Methods, apparatus, and systems for providing media content over a communications network
First Claim
1. A system for delivering media content over a communications network, comprising:
- one or more servers for delivering media content over the network for one or more media content programs, said media content comprising data packets;
a control center for controlling delivery of said media content over the network via said one or more servers; and
a plurality of receiving devices for receiving said media content;
wherein;
at least a portion of said receiving devices share resources via the network, enabling a transfer of said data packets from one receiving device to another;
a first receiving device is receiving data packets for a first media content program;
the control center comprises a peer service;
the peer service defines a subset of said receiving devices that comprise peers on the network;
a request for a program switch from the first media content program to a second media content program is communicated from said first receiving device to said peer service;
said peer service provides to said first receiving device a list of available peers on the network currently receiving data packets for said second media content program; and
said first receiving device is enabled to switch to the second media content program by receiving the data packets for said second media content program from one of;
(a) said one or more servers and at least one of the available peers currently receiving the data packets for said second media content program; and
(b) the at least one of the available peers currently receiving the data packets for said second media content program.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention relates to broadcasting/multicasting of media content over a communication network using shared bandwidth available from peer-to-peer networking. The system of the present invention includes a plurality of broadcast devices, a plurality of receiving devices, a plurality of databases, and a control center. The control center provides a number of services, including but not limited to channel control, ad insertion, conditional access, program guide services, and the like. The broadcast device converts media content, which can be television, radio, and other data, received from various content providers, into digital data packets, having a suitable format for transmission. Each receiving device will request the relevant packets, decode the received packets, and display or present the media content contained in the packets via an associated device. Packets may be received directly from the broadcast devices or from peers (other receiving devices) on the network.
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Citations
38 Claims
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1. A system for delivering media content over a communications network, comprising:
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one or more servers for delivering media content over the network for one or more media content programs, said media content comprising data packets; a control center for controlling delivery of said media content over the network via said one or more servers; and a plurality of receiving devices for receiving said media content; wherein; at least a portion of said receiving devices share resources via the network, enabling a transfer of said data packets from one receiving device to another; a first receiving device is receiving data packets for a first media content program; the control center comprises a peer service; the peer service defines a subset of said receiving devices that comprise peers on the network; a request for a program switch from the first media content program to a second media content program is communicated from said first receiving device to said peer service; said peer service provides to said first receiving device a list of available peers on the network currently receiving data packets for said second media content program; and said first receiving device is enabled to switch to the second media content program by receiving the data packets for said second media content program from one of;
(a) said one or more servers and at least one of the available peers currently receiving the data packets for said second media content program; and
(b) the at least one of the available peers currently receiving the data packets for said second media content program. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method for delivering media content over a communications network, comprising:
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delivering media content provided by one or more servers over the network for one or more media content programs, said media content comprising data packets; controlling from a control center delivery of said media content over the network via said one or more servers, the control center comprising a peer service; and receiving said media content at a plurality of receiving devices; wherein; at least a portion of said receiving devices share resources via the network, enabling a transfer of said data packets from one receiving device to another; a first receiving device is receiving data packets for a first media content program; a request for a program switch from the first media content program to a second media content program is communicated from said first receiving device to said peer service; said peer service provides to said first receiving device a list of available peers on the network currently receiving data packets for said second media content program; and said first receiving device is enabled to switch to the second media content program by receiving the data packets for said second media content program from one of;
(a) said one or more servers and at least one of the available peers currently receiving the data packets for said second media content program; and
(b) the at least one of the available peers currently receiving the data packets for said second media content program. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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Specification