1711 results about "Video on demand" patented technology

An interactive television system that renders on-demand interactive multimedia services for a community of users. The interactive multimedia is delivered to each user on a TV or on a LAN-node (Local-Area-Network) computer through an "interactive TV channel" created and controlled by a Channel-processor, which can be implemented as either a PC or a high-end workstation. The system employs a direct-access on-demand workgroup server. It is equipped with the primary on-demand multimedia data base stored on a hard disk subsystem that is connected directly to the Channel-processors through an internal workgroup link. Using a no-overhead server technology, the connected workgrouped Channel-processors can all concurrently retrieve and process the data directly from the hard disk subsystem without resorting to a stand-alone server system for data retrieving and downloading. The system also employs peer-to-peer workgroup connectivity, so that all of the workgrouped Channel-processors that are connected to the workgroup server through the internal workgroup link, can communicate with one another.

A headend or central office or satellite uplink facility for receiving upstream video-on-demand requests and MPEG transport streams containing video program data and packetizing said video data into TCP/IP or UDP/IP packets and LAN packets and routing them through a switch to one or more cherrypicker multiplexers. Each cherrypicker multiplexer receives LAN packets, depacketizes the MPEG data, partially or fully decompresses the data and recompresses the data to another smaller bandwidth, and repacketizes the data into MPEG packets or TCP/IP or UDP/IP packets. The repacketized TCP/IP or UDP/IP packets are transmitted directly to the customer as TCP/IP or UDP/IP packet data. MPEG packets generated by the cherrypicker multiplexer are, optionally, encapsulated in LAN packets addressed to an IP dewrapper circuit. There, they are depacketized back to MPEG packets and transmitted to the appropriate transmitter or modem for transmitting to a customer. Internet data and data from application servers, referred to as iData, can also be transmitted to customers through the cherrypicker multiplexers or a downstream modem, and upstream iData can be received through the modem.

An interactive television system is provided in which a user can use an interactive television application to access and request media-on-demand programming. The interactive television application may display customized interface display screens that include video-on-demand programs and categories that may be of particular interest to the user. These programs and categories of interest may be based on the user's personal profile. Once a list of programs and categories based on a user's personal profile is generated, one or more of these programs may be incorporated in a menu interface template to generate a video-on-demand menu customized for the user.

A method and system for providing flexible subscriber VCR control of an interactive media system that limits the consumption of bandwidth capacity, the method comprising establishing a viewing time window during which a subscriber can watch an ordered program, enabling the subscriber to freely pause, rewind, and fast-forward the program so long as the end of the program does not exceed the end of the window, automatically tracking the remaining program running time against the time remaining in the window, deactivating the pause and rewind features if the remaining program running time equals the time remaining in the window, and reactivating the pause and rewind features if the program is fast-forwarded such that the time remaining in the window exceeds the remaining program running time. The system of the present invention is any interactive media system that delivers video streams such as an interactive television system that supports services such as pay-per-view and video-on-demand, or an internet-based interactive media system that downloads video streams through the internet to be played on a subscriber's personal computer or other viewing device.

A system and method of optimizing transmission of a program to multiple users over a distribution system, with particular application to video-on-demand for a CATV network. The system includes, at a head end of the CATV network a scheduling and routing computer for dividing the video program stored in long term fast storage or short term fast storage into a plurality of program segments, and a subscriber distribution node for transmitting the program segments in a redundant sequence in accordance with a scheduling algorithm. At a receiver of the CATV network there is provided a buffer memory for storing the transmitted video program segments for subsequent playback whereby, in use, the scheduling algorithm can ensure that a user's receiver will receive all of the program segments in a manner that will enable continuous playback in real time of the program. Under the control of controller the receiver distinguishes received program segments by a segment identifier so that redundant segments captured in capture memory are then stored in buffer memory from which the segments can be retrieved and decompressed in data compressor for immediate or subsequent viewing. In one embodiment, the method of this invention includes dividing at least some segments into fragments, and transmitting one fragment of each segment during a playback interval of a duration, for example, equal to a playback time of a segment.

A disclosed a player tracking unit provides a multimedia interface with a display and an interface to one or more sound projection devices and a multimedia board for processing digitally formatted program files for output on the multimedia interface. The player tracking unit may provide menus of audio and video programs, such as a menu for a musical jukebox or a menu for a video-on-demand service. Using a “TV-like” interface, a user may be able to select a program to output on the multimedia interface and control playback features of the program.

Centralized video on demand (VoD) systems offer limited content and limited archival ability. Peer-to-peer networks allow users to share a wide selection of content directly among peers, but connections between peers may have limited uplink bandwidth and may be unreliable. The present invention according to various embodiments contemplates systems and methods for high quality and resilient transmission of streaming data from one or more sources within a heterogeneous peer-to-peer network to address these and other problems

Included is a method for an interactive media services system to provide a screen saver utility to a user through an interactive media services client device. The client device may be coupled to a programmable media services server device. The method may include the steps of providing a system operator with an interface to the programmable media services server; and providing control options within the interface to allow the system operator to dictate media to be presented in the screen saver utility, a plurality of parameters that result in activation of the screen saver utility, and a procedure to be followed in exiting the screen saver utility.

A system for providing interactive television program guide features and other features and information related to a specific user interest or programming category in niche hubs is provided. All of the television programming features provided by user television equipment that relate to a specific user interest or programming category may be accessed from the niche hub. For example, a movie lovers niche hub may provide programming features such as television program listings for movies, video-on-demand listings for movies, pay-per-view listings for movies, web site links related to movies, movie-related merchandise, movie news groups, movie chat groups, movie e-mail clubs, movie contests, movie trivia questions, movie actor interviews, movie reviews, movie channel package ordering, etc. The programming features of the niche hubs may be transmitted from a server, database, or other storage facility via a television distribution facility. User television equipment may be connected via two-way communications paths to transmit messages to each other.

