Claims
- 1. A system for delivering, through a communications network, program content to a terminal at a user location, the system comprising:
a processor remote from the user location for recording the program content; a mechanism for delivering, through the communications network, the program content to the terminal according to a broadcast schedule; an interface for receiving, from the terminal, a request for performing an action on the program content received by the terminal; and a control unit for manipulating the recorded program content to meet the request.
- 2. The system of claim 1 being connected to the communications network which includes a cable network.
- 3. The system of claim 1 wherein the action causes a perception of at least one of rewinding, fast-forwarding, and pausing a delivery of the program content.
- 4. The system of claim 1 wherein the request includes data identifying the terminal.
- 5. The system of claim 4 wherein the data concerns an Internet protocol (IP) address of the terminal.
- 6. The system of claim 4 wherein the data concerns a media access control (MAC) address of the terminal.
- 7. The system of claim 1 further comprising a cache for storing the recorded program content.
- 8. The system of claim 1 wherein the program content delivered to the terminal includes the recorded program content.
- 9. A system for providing program content to a terminal through a communications network, the system comprising:
a first interface for receiving content of an in-progress program; a memory for storing the in-progress program content; a mechanism for transmitting first signals containing the in-progress program content through the communications network to the terminal, which in response to the first signals helps recover the in-progress program content in perceivable form; a second interface for receiving from the terminal through the communications network a request for performing an action on the perceivable in-progress program content; and a control unit responsive to the request for providing second signals containing at least part of the stored in-progress program content to the terminal through the communications network to realize the action on the perceivable in-progress program content.
- 10. The system of claim 9 wherein the program content is formatted pursuant to an MPEG standard.
- 11. The system of claim 9 wherein the first signals include quadrature amplitude modulated (QAM) signals.
- 12. The system of claim 9 wherein the memory includes a cache.
- 13. The system of claim 9 wherein the perceivable form includes at least one of a viewable form and an audible form.
- 14. The system of claim 9 being connected to the communications network which includes a cable network.
- 15. The system of claim 9 wherein the action causes a perception of at least one of rewinding, fast-forwarding, and pausing a provision of the program content.
- 16. The system of claim 9 wherein the request includes data identifying the terminal.
- 17. The system of claim 16 wherein the data concerns an IP address of the terminal.
- 18. The system of claim 16 wherein the data concerns a MAC address of the terminal.
- 19. The system of claim 9 wherein the program content contained in the first signals includes the recorded program content.
- 20. Apparatus for receiving program content from a communications network, the apparatus comprising:
a processor for sending, through the communications network, a request for performing an action on the program content, which is received from the communications network according to a broadcast schedule, the request including data identifying the apparatus; and an interface for receiving, from the communications network, a version of the program content addressed to the apparatus based on the data, the version of the program content being derived from a copy of the program content in response to the request.
- 21. The apparatus of claim 20 comprising a set-top terminal.
- 22. The apparatus of claim 20 being connected to the communications network which includes a cable network.
- 23. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the action causes a perception of at least one of rewinding, fast-forwarding, and pausing a reception of the program content.
- 24. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the data concerns an IP address of the apparatus.
- 25. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the data concerns a MAC address of the apparatus.
- 26. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the copy of the program content is formatted pursuant to an MPEG standard.
- 27. A method for delivering, through a communications network, program content to a terminal at a user location, the method comprising:
recording the program content at a location remote from the user location; delivering, through the communications network, the program content to the terminal according to a broadcast schedule; receiving, from the terminal, a request for performing an action on the program content received by the terminal; and manipulating the recorded program content to meet the request.
- 28. The method of claim 27 wherein the communications network includes a cable network.
- 29. The method of claim 27 wherein the action causes a perception of at least one of rewinding, fast-forwarding, and pausing a delivery of the program content.
- 30. The method of claim 27 wherein the request includes data identifying the terminal.
- 31. The method of claim 30 wherein the data concerns an IP address of the terminal.
- 32. The method of claim 30 wherein the data concerns a MAC address of the terminal.
- 33. The method of claim 27 further comprising storing the recorded program content.
- 34. The method of claim 27 wherein the program content delivered to the terminal includes the recorded program content.
- 35. A method for providing program content to a terminal through a communications network, the method comprising:
receiving content of an in-progress program; storing the in-progress program content; transmitting first signals containing the in-progress program content through the communications network to the terminal, which in response to the first signals helps recover the in-progress program content in perceivable form; receiving from the terminal through the communications network a request for performing an action on the perceivable in-progress program content; and in response to the request, providing second signals containing at least part of the stored in-progress program content to the terminal through the communications network to realize the action on the perceivable in-progress program content.
- 36. The method of claim 35 wherein the program content is formatted pursuant to an MPEG standard.
- 37. The method of claim 35 wherein the first signals include QAM signals.
- 38. The method of claim 35 wherein the perceivable form includes at least one of a viewable form and an audible form.
- 39. The method of claim 35 wherein the communications network includes a cable network.
- 40. The method of claim 35 wherein the action causes a perception of at least one of rewinding, fast-forwarding, and pausing a provision of the program content.
- 41. The method of claim 35 wherein the request includes data identifying the terminal.
- 42. The method of claim 41 wherein the data concerns an IP address of the terminal.
- 43. The method of claim 41 wherein the data concerns a MAC address of the terminal.
- 44. The method of claim 35 wherein the program content contained in the first signals includes the recorded program content.
- 45. A method for use in an apparatus for receiving program content from a communications network according to a broadcast schedule, the method comprising:
sending, through the communications network, a request for performing an action on the program content, the request including data identifying the apparatus; and receiving, from the communications network, a version of the program content addressed to the apparatus based on the data, the version of the program content being derived from a copy of the program content in response to the request.
- 46. The method of claim 45 comprising software instructions.
- 47. The method of claim 45 wherein the communications network includes a cable network.
- 48. The method of claim 45 wherein the action causes a perception of at least one of rewinding, fast-forwarding, and pausing a reception of the program content.
- 49. The method of claim 45 wherein the data concerns an IP address of the apparatus.
- 50. The method of claim 45 wherein the data concerns a MAC address of the apparatus.
- 51. The method of claim 45 wherein the copy of the program content is formatted pursuant to an MPEG standard.
- 52. Communication apparatus comprising:
a first number of tuners each for receiving content of a broadcast program on a channel; an interface for receiving one or more requests for accessing content of a plurality of broadcast programs on a second number of channels, respectively, the second number being greater than the first number, the plurality of broadcast programs having overlapping broadcast times; and a mechanism responsive to the one or more requests for allowing access to content of each of the plurality of broadcast programs after the broadcast program has started being broadcast, including a duration after at least one of the plurality of broadcast programs has finished being broadcast.
- 53. The apparatus of claim 52 comprising a set-top terminal.
- 54. The apparatus of claim 52 wherein the plurality of broadcast programs is a subset of all broadcast programs available for receipt.
- 55. The apparatus of claim 52 wherein the one or more requests are transmitted from the apparatus through a communications network.
- 56. The apparatus of claim 55 wherein the communications network includes a broadband network.
- 57. Apparatus for facilitating provision of content of a broadcast program, comprising:
an interface for receiving one or more requests for accessing the content of the broadcast program, the one or more requests being receivable during at least one of (1) a first duration before the broadcast program is broadcast, and (2) a second duration after at least part of the broadcast program has been broadcast, the at least part of the broadcast program being unrecorded in the apparatus; and a mechanism responsive to the one or more requests for allowing access to the content of the broadcast program, including the at least part of the broadcast program.
- 58. The apparatus of claim 57 comprising a set-top terminal.
- 59. The apparatus of claim 57 wherein the one or more requests are transmitted from the apparatus through a communications network.
- 60. The apparatus of claim 59 wherein the communications network includes a broadband network.
- 61. A method for use in a communication apparatus, the apparatus having a first number of tuners each for receiving content of a broadcast program on a channel, the method comprising:
receiving one or more requests for accessing content of a plurality of broadcast programs on a second number of channels, respectively, the second number being greater than the first number, the plurality of broadcast programs having overlapping broadcast times; and in response to the one or more requests, allowing access to content of each of the plurality of broadcast programs after the broadcast program has started being broadcast, including a duration after at least one of the plurality of broadcast programs has finished being broadcast.
- 62. The method of claim 61 wherein the apparatus comprises a set-top terminal.
- 63. The method of claim 61 wherein the plurality of broadcast programs is a subset of all broadcast programs available for receipt.
- 64. The method of claim 61 wherein the one or more requests are transmitted from the apparatus through a communications network.
- 65. The method of claim 64 wherein the communications network includes a broadband network.
- 66. A method for use in an apparatus for facilitating provision of content of a broadcast program, the method comprising:
receiving one or more requests for accessing the content of the broadcast program, the one or more requests being receivable during at least one of (1) a first duration before the broadcast program is broadcast, and (2) a second duration after at least part of the broadcast program has been broadcast, the at least part of the broadcast program being unrecorded in the apparatus; and in response to the one or more requests, allowing access to the content of the broadcast program, including the at least part of the broadcast program.
- 67. The method of claim 66 wherein the apparatus comprises a set-top terminal.
- 68. The method of claim 66 wherein the one or more requests are transmitted from the apparatus through a communications network.
- 69. The method of claim 68 wherein the communications network includes a broadband network.
Parent Case Info
[0001] The present application claims under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/377,963 filed on May 3, 2002.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60377963 |
May 2002 |
US |