Dynamic server side filter creation

• US 20020108117A1
• Filed: 02/04/2002
• Published: 08/08/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: OpenTV, Inc. (Kudelski SA)
• Original Assignee: OpenTV, Inc. (Kudelski SA)
• Inventors: Sedlak, Brian N., Zenoni, Ian, Huber, Thomas, Rasmussen, Gary, Lemmons, Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 7,870,283 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/87
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/613 for the control of the source by the destination control signals issued by the client directed to the server or network components specially adapted for selective content distribution H04N21/637
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23109 by placing content in organized collections, e.g. EPG data repository details of retrieval of video data and associated meta data in video databases G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23113 involving housekeeping operations for stored content, e.g. prioritizing content for deletion because of storage space restrictions storage management, e.g. defragmentation G06F3/0604; snloading stored programs G06F9/445; housekeeping operations in file systems, e.g. deletion policies G06F16/10; buffering arrangements in a network node or in an end terminal in packet networks H04L49/90
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/488 Data services, e.g. news ticker systems specially adapted for using meteorological information in broadcast systems H04H60/71
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4886 for displaying a ticker, e.g. scrolling banner for news, stock exchange, weather data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/60 Network structure or processes for video distribution between server and client or between remote clients; Control signalling between clients, server and network components; Transmission of management data between server and client , e.g. sending from server to client commands for recording incoming content stream; Communication details between server and client
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/65 Transmission of management data between client and server
• 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 7/17336 Handling of requests in head-ends

Abstract

Disclosed is a system that optimizes transmission bandwidth of a broadband transmission system such as a cable television, satellite system, or wireless information service. Requests for content items from users are employed to add or delete content items from a list. Content items in the list are ranked relative to the number of requests received or by rate of request. Package groups are created with most requested content items being broadcast more frequently than less requested content items. Transmit groups are produced from package groups and placed in a broadcast queue. A transmit process transmits groups retrieved from the queue.

Claims

1. A method for transmitting requested content items in a broadband transmission system comprising:

receiving requests for a plurality of content items on an upstream path of said broadband transmission system;

creating a list of said content items;

creating a request count for each content item of said plurality of content items;

sorting said requests using said count; and

transmitting content items with a higher count more frequently than content items with a lower count.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said request count is the number of requests received during a predefined time period for each content item of said plurality of content items.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

removing said content item from said list of content items if said count is equal to or less than a predetermined number.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of transmitting further comprises:

grouping content items with a count greater than or equal to a second predetermined number into a transmit group.

5. A method for optimizing transmit bandwidth utilization in a broadband transmission system employing a content item list comprising:

receiving requests on an upstream path of said broadband transmission system for transmission of a plurality of content items;

adding one content item of said plurality of content items to said content item list if said one content item is in said content item list;

determining a rate of request for each content item contained in said content item list;

deleting content items from said content list for which the number of requests during a predefined time are less than or equal to a predefined rate of request; and

transmitting content items in said content item list.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said step of transmitting further comprises:

transmitting content items with a higher rate of request more frequently than content items with a lower rate of request.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said step of transmitting further comprises:

grouping of a plurality of said content items into a transmit package wherein said transmit package is of a predetermined maximum size.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein said step of transmitting further comprises:

merging said content items with other transmitted data.

9. A system for optimizing bandwidth utilization in a broadband transmission system comprising:

a first database containing a plurality of content items;

a second database containing user request information for said content items;

a transmit unit;

a server computer; and

a software program that processes said request information received across said broadband transmission system and determines a rate of request for each content item of said plurality of content items in said first database and establishes a frequency of transmission for each content item of said plurality of content items in said first database responsive to said rate of request for each content item of said plurality of content items in said first database.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein said transmit unit is a television transmitter.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein said transmit unit is a server computer connected to a network.

12. The system of claim 9 further comprising:

a third database containing only those of said content items corresponding to said user request information for said content items.

13. The software program of claim 9 wherein said rate of transmission is further responsive to available bandwidth for content item broadcast.

14. The software program of claim 9 wherein said rate of transmission is further responsive to duration of each content item of said plurality of content items in said first database.

15. A method for managing information transmission in a broadband transmission system comprising:

receiving a plurality of requests across said broadband transmission system, each request of said plurality of requests specifying a program and content element of said program wherein said plurality of requests include a plurality of different programs;

determining a rate of request for each program of said plurality of different programs;

determining a rate of request for each content element for each program of said plurality of different programs;

establishing a broadcast schedule for at least two programs of said plurality of different programs wherein said broadcast schedule is response to said rate of request for said each program and each program of said at least two programs contains at least one content element, the selection thereof responsive to said rate of request for each content element for each program.