, type of a media asset, length of the media asset, bandwidth requirement of the first and the second media assets, demographics information, and ratings including Nielson'"'"'s rating.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined time period is a plurality of days, weeks, or months, and wherein the viewing history includes a frequency of the user repeating the request.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the mixed service system is a fixed line-up system and initialization of allocations of media assets to transport streams occurs at the beginning of a day, and wherein the first time is at the beginning of a first day and the second time is at the beginning of a second day.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the allocations of media assets to transport streams are updated daily based on total daily viewers associated with a media asset or total daily viewers associated with a media content source that is providing data of the media asset.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first instance of the first media asset corresponds to a first episode in a first series of episodes and the second instance of the first media asset corresponds to a second episode in the first series of episodes, and wherein the first instance of the second media assets corresponds to a first episode in a second series of episodes and the second instance of the second media asset corresponds to a second episode in the second series of episodes.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the mixed service system is a Switch Digital Video (SDV) system and allocations of media assets to transport streams are dynamically updated such that the allocations at the first time are different from the second time.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising creating a look-ahead mapping of allocations of media assets to transport streams by determining allocations of media assets to transport streams for a future time period.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the first instance of the first media asset and the first instance of the second media asset are scheduled for transmission to a plurality of users from a distribution center.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the second instance of the first media asset and the second instance of the second media asset are scheduled for transmission to a plurality of users from a distribution center.

13. A mixed-service content delivery system for allocating media assets to a plurality of transport streams to allow simultaneous receipt of at least two media assets using a single stream selector, the system comprising:

a content delivery server comprising control circuitry, configured to;

allocate at a first time a first instance of a first media asset to a first transport stream of the plurality of transport streams and a first instance of a second media asset to a second transport stream of the plurality of transport streams;

receive from a user a request to simultaneously receive the first instance of the first media asset and the first instance of the second media asset using the single stream selector;

generate a viewing history based on the request received from the user during a predetermined time period; and

allocate at a second time a second instance of the first media asset and a second instance of the second media asset to a same one of the plurality of transport streams for simultaneous receipt based on the viewing history, wherein the second time is later than the first time.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the control circuitry is configured to generate the viewing history based on a plurality of requests to receive the first and the second media assets and the plurality of requests are received from a plurality of users including users different from the user.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein each of the plurality of requests to receive is at least one of a request to tune to a transport stream of one of the first and the second media assets and a request to schedule a reminder or recording of one of the first and the second media assets.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the viewing history includes at least one of:

time of a day, type of a media asset, length of the media asset, bandwidth requirement of the first and the second media assets, demographics information, and ratings including Nielson'"'"'s rating.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the predetermined time period is a plurality of days, weeks, or months, and wherein the viewing history includes a frequency of the user repeating the request.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the mixed service system is a fixed line-up system and the control circuitry is configured to initialize allocations of media assets to transport streams at the beginning of a day, and wherein the first time is at the beginning of a first day and the second time is at the beginning of a second day.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the control circuitry updates the allocations of media assets to transport streams daily based on total daily viewers associated with a media asset or total daily viewers associated with a media content source that is providing data of the media asset.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein the first instance of the first media asset corresponds to a first episode in a first series of episodes and the second instance of the first media asset corresponds to a second episode in the first series of episodes, and wherein the first instance of the second media assets corresponds to a first episode in a second series of episodes and the second instance of the second media asset corresponds to a second episode in the second series of episodes.

21. The system of claim 13, wherein the mixed service system is a Switch Digital Video (SDV) system and the control circuitry is configured to dynamically update allocations of media assets to transport streams such that the allocations at the first time are different from the second time.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to create a look-ahead mapping of allocations of media assets to transport streams by determining allocations of media assets to transport streams for a future time period.

23. The system of claim 13, wherein the first instance of the first media asset and the first instance of the second media asset are scheduled for transmission to a plurality of users from a distribution center.

24. The system of claim 13, wherein the second instance of the first media asset and the second instance of the second media asset are scheduled for transmission to a plurality of users from a distribution center.

25. A non-transitory computer readable medium for allocating media assets to a plurality of transport streams in a mixed service system to allow simultaneous receipt of at least two media assets using a single stream selector, the non-transitory computer readable medium having machine program logic recorded thereon for:

allocating at a first time a first instance of a first media asset to a first transport stream of the plurality of transport streams and a first instance of a second media asset to a second transport stream of the plurality of transport streams;

receiving from a user a request to simultaneously receive the first instance of the first media asset and the first instance of the second media asset using the single stream selector;

generating a viewing history based on the request received from the user during a predetermined time period; and

allocating at a second time a second instance of the first media asset and a second instance of the second media asset to a same one of the plurality of transport streams for simultaneous receipt based on the viewing history, wherein the second time is later than the first time.

26. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 25, wherein the non-transitory computer readable medium having machine program logic recorded thereon for generating the viewing history further having machine program logic recorded thereon for generating the viewing history based on a plurality of requests to receive the first and the second media assets and the plurality of requests are received from a plurality of users including users different from the user.

27. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 26, wherein each of the plurality of requests to receive is at least one of a request to tune to a transport stream of one of the first and the second media assets and a request to schedule a reminder or recording of one of the first and the second media assets.

28. The system non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 25, wherein the viewing history includes at least one of:

time of a day, type of a media asset, length of the media asset, bandwidth requirement of the first and the second media assets, demographics information, and ratings including Nielson'"'"'s rating.

29. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 25, wherein the predetermined time period is a plurality of days, weeks, or months, and wherein the viewing history includes a frequency of the user repeating the request.

30. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 25, wherein the mixed service system is a fixed line-up system and initialization of allocations of media assets to transport streams occurs at the beginning of a day, and wherein the first time is at the beginning of a first day and the second time is at the beginning of a second day.

31. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 25, wherein the non-transitory computer readable medium having machine program logic recorded thereon for allocations of media assets to transport streams further having machine program logic recorded thereon for updating daily the allocations of media assets to transport streams based on total daily viewers associated with a media asset or total daily viewers associated with a media content source that is providing data of the media asset.

32. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 25, wherein the first instance of first media asset corresponds to a first episode in a first series of episodes and the second instance of the first media asset corresponds to a second episode in the first series of episodes, and wherein the first instance of the second media asset corresponds to a first episode in a second series of episodes and the second instance of the second media asset corresponds to a second episode in a second series of episodes.

33. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 25, wherein the mixed service system is a Switch Digital Video (SDV) system and allocations of media assets to transport streams are dynamically updated such that the allocations at the first time are different from the second time.

34. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 33, the non-transitory computer readable medium further having machine program logic recorded thereon for creating a look-ahead mapping of allocations of media assets to transport streams by determining allocations of media assets to transport streams for a future time period.

35. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 25, wherein the first instance of the first media asset and the first instance of the second media asset are scheduled for transmission to a plurality of users from a distribution center.

36. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 25, wherein the second instance of the first media asset and the second instance of the second media asset are scheduled for transmission to a plurality of users from a distribution center.