Local near video on demand storage

• US 7,024,679 B1
• Filed: 10/12/2000
• Issued: 04/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Starz Entertainment, LLC (Lions Gate Entertainment Corporation)
• Original Assignee: SVOD LLC
• Inventors: Sie, John J., Basawapatna, Ganesh, Sabraw, Martin F.
• Primary Examiner(s): BUI, KIEU OANH T
• Application Number:
  US09/687,138
• Time in Patent Office: 2,000 Days
• Field of Search: 725 42- 45, 725 86- 89, 725 90- 93, 725/95, 725/97, 725/98, 725100-103, 455/3.02, 455/3.04, 348/564, 348/569, 345/721, 345/733
• US Class Current: 725/101
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26275 for distributing content or additional data in a staggered manner, e.g. repeating movies on different channels in a time-staggered manner in a near video on demand system
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47208 for requesting near-video-on-demand content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/162 Authorising the user terminal, e.g. by paying; Registering the use of a subscription channel, e.g. billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

The invention relates to delivering a program to an individual business or residence. In one embodiment, a process for pre-storing a portion of a program distributed on a plurality of distribution conduits and in a linear schedule with staggered start times is described. A first start time of the program is determined for a first distribution conduit, and a second start time of the program is determined for a second distribution conduit. A stagger time between the first start time and the second start time is also determined. A segment of the program equal in length to the stagger time is stored.

Claims

1. A method for pre-storing a portion of a program distributed on a plurality of distribution conduits and in a linear schedule with staggered start times, the method comprising:

determining a first start time of the program on a first distribution conduit;

determining a second start time of the program on a second distribution conduit;

determining a stagger time between the first start time and the second start time;

storing a segment of the program about equal in length to the stagger time; and

detecting a user request to begin playing the program after the storing step has begun wherein the storing the segment comprises storing the segment at a user location.

2. The method for pre-storing the portion of the program distributed on the plurality of distribution conduits and in the linear schedule with staggered start times as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second distribution conduits comprises at least one of a digital channel and an analog channel.

3. The method for pre-storing the portion of the program distributed on the plurality of distribution conduits and in the linear schedule with staggered start times as recited in claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the first and second distribution conduits share a same channel.

4. The method for pre-storing the portion of the program distributed on the plurality of distribution conduits and in the linear schedule with staggered start times as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second distribution conduits comprises a broadband network connection.

5. The method for pre-storing the portion of the program distributed on the plurality of distribution conduits and in the linear schedule with staggered start times as recited in claim 1, wherein the determining the stagger time comprises subtracting the first start time from the second start time.

6. The method for pre-storing the portion of the program distributed on the plurality of distribution conduits and in the linear schedule with staggered start times as recited in claim 1, wherein the storing the segment comprises storing the segment in a non-volatile manner.

7. The method for pre-storing the portion of the program distributed on the plurality of distribution conduits and in the linear schedule with staggered start times as recited in claim 1, wherein the storing the segment comprises storing the segment on a rotating disk.

8. The method for pre-storing the portion of the program distributed on the plurality of distribution conduits and in the linear schedule with staggered start times as recited in claim 1, further comprising recording the segment from the first distribution conduit.

9. A distribution program product for pre-storing a portion of a program distributed on a plurality of distribution conduits and in a linear schedule with staggered start times, the distribution program product comprising:

code for determining a first start time of the program on a first distribution conduit;

code for determining a second start time of the program on a second distribution conduit;

code for determining a stagger time between the first start time and the second start time;

code for storing a segment of the program about equal in length to the stagger time that begins storing the segment before a user requests the program; and

a computer-readable medium for storing the codes wherein the code for storing the segment comprises code for storing the segment at a user location.

10. The distribution program product for pre-storing the portion of the program distributed on the plurality of distribution conduits and in the linear schedule with staggered start times as recited in claim 9, wherein at least one of the first and second distribution conduits comprises at least one of a digital channel and an analog channel.

11. The distribution program product for pre-storing the portion of the program distributed on the plurality of distribution conduits and in the linear schedule with staggered start times as recited in claim 9, wherein at least a portion of the first and second distribution conduits share a same channel.

12. The distribution program product for pre-storing the portion of the program distributed on the plurality of distribution conduits and in the linear schedule with staggered start times as recited in claim 9, wherein at least a portion of the first and second distribution conduits share a same transponder.

13. The distribution program product for pre-storing the portion of the program distributed on the plurality of distribution conduits and in the linear schedule with staggered start times as recited in claim 9, wherein at least one of the first and second distribution conduits comprises a broadband network connection.

14. The distribution program product for pre-storing the portion of the program distributed on the plurality of distribution conduits and in the linear schedule with staggered start times as recited in claim 9, wherein the code for determining the stagger time comprises code for subtracting the first start time from the second start time.

15. The distribution program product for pre-storing the portion of the program distributed on the plurality of distribution conduits and in the linear schedule with staggered start times as recited in claim 9, wherein the code for storing the segment comprises code for storing the segment on a rotating disk.

16. The distribution program product for pre-storing the portion of the program distributed on the plurality of distribution conduits and in the linear schedule with staggered start times as recited in claim 9, further comprising code for recording the segment from the first distribution conduit.

17. The distribution program product for pre-storing the portion of the program distributed on the plurality of distribution conduits and in the linear schedule with staggered start times as recited in claim 9, wherein the code for storing the segment comprises code for storing the segment in a non-volatile manner.

18. A method for pre-storing a portion of a program distributed on a plurality of distribution conduits and in a linear schedule with staggered start times, the method comprising:

determining a first start time of the program on a first distribution conduit;

determining a second start time of the program on a second distribution conduit, wherein at least one of the first and second distribution conduits comprises at least one of a digital channel, an analog channel, a broadband network;

determining a stagger time between the first start time and the second start time, wherein the determining the stagger time comprises subtracting the first start time from the second start time; and

storing a segment of the program about equal in length to the stagger time, wherein the storing the segment comprises beginning to store the segment proximate to a user location before the user requests to view the program.