System and method for managing out of coverage broadcasts

Abstract

A mobile content distribution system in an airplane, a train, or a bus is capable of determining if a mobile content distribution system is within an area authorized for the mobile content distribution system to receive content from a wireless service provider and displaying channels from the wireless service provider accordingly. If the system is not within the authorized area, the system displays a program guide including channels from locally stored content but no channel from the wireless service provider. If the system is within the authorized area and a user indicates live wireless program guide information is needed, the system acquires the live wireless program guide information and displays the program guide includes channels from the locally stored content and channels from the wireless service provider.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This patent application claims the benefit of and / or priority to U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61 / 348,007 filed May 25, 2010, the entire contents of which is specifically incorporated herein by reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]1. Field of the Invention[0003]The present invention generally relates to a system and method for providing wireless broadcast and / or locally stored entertainment services on a people transporter, such as an airplane, a bus, or a train, and more particularly to a system and method for providing program guide according to whether the people transporter is within or without an area authorized to receive wireless broadcast and whether the user desires display of channels from the wireless broadcast in the program guide.[0004]2. Background Information[0005]Wireless broadcast service providers, such as satellite service providers, can provide video on demand (VOD), near video on demand (NVOD), an...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

This patent is about a system and method for displaying program guides on a mobile device based on if it is in an area that allows it to receive content from a wireless service provider. The method includes determining if the device is within an authorized area, and if there is no user signal to receive live program guide information, displaying a program guide with channels from locally stored content and an authorized area. If there is a user signal to receive live program guide information, the method includes acquiring the live program guide information and displaying it with channels from both the locally stored content and the first wireless service provider. The technical effect of this patent is to improve the user experience by providing better access to live program guides and channels in the mobile content distribution system.

Problems solved by technology

When providing such services to a people transporter, such as an airplane, a bus, or a train, which may also provide locally stored content, problems arise because the people transporter is not stationary and may enter and leave the regulated coverage area of the wireless service provider.

When a people transporter is not in a regulated coverage area of a wireless provider, the people transporter should not provide services offered by that wireless provider even if the people transporter is within the reception footprint of that wireless service provider.

The problems, among others, of providing wireless services to a people transporter include when and how to provide program guides for channels offered by a wireless service provider and when to offer and allow purchase of channels from that wireless service provider.

These problems are partly caused by the fact that a people transporter is not confined to the regulated coverage area and may go in and out of the regulated coverage area during its movement.

This purchasing scheme is, however, inadequate for a passenger in a people transporter because a people transporter may not always stay within the regulated coverage area and a passenger most probably will not stay in the same people transporter for a day, let alone a month.

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