Methods for providing video on demand service from an Application Service Provider (“ASP”) to a user over a Regional/Access Network (“RAN”) are provided. A request for a video on demand application flow may be received from the user. In response to the request, information may be obtained from the RAN regarding the capabilities of the user's Customer Premises Equipment (“CPE”). A profile may then be forwarded from the ASP to the RAN that specifies at least one policy regarding the transmission of data associated with the video on demand application flow across the RAN. The data associated with the video on demand application flow may then be forwarded across the RAN in accordance with the profile. The RAN may also be provided a default profile that specifies default policies that apply with respect to video on demand application flows that are transmitted across the RAN prior to obtaining information from the RAN regarding the capabilities of the CPE of any specific user. The user specific profiles may then be used to alter one or more policies specified in the default profile.

An interactive television system is provided in which a program listings grid is displayed for the user. The user can scroll in the backwards direction to view information on programs that have been recorded and certain video-on-demand content. Icons or other visual indicators may be provided on program listings screens to indicate the status of the programs. The status information may include an indication of whether programs are available for recording, have been recorded, are being recorded, or will be recorded, or whether a given program is available for advance viewing through the interactive television system's video-on-demand service. Programs can be recorded automatically on user equipment or on network-based equipment. A program may be automatically recorded when a user sets a reminder for the program but fails to watch the program or when a given program is determined to satisfy the user's television viewing preferences.

A system and method for storing and retrieving program material for subsequent replay is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of receiving access control information and the program material encrypted according to a first encryption key, the access control information including the first encryption key and control data; further encrypting the access control information and the encrypted program material according to a second encryption key; encrypting the second encryption key according to a third encryption key to produce a fourth encryption key; and storing the encrypted access control information and encrypted program material and the fourth encryption key.

A system and method permit remote recovery of audio from audiovisual or multimedia content for a video display unit. Audio is recovered from the audiovisual content sent to a first network address and is packetized for transmission over a network that may utilized an existing wiring infrastructure that provides audio and video-on-demand content to a second network address. The audio packets are reassembled by hardware associated with the second network address and analog audio created from the audio packets is provided at an output to an audio device.

A method for verifying specific profile, legal, and social preference data responses for generating a selectively approved membership database. Membership security is completed with a biometric security authentication of each member upon member logon. A media player is used for recording and delivering video on demand; live video broadcast communications, and video/audio relational database management as well as searching the database for Digital video and audio content defined by indexed unique hint track data. Live video conferencing is available utilizing bandwidth scheduling methods for quality video control and creating audit logs for member accountability and content control.

Described herein are techniques, including methods and systems, including computer program products, for a video delivery module. A broadcast program and a video-on-demand program are ingested by a video delivery module. At least a portion of the broadcast program and at least a portion of the video-on-demand program are stored. The broadcast program, the video-on-demand program, or both are delivered as a unicast video stream to a first single subscriber through a multiplexer connected to a plurality of subscribers.

A method and apparatus for processing a coded data stream of video information (e.g., video-on-demand) for selective display according to a Normal PLAY Mode or a Fast PLAY Mode, by splitting the coded data stream into (a) anchor data constituted of anchor picture frames (e.g., I-frames) coded without reference to other picture frames, and (b) complemental data (e.g., B-frames and P-frames) complementing the anchor data; storing the anchor data in an anchor data file and the complemental data in a complemental data file; upon the selection of a Normal PLAY Mode, combining the data of both the anchor data file and the complemental data file to recompose and display the video information; and upon the selection of a fast PLAY mode, displaying only the data of the anchor data file.

This invention confers to an interactive audio/video entertainment system providing video-on-demand (VOD) services the abilities to automatically adapt to viewers tastes and preferences and download in advance the most likely viewing choices of each user, thereby freeing the system and its users from the real-time throughput constraints and availability limitations of the audio/video distribution network. Viewers are presented with a virtual video-rental-store paradigm offering a locally stored, and therefore immediately available for rental, selection of audio/video programs tailored to each viewer on the basis of observation by the system, in a transparent fashion, of the viewer's past choices.

Video On Demand system providing video programs between a program provider and a plurality of clients coupled over a peer to peer network. Transmitting a requested video program from a first client on a first channel. Allocating a second channel for transmitting the video program requested by a second client. The first client forwarding the video program to the second client on the second channel from the beginning of the video program received and stored. Controlling the second client to receive and store the video program sent on the first channel in synchronization with the first client. Merging the second channel into the first channel in response to notification that the program received from the first client by the second client reaches a starting point of the program received and stored by the second client. Notifying the first client to stop sending the video program to the second client.

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.

Cache management techniques are described for a content distribution network (CDN), for example, a video on demand (VOD) system supporting user requests and delivery of video content. A preferred cache size may be calculated for one or more cache devices in the CDN, for example, based on a maximum cache memory size, a bandwidth availability associated with the CDN, and a title dispersion calculation determined by the user requests within the CDN. After establishing the cache with a set of assets (e.g., video content), an asset replacement algorithm may be executed at one or more cache devices in the CDN. When a determination is made that a new asset should be added to a full cache, a multi-factor comparative analysis may be performed on the assets currently residing in the cache, comparing the popularity and size of assets and combinations of assets, along with other factors to determine which assets should be replaced in the cache device.