System and method for operating a virtual broadcaster network

• US 9,392,313 B2
• Filed: 07/23/2009
• Issued: 07/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bugenhagen, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Chenea
• Application Number:
  US12/508,366
• Publication Number:
  US 20100023958A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,546 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0246 Traffic
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0264 based upon schedule
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0274 Split fees
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/254 Management at additional data server, e.g. shopping server, rights management server arrangements for maintenance or administration in data networks H04L41/00; network services using third party service providers H04L67/53
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2665 Gathering content from different sources, e.g. Internet and satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02

Abstract

A system and method for operating a virtual broadcast network may include using, by a virtual broadcaster, a network server remotely located from the virtual broadcaster and managed by a communications service provider to host a virtual broadcast network. A selection, via a control panel, of at least one broadcast content feed from a plurality of different content service providers may be performed. The selected broadcast content feeds may be broadcast to users who access the virtual broadcast network.

Claims

1. A method for operating a virtual broadcast network, the method comprising:

using, by a virtual broadcaster, a network server remotely located from the virtual broadcaster and managed by a communications service provider to host a virtual broadcast network for a region serviced by the communications service provider;

selecting, by the virtual broadcaster via a control panel, content provider broadcast content feeds from a plurality of different content service providers including other virtual broadcasters and a quality of service (QoS) and digital rights management (DRM) associated with users receiving the broadcast content feeds provided through the virtual broadcast network;

storing, on the network server, the selected broadcast content feeds for distribution by the virtual broadcast network managed by the communication service provider, the network server further accessible by a metro Ethernet provider providing metro Ethernet to one or more regions including the region serviced by the communications service provider, the selected broadcast content feeds available on the network server to the one or more regions via metro Ethernet;

identifying, via the network server, at least one threshold requirement associated with a first content provider of a selected content provider broadcast content feed for broadcasting through the virtual broadcast network;

determining, via the network server, whether the virtual broadcaster meets the at least one threshold requirement to broadcast the selected content provider broadcast content feed on the virtual broadcast network;

restricting, if the at least one threshold requirement is unmet, via the network server, the selected content provider broadcast content feed;

allowing, if the at least one threshold requirement is met, via the network server, the selected content provider broadcast content feed to be broadcasted through the virtual broadcast network of the virtual broadcaster;

mapping the content provider broadcast content feeds selected by the virtual broadcaster from the plurality of different content service providers to virtual broadcast content feeds of the virtual broadcast network managed by the communication service provider, wherein virtual broadcast content feeds comprise broadcast content being broadcast by the plurality of content service providers on their respective content provider broadcast content feeds; and

broadcasting the broadcast content feeds utilizing the QOS and the DRM on behalf of the virtual broadcaster to the users in the one or more regions who access the virtual broadcast network over metro Ethernet as managed by the communication service provider;

wherein selecting, via a control panel, the at least one broadcast content feed includes selecting the at least one broadcast content feed via a graphical user interface that displays a selectable list of broadcast content feeds, wherein the QoS and the DRM is associated with each of the broadcast content feeds, and wherein the selectable list of broadcast content feeds are broadcast channels branded by the virtual broadcast network.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising branding the broadcast content feeds to a brand of the virtual broadcaster at the network server.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising generating a graphical user interface to provide the virtual broadcaster with the ability to bill users for receiving the distributed broadcast content feeds.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein broadcasting the broadcast content feeds to users of the virtual broadcaster includes distributing the broadcast content feeds to hotel rooms.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising broadcasting from the network server a virtual broadcaster indicia to notify the users that the selected broadcast content is being broadcasted by the virtual broadcaster.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising enabling the users to receive a first set of selected broadcast content feeds without cost and a second set of selected broadcast content feeds with cost.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising providing a search tool for the virtual broadcast network to locate off-network content for distribution.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein broadcasting the selected at least one broadcast content feed includes broadcasting the selected at least one broadcast content feed with the QoS guaranteed and utilizing the DRM.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising providing a user control panel for a user to select advertising content.

10. A system for operating a virtual broadcast network, the system comprising:

a first virtual television network system configured to broadcast first content channels over a communications network;

a second virtual television network system configured to broadcast second content channels over the communications network;

a third virtual television network system configured to enable a user to select at least one of the first content channels and at least one of the second content channels to be routed to the third virtual television network system for broadcasting over the communications network for a region serviced by a communications service provider, store the at least one of the first content channel and the at least one of the second content channels as virtual broadcast content feeds on a network server managed by the communications service provider and further accessible by a metro Ethernet provider providing metro Ethernet to one or more regions including the region serviced by the communications service provider, the virtual broadcast content feeds available on the network server to the one or more regions via metro Ethernet, and broadcast the virtual broadcast content feeds utilizing the communications network managed by a communications service provider, wherein the third virtual television network system comprises a processing unit comprising;

one or more computer processors;

system memory for storing a set of instructions, wherein the set of instructions are executable by the one or more computer processors to;

automatically maps the selected at least one first and second content channels from the first and second virtual television network systems to the virtual broadcast content feeds of the third virtual broadcast network system for broadcasting over the communications network, wherein the virtual broadcast content feeds comprise broadcast content being broadcast by the first and virtual television network systems on the first and second content channels respectively;

establish a guaranteed QoS for the virtual broadcast content feeds managed by the communications service provider;

wherein the network server manages the first, second and third virtual television network systems, the network server further being programmed to;

identify, via the network server, at least one first threshold requirement associated with a first content provider of the at least one first content channel for broadcasting through the third virtual television network system;

determining, via the network server, whether the third virtual television network system meets the at least one first threshold requirement to broadcast the at least one first content channel on the third virtual television network system;

restricting, if the at least one first threshold requirement is unmet, via the network server, the at least one first content channel; and

allowing, if the at least one threshold requirement is met, via the network server, the at least one first content channel to be broadcasted through the third virtual television network;

wherein the third virtual television network system being configured to enable the user to select the at least one first and second content channels is configured to display a graphical user interface includes a selectable list of broadcast content feeds available from each of the first and second virtual television network systems, and wherein the broadcast content feeds are broadcast channels branded by the third virtual television network system.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein the third virtual television network system brands the broadcast content feeds to a brand of the virtual broadcaster.

12. The system according to claim 10, wherein the set of instructions are further executable to bill users for receiving the at least one first and second content channels.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein the set of instructions are further executable to enable a user to select a one or more content channels being broadcast from the third virtual television network system for display in a commercial facility.

14. The system according to claim 10, wherein the set of instructions are further executable to include an indicia of a virtual broadcaster operating the third virtual television network system to notify users that the selected at least one first and second content channels are being broadcast by the virtual broadcaster.

15. The system according to claim 10, wherein the set of instructions are further executable to enable users to access a first set of selected broadcast content channels without cost and a second set of selected content channels with cost.

16. The system according to claim 10, wherein the set of instructions are further executable to:

enable a user to locate off-network content for distribution from the third virtual television network system; and

establish DRM for the broadcast content feeds managed by the communications service provider.

17. The system according to claim 10, wherein the third virtual television network system is configured to broadcast the selected at least one first and second content channels with the guaranteed QoS.

18. The system according to claim 10, wherein the set of instructions are further executable to enable a user to select advertising content for distribution with the selected at least one first and second content channels.