Methods and apparatus for selecting digital interface technology for programming and data delivery

• US 9,398,336 B2
• Filed: 05/05/2014
• Issued: 07/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Inventors: Markley, Jeffrey P., Hasek, Charles A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Jae Y
• Assistant Examiner(s): GUADALUPE CRUZ, AIXA AMYR
• Application Number:
  US14/270,229
• Publication Number:
  US 20140331245A1
• Time in Patent Office: 806 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/81 combined with telephone network over which the broadcast is continuously available
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2225 Local VOD servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2402 Monitoring of the downstream path of the transmission network, e.g. bandwidth available traffic monitoring in data switching networks H04L43/00; monitoring data switching networks utilization H04L43/0876
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25833 involving client hardware characteristics, e.g. manufacturer, processing or storage capabilities allocation of resources considering hardware capabilities in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/5044; allocation of resources considering software capabilities in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/5055
• 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 21/4424 Monitoring of the internal components or processes of the client device, e.g. CPU or memory load, processing speed, timer, counter or percentage of the hard disk space used error monitoring in general G06F11/30; arrangements for monitoring conditions of receiving stations in broadcast systems H04H60/32; diagnosis, testing or measuring for television receivers H04N17/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44245 Monitoring the upstream path of the transmission network, e.g. its availability, bandwidth
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6118 involving cable transmission, e.g. using a cable modem
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for selecting digital (network) interface technology for programming and data delivery over, e.g., a content-based network. In one embodiment, the network comprises an HFC cable or satellite network that includes a server process interfacing with a plurality of customer premises equipment (CPE), and/or associated client devices, each having different capabilities profiles. The server determines the one or more capabilities possessed by the CPE, and evaluates one or more program or content choices for possible delivery to that CPE based on its profile. The server generates a list of programs or content based on this evaluation, and transmits this list to the CPE, which displays the list for viewing by a user. The user is therefore offered a list of available content that is compatible with their specific configuration. A business and operational rules engine is also optionally employed to control the operation of the foregoing processes to accomplish particular business or operational goals.

Claims

1. A method for operating a video processing client device for use in a content delivery network, comprising:

polling a set of components of said video processing client device for network interface capabilities, said polling occurring at said video processing client device;

receiving an identification of one or more network interface capabilities in response to said act of polling;

reporting said one or more network interface capabilities as a prioritized list, said prioritization based at least in part on one or more internal parameters of said video processing client device; and

based at least in part on said prioritized list of said one or more network interface capabilities, selecting one of said one or more network interface capabilities on which content is to be received, said content being received as a multicast transmission of packetized content.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting a session-based protocol message to a session resource manager (SRM) located on said content delivery network remote from said video processing client device, said session-based protocol message identifying said selected one of said one or more network interface capabilities on which content is to be received.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said session-based protocol message comprises:

a descriptor parameter describing a particular resource descriptor;

a descriptor length parameter; and

a data field.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving a list of programs available for video-on-demand viewing, said list selected based at least in part on said transmitted message identifying said selected one of said one or more network interface capabilities on which content is to be received;

displaying said list of programs to a user;

receiving a selection of one of said list of programs from said user;

transmitting said selection of said one of said list of programs;

receiving video programming associated to said selected one of said list of programs;

accessing said video programming based at least in part on said selected one of said one or more network interface capabilities; and

displaying said video programming.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said one or more network interface capabilities comprise at least one of:

(i) an in-band radio frequency (RF) tuner;

(ii) a cable modem; and

(iii) a high-speed serialized bus connection.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

receiving a list of programs available for video-on-demand viewing;

displaying said list of programs to a user;

receiving a selection of one of said list of programs from said user;

transmitting said selection of said one of said list of programs;

receiving video programming associated to said selected one of said list of programs;

accessing said video programming based at least in part on one of said selected one of said one or more network interface capabilities; and

displaying said video programming.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting a message to a software process configured to control at least in part delivery of program streams to a node within a broadcast switched architecture (BSA) network.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising comparing said identified one or more network interface capabilities with a plurality of different variants of a program, said comparing configured to identify one or more matching variants of a program compatible with said video processing client device.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising transmitting said one or more matching variants of a program to said video processing client device based on meeting one or more criteria.

