Technique for providing programming content through a communications network having limited bandwidth
First Claim
1. Apparatus configured to controllably deliver programming content associated with a program source in response to requests from a plurality of terminals in a service area, said apparatus comprising:
- an interface configured to receive said requests;
a memory configured to store a first set of statistics generated based on data obtained from first ones of said requests received during a first time interval; and
processing apparatus configured to;
identify, based on said first set of statistics, that a first program source has previously attained a threshold level of demand in said service area at an identified period of time within said first time interval; and
based on said identification, assign a selected communication channel to deliver first programming content associated with said first program source to said service area during said identified period of time, said communication channel not reassigned to a different program source when there are no user requests for said programming content nor users currently tuned to said programming content;
wherein said previous attainment of said threshold level of demand comprises a number of terminals accessing said program source being greater than a pre-determined threshold, said predetermined threshold dependent on a total number of terminals in said service area; and
wherein said processing apparatus is further configured to reassign a second communication channel to said different program source from a second program source in a condition where;
(i) there are no user requests for a second programming content associated with said second program source, nor (ii) users currently tuned to said second program source, said second program source having not previously attained said threshold level of demand in said service area at said identified period of time within said first time interval.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In a cable television system, a specific carrier is assigned to deliver programming content of a program channel to a service area for a period, defined as a function of viewership of the program channel during that period. For example, the program channel is assigned the specific carrier during the time when it has a generally strong viewership. Otherwise, the program channel is assigned a carrier on an as needed basis, i.e., only when one or more subscribers in the service area request such a program channel. Viewing statistics are generated to identify viewership patterns or viewing habits of the subscribers in the service area with respect to a given program channel. In another embodiment, based on the viewing statistics, popular and unpopular programs, program elements, program lineups, program channels are identified on a temporal and/or regional basis.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. Apparatus configured to controllably deliver programming content associated with a program source in response to requests from a plurality of terminals in a service area, said apparatus comprising:
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an interface configured to receive said requests; a memory configured to store a first set of statistics generated based on data obtained from first ones of said requests received during a first time interval; and processing apparatus configured to; identify, based on said first set of statistics, that a first program source has previously attained a threshold level of demand in said service area at an identified period of time within said first time interval; and based on said identification, assign a selected communication channel to deliver first programming content associated with said first program source to said service area during said identified period of time, said communication channel not reassigned to a different program source when there are no user requests for said programming content nor users currently tuned to said programming content; wherein said previous attainment of said threshold level of demand comprises a number of terminals accessing said program source being greater than a pre-determined threshold, said predetermined threshold dependent on a total number of terminals in said service area; and wherein said processing apparatus is further configured to reassign a second communication channel to said different program source from a second program source in a condition where;
(i) there are no user requests for a second programming content associated with said second program source, nor (ii) users currently tuned to said second program source, said second program source having not previously attained said threshold level of demand in said service area at said identified period of time within said first time interval. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method for controllably delivering a first programming content associated with a first program source and second programming content associated with a second program source in response to requests from a plurality of terminals in a service area, said method comprising:
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storing a set of statistics based on data obtained from requests received for program content, said requests comprising requests for said first programming content from said first program source and requests for said second programming content from said second program source received during a first time interval; identifying, based at least in part on said set of statistics, a first plurality of future time periods in which said first program source will attain a threshold level of demand in said service area and a complementary plurality of future time periods in which said second program source will attain said threshold level of demand in said service area, said first plurality of future time periods and said complementary plurality of future time periods being mutually exclusive time periods; assigning, based on said identification, a selected carrier to deliver said first programming content associated with said first program source to said service area during said first plurality of future time periods; during periods other than said first plurality of future time periods, causing said first programming content associated with said first program source to be delivered to said service area according to switched digital broadcast mechanisms; assigning, based on said identification, said selected carrier to deliver said second programming content associated with said second program source to said service area during said complementary plurality of future time periods; and during periods other than said complementary plurality of future time periods, causing said second programming content associated with said second program source to be delivered to said service area according to switched digital broadcast mechanisms. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A non-transitory computer readable apparatus comprising a plurality of instructions which are configured to, when executed by a processor controllably deliver programming content associated with a program source in response to requests from a plurality of terminals in a service area via:
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collection of tuning data comprising a plurality of records associated with a plurality of program channels in a switched digital network, each of said plurality of records of said collected tuning data comprising a timestamp of a channel change request, a channel identifier associated with a first programming channel, and a unique service area identifier indicative of a particular geographic service area; based on said collection of said plurality of records, determination of a number of subscribers in said particular geographic service area which are currently tuned to said first programming channel; generation of a set of service area specific statistics based on said collected tuning data, said set of service area specific statistics comprising at least a plurality of different time intervals, each of said plurality of time different intervals associated with a viewership popularity value for said first programming channel in said particular geographic service area; identification, based at least in part on said set of service area specific statistics, of a plurality of time periods in which said program source is predicted to attain at least a threshold level of demand in said particular geographic service area; assignment of a selected carrier to deliver said programming content associated with said program source to said particular geographic service area during said identified periods based at least in part on said set of service area specific statistics, said carrier not being reassigned to a different program source when there is a lack of user requests in said particular geographic service area for said programming content existing during said identified periods; and during periods other than said identified future periods, delivery of said programming content associated with said program source to said particular geographic service area according to switched digital broadcast mechanisms. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification