System and method for content transmission network selection

• US 8,769,595 B2
• Filed: 08/30/2005
• Issued: 07/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gray, James H., Koch, Robert A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Featherstone, Mark D
• Assistant Examiner(s): THOMAS, JASON M
• Application Number:
  US11/215,417
• Publication Number:
  US 20060080718A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,227 Days
• Field of Search: 725/90, 725/98, 725/110, 725/118, 725/133, 725/86, 725/87, 725 91- 96, 725/104, 725/109, 725/111, 725/119, 725/120, 725/129, 725/131, 370/235, 370/238
• US Class Current: 725/110
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2347 involving video stream encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2381 Adapting the multiplex stream to a specific network, e.g. an Internet Protocol [IP] network transmission of MPEG streams over ATM H04L12/5601
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25883 being end-user demographical data, e.g. age, family status or address arrangements for identifying locations of users in broadcast systems H04H60/52
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26208 the scheduling operation being performed under constraints
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26216 involving the channel capacity, e.g. network bandwidth admission control, resource allocation in open networks H04L12/5692; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; establishing a schedule or organising the servicing of application requests taking into account QoS H04L67/61
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/266 Channel or content management, e.g. generation and management of keys and entitlement messages in a conditional access system, merging a VOD unicast channel into a multicast channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2665 Gathering content from different sources, e.g. Internet and satellite
• 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 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6587 Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A content transmission selection system is disclosed. The content transmission selection system receives requests from viewers for specific video content items. Using characteristics of the designated content item, the content transmission selection system determines whether to transmit the content item over a broadcast network or a broadband network.

Claims

1. A machine-readable storage device, comprising executable instructions, which, responsive to being executed by a processor, facilitate performance of operations comprising:

identifying video content to be transmitted based on a transmission request that specifies a receiving device to which the video content is to be transmitted;

determining whether the receiving device is communicatively coupled to a broadcast network but not to a broadband network according to an account profile associated with the receiving device;

identifying the broadcast network as a transmit network for providing the video content to the receiving device responsive to the receiving device being communicatively coupled to the broadcast network but not to the broadband network;

determining whether the receiving device is communicatively coupled to the broadband network but not the broadcast network according to the account profile;

identifying the broadband network as the transmit network for providing the video content to the receiving device responsive to the receiving device being communicatively coupled to the broadband network but not the broadcast network;

determining whether the receiving device is communicatively coupled to both the broadcast network and the broadband network according to the account profile;

identifying characteristics of the video content and determining a number of requests from other receiving devices for the video content responsive to the receiving device being communicatively coupled to both the broadcast network and the broadband network;

determining from the characteristics of the video content whether playback command features are present with the video content;

identifying the transmit network as one of the broadcast network or the broadband network according to the playback command features that are present with the video content and according to the number of requests from the other receiving devices for the video content; and

transmitting a notification of the transmit network and a time at which the video content is to be transmitted to a device that originated the transmission request.

2. The machine-readable storage device of claim 1, wherein the playback command features comprise a fast forward control, a rewind control, pause, and a video recorder control.

3. The machine-readable storage device of claim 1, wherein the receiving device is a different device than a requesting device from which the transmission request is submitted.

4. The machine-readable storage device of claim 3, wherein the receiving device is remote from the requesting device.

5. The machine-readable storage device of claim 1, wherein the receiving device is selected from a set of available devices associated with an account.

6. The machine-readable storage device of claim 5, wherein the operations further comprise:

maintaining the account profile comprising a list of a set of available devices associated with the account profile.

7. The machine-readable storage device of claim 6, wherein the account profile further comprises routing information for the set of available devices.

8. The machine-readable storage device of claim 1, wherein the transmitting of the notification further comprises transmitting the notification to the receiving device.

9. A server device, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, facilitate performance of operations, comprising;

identifying video content to be transmitted based on a transmission request that specifies a receiving device to which the video content is to be transmitted;

determining whether the receiving device is communicatively coupled to a broadcast network but not a broadband network according to an account profile associated with the receiving device;

identifying the broadcast network as a transmit network for providing the video content to the receiving device responsive to the receiving device being communicatively coupled to the broadcast network but not the broadband network;

determining whether the receiving device is communicatively coupled to a broadband network but not broadcast network according to the account profile;

identifying the broadband network as the transmit network for providing the video content to the receiving device responsive to the receiving device being communicatively coupled to the broadband network but not the broadcast network;

determining whether the receiving device is communicatively coupled to both the broadcast network and the broadband network according to the account profile;

determining from characteristics of the video content whether playback command features are present with the video content and a number of requests from other receiving devices for the video content according to determining that the receiving device is communicatively coupled to both the broadcast network and the broadband network;

identifying the transmit network as one of the broadcast network or the broadband network responsive to determining that the playback command features are present with the video content and according to the number of requests from other receiving devices for the video content; and

transmitting a notification of the transmit network and a time at which the video content is to be transmitted to a device that originated the transmission request.

10. The server device of claim 9, wherein the playback command features comprise fast forward, reverse, and pause.

11. The server device of claim 9, wherein identifying the transmit network as one of the broadcast network or the broadband network responsive to determining that the playback command features are present with the video content further comprises:

determining if there is a sufficient available bandwidth in the broadcast network;

if there is sufficient available bandwidth, determining whether a cost of transmitting the video content over the broadcast network exceeds a first cost of transmitting the video content over the broadband network;

if the cost of transmitting the video content over the broadcast network exceeds the first cost of transmitting the video content over the broadband network, determining to transmit the video content over the broadband network; and

if the cost of transmitting the video content over the broadcast network does not exceed the cost of transmitting the video content over the broadband network, determining to transmit the video content over the broadcast network.

12. A method, comprising:

identifying, by a system comprising a processor, video content to be transmitted based on a transmission request that specifies a receiving device to which the video content is to be transmitted;

determining, by the system, whether the receiving device is communicatively coupled to a broadcast network but not a broadband network according to an account profile associated with the receiving device;

identifying, by the system, the broadcast network as a transmit network for providing the video content to the receiving device responsive to the receiving device being communicatively coupled to a broadcast network but not a broadband network;

determining, by the system, whether the receiving device is communicatively coupled to the broadcast network but not the broadband network according to the account profile;

identifying, by the system, the broadband network as the transmit network for providing the video content to the receiving device responsive to the receiving device being communicatively coupled to the broadcast network but not the broadband network;

determining, by the system, whether the receiving device is communicatively coupled to both the broadcast network and the broadband network according to the account profile;

determining, by the system, whether playback command features are present with the video content according to characteristics of the video content responsive to the receiving device being communicatively coupled to both the broadcast network and the broadband network;

determining, by the system, a number of other receiving devices that have requested the video content;

identifying, by the system, the transmit network as one of the broadcast network or the broadband network responsive to determining that the playback command features are present with the video content and according to the number of other receiving devices that have requested the video content; and

transmitting, by the system, a notification of the transmit network and a time at which the video content is to be transmitted to a device that originated the transmission request.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising transmitting, by the system, the notification to the receiving device.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein identifying, by the system, the transmit network as one of the broadcast network or the broadband network responsive to determining that the playback command features are present with the video content further comprises determining a geographic location of the receiving device, a cost to transmit the video content at a requested transmission time, and parameters of the video content.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein identifying, by the system, the transmit network as one of the broadcast network or the broadband network responsive to determining that the playback command features are present with the video content further comprises determining a predicted bandwidth for the broadband network at a requested transmission time.