10. Network server apparatus, comprising:

a storage device; and

a processor in data communication with said storage device, said processor configured to execute a computer program, said program comprising a plurality of instructions that configure the processor to, when executed;

receive, from a plurality of network client devices, network interface profile information as prioritized lists, said prioritization thereof based at least in part on one or more current network conditions;

based at least in part on said received network profile information, determine that a common network interface profile exists between at least two of said plurality of network client devices;

based at least in part on said prioritized lists, determine a set of available programs that are compatible with said common network interface profile;

receive a request from each of said at least two of said plurality of network client devices for an individual one of said set of available programs that are compatible with said common network interface profile; and

provide a multicast for delivery of said requested individual one of said set of available programs to said at least two of said plurality of network client devices.

11. The server apparatus of claim 10, wherein said network comprises a content delivery cable network, and said server apparatus further comprises a server process associated with a video-on-demand function of said network.

12. The server apparatus of claim 10, wherein said multicast uses a packetized network protocol.

13. The server apparatus of claim 10, wherein said determining that a common network interface profile exists comprises comparing said network interface profile information of said at least two of said plurality of network client devices to identify one or more network interface capabilities common to each of said at least two of said plurality of network client devices.

14. A method of operating client equipment in communication with a network, said client equipment comprising a plurality of supported network interface options, and at least one application, said method comprising:

running said at least one application;

accessing said plurality of supported network interface options;

polling a hardware or software registry of said client equipment to identify said plurality of supported network interface options;

reporting said plurality of supported network interface options to a process as a prioritized list, said prioritization thereof based at least in part on one or more internal parameters of said client equipment and one or more current network conditions;

based at least in part on said prioritized list of said plurality of supported network interface options, generating a list of available content elements configured to be presented to a user associated with said client equipment; and

when a change in said hardware or software registry of said client equipment occurs, generating a record comprising information relating to said change and transmitting said record to a network server.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said one or more internal parameters of said client equipment comprise at least one of:

an availability of individual ones of said plurality of supported network interface options, a bandwidth capability of individual ones of said plurality of supported network interface options, and a current loading of individual ones of said plurality of supported network interface options; and

wherein said one or more current network conditions comprise contention or loading of network bandwidth.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said act of reporting said plurality of supported network interface options to said process comprises transmitting a session setup protocol message to a session resource manager (SRM) process located remote from said client equipment on said network.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said plurality of supported network interface options are selected from a group consisting of:

(i) one of a plurality of RF tuners, (ii) an Ethernet interface, and (iii) a wireless interface.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein said act of polling comprises making a call using a predefined application programming interface (API).

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said network comprises a multi-channel distribution network of a hybrid fiber coax (HFC) type, and said client equipment comprises a digital set-top box comprising a cable modem (CM).

20. The method of claim 14, wherein said act of polling comprises reading a capabilities registry of said client equipment, said capabilities registry comprising entries relating to a plurality of heterogeneous network interfaces.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein said client equipment is in data communication with said network via a set-top box, and said act of reporting said plurality of supported network interface options comprises transmitting said identified network interface options over said network via said set-top box.

22. The method of claim 14, wherein said client equipment is in data communication with said network, and said act of reporting said plurality of supported network interface options comprises:

selecting, using said at least one application, one of said plurality of supported network interface options for delivery of content; and

transmitting said selected one of said plurality of supported network interface options over said network.

23. The method of claim 14, wherein said act of reporting said network interface options to said process comprises transmitting a message to a software process configured to control at least in part switching of program streams within a broadcast switched architecture (BSA) network.