Methods and apparatus to provide content on demand in content broadcast systems
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for playing a media program having a plurality of data packets of a packet format at a user device, the method comprising the steps of:
- accepting a command to view the media program in the user device;
receiving a beginning portion of the media program from a first source, the beginning portion of the media program having a first set of the plurality of data packets;
playing back the received beginning portion of the media program while receiving and recording an end portion of the media program in the user device from a second source, the end portion of the media program having a second set of the plurality of data packets, the first set of the plurality of data packets being encrypted with a same encryption key, a same codeword, or a same secret as the second set of the plurality of packets;
splicing the received end portion of the media program to the received beginning portion of the media program in the user device; and
after splicing the received end portion, playing back the spliced received end portion of the media program after playing back the received beginning portion of the media program;
wherein only one of the first set of the plurality of data packets and the second set of the plurality of data packets is received from a broadcast headend via a broadcast signal and the other of the first set of the plurality of data packets and the second set of data packets includes an Internet Protocol (IP) header and is received from a content delivery server operated by a vendor external to and different than the broadcast headend via an IP-based communication signal.
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Abstract
Methods and apparatus to provide content on demand in content broadcast systems are disclosed. An example method comprises receiving a first portion of a program via broadcast signal and receiving a second portion of the program via an Internet protocol (IP) based signal. The example method may further comprise combining the first and the second portions and at least one of store the combined first and second portions in a file or playback the combined first and second portions.
48 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method for playing a media program having a plurality of data packets of a packet format at a user device, the method comprising the steps of:
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accepting a command to view the media program in the user device; receiving a beginning portion of the media program from a first source, the beginning portion of the media program having a first set of the plurality of data packets; playing back the received beginning portion of the media program while receiving and recording an end portion of the media program in the user device from a second source, the end portion of the media program having a second set of the plurality of data packets, the first set of the plurality of data packets being encrypted with a same encryption key, a same codeword, or a same secret as the second set of the plurality of packets; splicing the received end portion of the media program to the received beginning portion of the media program in the user device; and after splicing the received end portion, playing back the spliced received end portion of the media program after playing back the received beginning portion of the media program; wherein only one of the first set of the plurality of data packets and the second set of the plurality of data packets is received from a broadcast headend via a broadcast signal and the other of the first set of the plurality of data packets and the second set of data packets includes an Internet Protocol (IP) header and is received from a content delivery server operated by a vendor external to and different than the broadcast headend via an IP-based communication signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A non-transitory article of manufacture storing computer readable instructions that, when executed, cause a user device to:
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accept a command to view a media program in the user device, the media program having a plurality of data packets of a packet format; receive a beginning portion of the media program from a first source, the beginning portion of the media program having a first set of the plurality of data packets; play back the received beginning portion of the media program while receiving and recording an end portion of the media program in the user device from a second source, the end portion of the media program having a second set of the plurality of data packets, the first set of the plurality of data packets being encrypted with a same encryption key, a same codeword, or a same secret as the second set of the plurality of packets; splice the received end portion of the media program to the received beginning portion of the media program in the user device; and after the splice, play back the spliced received end portion of the media program after playing back the received beginning portion of the media program; wherein only one of the first set of the plurality of data packets and second set of the plurality of data packets is received from a the first source via a broadcast signal and the other of the first set of the plurality of data packets and the second set of the plurality of data packets includes an Internet Protocol (IP) header and is received from the second source via an IP-based communication signal wherein the second source is operated by a vendor external to and different than the first source. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An apparatus comprising:
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a means for accepting a command to view a media program having a plurality of data packets of a packet format; a first interface for receiving a beginning portion of the media program from a first source, the beginning portion of the media program having a first set of the plurality of data packets; a second interface for receiving an end portion of the media program from a second source, the end portion of the media program having a second set of the plurality of data packets, the first set of the plurality of data packets being encrypted with a same encryption key, a same codeword, or a same secret as the second set of the plurality of packets; a display module for playing back the received beginning portion of the media program while receiving and recording the end portion of the media program in a storage device from the second source, for splicing the received end portion of the media program to the received beginning portion of the media program in the user device, and after the splicing, for playing back the received end portion of the media program after playing back the received beginning portion of the media program; wherein only one of the first set of the plurality of data packets and the second set of the plurality of data packets is received from a the first source via a broadcast signal and the other of the first set of the plurality of data packets and the second set of the plurality of data packets includes an Internet Protocol (IP) header and is received from the second source via an IP-based communication signal wherein the second source is operated by a vendor external to and different than the first source. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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17. An apparatus comprising:
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a first interface to receive a broadcast signal from a broadcast headend and to detect a non-user initiated interruption of the broadcast signal, the broadcast signal presenting a first portion of a media program, the first portion of the media program having a first set of the plurality of data packets; a second interface distinct from the first interface to send a request to a terrestrial content delivery server for a second portion of the media program when the interruption is detected and to receive a terrestrial Internet protocol (IP) based communication signal from a content delivery server in response to the request, the terrestrial IP-based signal comprising the second portion of the media program and containing an address uniquely assigned to the second interface, wherein the second portion of the media program has a second set of the plurality of data packets, the first set of the plurality of data packets being encrypted with a same encryption key, a same codeword, or a same secret as the second set of the plurality of packets; and a storage device for storing the first portion and the second portion; and a decryptor to decrypt the first and second portions of the media program based on the same encryption key, same codeword, or same secret; wherein the content delivery server is operated by a vendor external to and different than the broadcast headend. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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21. A method for playing a media program having a plurality of data packets of a packet format at a user device, the method comprising:
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accepting a command to view the media program in the user device; receiving a first portion of the media program from a broadcast headend, the first portion of the media program having a first set of the plurality of data packets; and sending a request to a content delivery server for a second portion of the media program in response to a non-user initiated interruption of reception of the first portion of the media program received from the broadcast headend, the second portion of the media program having a second set of the plurality of data packets, the first set of the plurality of data packets being encrypted with a same encryption key, a same codeword, or a same secret as the second set of the plurality of packets; receiving the second portion of the media program from the content delivery server via an IP-based communication signal in response to the request, wherein the second portion of the media program comprises information not received via the broadcast headend due to the non-user initiated interruption of the reception of the media program; and splicing the second portion of the media program to the first portion of the media program received via the broadcast headend wherein the content delivery server is operated by a vendor external to and different than the broadcast headend. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
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Specification