Network based digital information and entertainment storage and delivery system

Abstract

Live television broadcast and other information and entertainment programs, e.g., videos-on-demand (VOD), are provided to a user through a communications network, e.g., a cable network. A processing unit is employed at an headend of the communications network to respond to user requests for PVR-like functions, e.g., pausing, rewinding and fast-forwarding, to be performed on the program content being viewed. The processing unit in accordance with the invention causes a delivery of an appropriate version of the program content to meet such user requests.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]The present application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 10 / 263,015, which was filed on Oct. 2, 2002, will issue on Mar. 15, 2011 bearing U.S. Pat. No. 7,908,626, and claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60 / 377,963 filed on May 3, 2002, which are assigned to the assignee of the present application and are incorporated by reference herein.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The invention relates to communications systems and methods, and more particularly to a system and method for delivering information and entertainment programs through a communications network, e.g., a cable network.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]Personal video recorders (PVRs), e.g., TiVO and ReplayTV devices, are popular nowadays, stemming from their capabilities of “pausing”, “rewinding” and “fast-forwarding” live television (TV) broadcast while it is being recorded. They may also offer such other functions as “one-touch programming” for automatically recordin...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

Users can access and enjoy any desired program anytime, transcending traditional scheduling limitations, with enhanced interactive functions and user interfaces for program management and feedback analysis.

Problems solved by technology

Although prior art PVRs offer such attractive functions as pausing, rewinding and fast-forwarding “live” TV broadcast (collectively hereinafter “PVR-like functions”), we have recognized certain disadvantages associated with use of the PVRs.

For example, one such disadvantage is that like a VCR, a PVR is a standalone device which requires yet another remote control to operate the device, in addition to those remote controls for a TV set, set-top box, DVD player, VCR, etc., which already proved to be confusing to a user.

Another disadvantage is that a prior art PVR only records (a) the last X minute program material played on the channel to which the user actually tunes, where X represents a limited value, and (b) desired programs which need to be identified to or by the PVR in advance of their broadcast.

Thus, any program material other than (a) or (b) is not recorded by a PVR, thereby limiting the materials that a user can review.

Still another disadvantage is that limited by the number of tuners therein, a prior art PVR is not capable of recording programs in their entirety which have overlapping broadcast times and the number of which is greater than the number of tuners, thereby further limiting the materials that a user can review.

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