38 results about "Near video on demand" patented technology

A novel network manager for use with a cable television system headend capable of monitoring and managing headend components and set top terminals in a television delivery system is described. The invention relates to methods and apparatus that manage and coordinate the reception of various programming and control signals at a headend. The invention manages and coordinates the storage of such signals for intelligent selection and distribution to set top terminals. The invention makes use of a receiver or set of receivers, a work station, a program control information processing component, a network management CPU, databases, control software and an instruction memory. The invention uses these components to manage and monitor certain headend components, such as signal reception equipment, an authorization component, a file server, MPEG decoders, a digital buffer with frame repeat and channel modulators. The invention is particularly useful in processing and responding to upstream information and subscriber communications received from set top terminals. In so doing, the invention accommodates various system services, including (1) near video on demand (NVOD), (2) virtual video on demand (VVOD), (3) video on demand (VOD), (4) interactive program services, (5) program suggestion features, (6) advertisement targeting, (7) generation of standard and custom menus, and (8) data spooling and text overlaying.

A full service cable television system and method are provided. The system comprises a cable headend, at least one fiber transport, at least one distribution hub, at least one hybrid fiber coax plant, and a plurality of set-top terminals. The system delivers television programs, advanced cable services, and online services. Programs and services are transmitted to the set-top terminals in both digital and analog formats to maintain downward compatibility with existing systems. The set-top terminal includes a central processing unit, a unified memory architecture, a memory management unit, communications circuitry, I/O control circuitry, and audio and video output circuitry. Through these components, the set-top terminal provides advanced cable services such as a comprehensive channel navigator, an interactive program guide, impulse Pay-Per-View, Near-Video-On-Demand and Video-On-Demand programming, and advanced configuration controls. The set-top terminal also provides online services such as World Wide Web browsing, Internet e-mail, and home shopping.

A master scheduler system and method automatically operate and/or coordinate operation of a plurality of relatively independent systems, including manual systems, to function as an NVOD system to provide automating diverse operations for supporting and maintaining an NVOD system. The master scheduler system and method may also be applied to automate manual processes of analog-based and digital broadcast based service. The master scheduler receives, processes, and disseminates NVOD schedule-related information for end-to-end NVOD service; that is, sending video from a back-end which stores video data to a head-end for viewing by a user. The master scheduler also provides operations support for the NVOD system, such as maintaining the head-end configuration, allocating channels, performing asset management, performing content management, etc. The master scheduler provides validation of scheduling information by comparing information such as programmed schedules, asset metadata, and data obtained by measuring asset parameters, for example duration.

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.

Interactive media systems and methods are provided for substituting pause-time content in place of media that has been paused. The user may pause media such as real-time media, video-on-demand media, near video-on-demand, or recorded media. If the user pauses real-time media or near video-on-demand media, the interactive media application may store the media. The interactive media application may also provide the user with the ability to rewind, resume play of, and fast-forward the media. The pause-time content may be audio or video media and may be an advertisement, trivia, program summaries or any other suitable pause-time content. The interactive media application may provide customized pause-time content specific to the user or specific to the media paused by using media data associated with the media. The interactive media application may also prevent the user from accessing features (e.g., fast-forward) of the system.

A near video-on-demand (VOD) service enabled using a digital video recorder (DVR) for the simultaneous storage and playback of multimedia data. A DVR is connected over a network to a multimedia network source. A VOD selection is requested by the DVR from the network source. A multimedia data signal is received by the DVR from the network source. The data signal contains the requested VOD selection. A first received portion of the received data signal is stored on the DVR. The first received segment is played by the DVR for display on a display device. Simultaneously during the playing of the first received segment, a second received segment of the received data signal is received from the network source and stored on the DVR while the first received segment is played the display device. Thus, the requested VOD selection begins playing on the display device prior to the reception of the entire compressed multimedia data signal so that a requested VOD selection can begin being displayed nearly instantaneously after the request for it is made. A video-on-request (VOR) service is also enabled using a DVR. VOR selection data is received by a centralized database device, such as a network server, from a plurality of users. Each VOR selection data includes at least one requested video selection and video recorder identifying information for identifying each particular video recorder. A transmission priority of requested video selections is determined dependent on the frequency of requests ‘received from the plurality of users. A transmission channel and time is determined based on the transmission priority. DVR control signals are transmitted to automatically tune in the determined transmission channel at the determined transmission time and record the particular video selection.

