On-demand access to scheduled content

• US 10,448,077 B2
• Filed: 02/22/2017
• Issued: 10/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Saturn Licensing LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Saturn Licensing LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Fay, Luke, Shintani, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Marandi, James R
• Application Number:
  US15/439,485
• Publication Number:
  US 20170230701A1
• Time in Patent Office: 965 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25866 Management of end-user data customer care in data networks H04L41/5077
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26283 for associating distribution time parameters to content, e.g. to generate electronic program guide data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42209 for displaying non-command information, e.g. electronic program guide [EPG], e-mail, messages or a second television channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/462 Content or additional data management, e.g. creating a master electronic program guide from data received from the Internet and a Head-end, controlling the complexity of a video stream by scaling the resolution or bit-rate based on the client capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/472 End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6175 involving transmission via Internet broadcast-related systems characterised by the transmission system being the Internet H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6581 Reference data, e.g. a movie identifier for ordering a movie or a product identifier in a home shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8173 End-user applications, e.g. Web browser, game
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8586 by using a URL processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94; information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; URL in broadcast information H04H20/93; Web-based protocols H04L67/02

Abstract

A method is provided for a reception apparatus to access content. The method includes outputting a distribution schedule for a plurality of content and receiving a selection of one of the plurality of content for which distribution started before or starts after a current time. At least one processor of the reception apparatus determines whether on-demand access is requested for the selected content. When on-demand access is determined to be requested for the selected content, a request for the selected content is sent over a first communication medium and the selected content is received via a second communication medium.

Claims

1. A method of a reception apparatus for accessing content, the method comprising:

outputting a distribution schedule interface for display, the distribution schedule interface identifying a plurality of content that is distributed in real-time on a plurality of broadcast channels at predetermined distribution times;

receiving a selection of one of the plurality of content identified in the displayed distribution schedule interface and for which distribution started before or starts after the selection is received;

determining, by circuitry of the reception apparatus, whether on-demand access is requested for the selected content; and

when on-demand access is determined to be requested for the selected content,

executing, by the circuitry, a downloadable software object for acquiring the selected content,

sending a request for the selected content over a first communication medium, and

receiving the selected content provided via a second communication medium in response to the request for the selected content.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first communication medium is the Internet and the second communication medium is the Internet.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein

the distribution schedule interface includes an electronic programming guide (EPG), and

the plurality of content includes a plurality of broadcast television content.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether on-demand access is available for any of the plurality of content identified in the distribution schedule interface to be output, and

outputting an indication of which of the plurality of content is available on demand.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the selected content is available locally before sending the request for the selected content.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the downloadable software object includes a destination of the request for the selected content.

7. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having embedded therein instructions, which when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method of a reception apparatus for accessing content, the method comprising:

outputting a distribution schedule interface for display, the distribution schedule interface identifying a plurality of content that is distributed in real-time on a plurality of broadcast channels at predetermined distribution times;

receiving a selection of one of the plurality of content identified in the displayed distribution schedule interface and for which distribution started before or starts after the selection is received;

determining whether on-demand access is requested for the selected content; and

when on-demand access is determined to be requested for the selected content,

causing execution of a downloadable software object for acquiring the selected content,

sending a request for the selected content, over a first communication medium, and

receiving the selected content provided via a second communication medium in response to the request for the selected content.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 7, wherein the first communication medium is the Internet and the second communication medium is the Internet.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 7, wherein

the distribution schedule interface includes an electronic programming guide (EPG), and

the plurality of content includes a plurality of broadcast television content.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 7, wherein the method further comprises:

determining whether on-demand access is available for any of the plurality of content identified in the distribution schedule interface to be output, and

outputting an indication of which of the plurality of content is available on demand.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 7, wherein the method further comprises:

determining whether the selected content is available locally before sending the request for the selected content.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 7, wherein the downloadable software object includes a destination of the request for the selected content.

13. A reception apparatus, comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a plurality of broadcast channels;

circuitry configured to;

output a distribution schedule interface for display, the distribution schedule interface identifying a plurality of content that is distributed in real-time on a plurality of broadcast channels at predetermined distribution times;

receive a selection of one of the plurality of content identified in the displayed distribution schedule interface and for which distribution started before or starts after the selection is received;

determine whether on-demand access is requested for the selected content; and

when on-demand access is determined to be requested for the selected content;

execute a downloadable software object for acquiring the selected content,

send a request for the selected content, over a first communication medium, and

receive the selected content provided via a second communication medium in response to the request for the selected content.

14. The reception apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the first communication medium is the Internet and the second communication medium is the Internet.

15. The reception apparatus according to claim 13, wherein

the distribution schedule interface includes an electronic programming guide (EPG), and

the plurality of content includes a plurality of broadcast television content.

16. The reception apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the circuitry is configured to:

determine whether on-demand access is available for any of the plurality of content indicated in the distribution schedule interface to be output, and

output an indication of which of the plurality of content is available on demand.

17. The reception apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the circuitry is configured to:

determine whether the selected content is available locally before sending the request for the selected content.

18. The reception apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the downloadable software object includes a destination of the request for the selected content.