A near video-on-demand (VOD) service enabled using a digital video recorder (DVR) for the simultaneous storage and playback of multimedia data. A DVR is connected over a network to a multimedia network source. A VOD selection is requested by the DVR from the network source. A multimedia data signal is received by the DVR from the network source. The data signal contains the requested VOD selection. A first received portion of the received data signal is stored on the DVR. The first received segment is played by the DVR for display on a display device. Simultaneously during the playing of the first received segment, a second received segment of the received data signal is received from the network source and stored on the DVR while the first received segment is played the display device. Thus, the requested VOD selection begins playing on the display device prior to the reception of the entire compressed multimedia data signal so that a requested VOD selection can begin being displayed nearly instantaneously after the request for it is made. A video-on-request (VOR) service is also enabled using a DVR. VOR selection data is received by a centralized database device, such as a network server, from a plurality of users. Each VOR selection data includes at least one requested video selection and video recorder identifying information for identifying each particular video recorder. A transmission priority of requested video selections is determined dependent on the frequency of requests ¹received from the plurality of users. A transmission channel and time is determined based on the transmission priority. DVR control signals are transmitted to automatically tune in the determined transmission channel at the determined transmission time and record the particular video selection.

An IPTV application system and a method and system for playing near video on demand (NVoD) programs. The system for playing NVoD programs includes: an IPTV application system, adapted to create NVoD channels and generate an NVoD channel table that contains attribute information indicating whether NVoD channels support time-shifting operations; an NVoD server that intercommunicates with the IPTV application system, adapted to play a program specified by an operator in a multicast and/or unicast mode following a scheduled timetable according to control of the IPTV application system. The present invention implements time-shifting under the NVoD state and adds to user experience under the NVoD state, and in addition, provides a new channel for operators to sell on-demand programs.

The present invention is a video on demand service enabled from a near video on demand service. A desired program is split into portions, or clips. The first clip is delivered a priori to the customer's DVR using a hidden channel and it is made available for purchase on demand. The remaining portion is broadcast regularly using the start time of the NVOD service, for as long as the program is available for VOD purchase. Upon purchase, the remaining portion is authorized for capture by the DVR. The clips are spliced together upon playback to form a complete program.

To obtain a content distribution system in which the load placed on a distribution server is reduced, the installation cost and the operational cost are reduced, introduction can be easily realized in a large area, and clients only wait short periods for playing back. A distribution server device converts a content into stream data using an algorithm of near video on demand, and transmits the stream data to an end-system multicast tree established among plural client devices requesting playback of the content. The client devices relay the received stream data of the near video on demand in accordance with the end-system multicast tree.

The embodiment of the invention discloses a digital television middleware-based video-on-demand method and system. The video-on-demand method mainly comprises the following steps of: initiating a video-on-demand request to a management server by utilizing a set-top box according to coding of a remote controller; initiating a video playing request to a video server by utilizing the management server; creating an on-demand flow and returning data to the management server by utilizing the video server, wherein the data content comprises related information such as a server IP (Internet Protocol) address, a port and flow control word information, IPQAM (Internet Protocol-Quadrature Amplitude Modulation) frequency point information, port information and the like; sending the server IP address, port and flow control word information and the IPQAM frequency point information and port information to the set-top box by utilizing the management server; and after the information is received by the set-top box, creating an LSCP (Lightweight Stream Control Protocol) link with the video server to decode and play. Through the video-on-demand method and system which are provided by the embodiment of the invention, the delay problem in NVOD (Near Video on Demand) is solved and the real on-demand effect is realized to ensure that a person can select favorite movies and other programs from a network at any time and immediately play.

In a broadcast system 100 a broadcasting device broadcasts titles using a near-video-on-demand broadcasting protocol. Data blocks of a title are broadcast via c parallel equal capacity channels of the broadcast system. The broadcast channels 160 including time-sequentially interleaved sub-channel(s). The title is divided in a plurality of consecutive data block sequences. Each block sequence is assigned to one respective sub-channel. The broadcasting device repeatedly broadcasts each block sequence in the assigned sub-channel. The broadcast receiver 150 has a capacity to simultaneously receive all sub-channels of a plurality r (1i, the receiver terminates reception of the sub-channel in channel i and starts reception of at least one sub-channel of channel r+i.

A video signal receiver receives a plurality of video channels simultaneously carrying, offset by a transmission interval, a single video program, selects one channel from which to obtain the program for display to a user, and achieves a pause function in the display of the transmitted video program by temporarily storing a segment of the video program equal to the length of the transmission interval and obtaining the remainder of the program at a later time from the same or another channel.

In accordance with aspects of the present principles, a program guide display for a near video on demand system can be provided. The NVOD system can transmit and/or receive (202) a plurality of duplicate, temporally offset video streams on separate channels to enable viewing of video content at practically any time from its beginning. According to one aspect of the present principles, a channel carrying a program having a start time that coincides with a current time can be selected (208) for display in the program guide while suppressing other NVOD channels carrying duplicate content with offset start times.