Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC

Time Warner Cable Inc.

Other

Time Warner Enterprises LLC

Charles A Hasek

Kenneth Gould

Jeffrey Paul Markley

Glen Hardin

Chris Cholas

Howard Pfeffer

Louis Dew Williamson

Vipul B Patel

Michael L LaJoie

Jason Gaedtke

Vedavati Hegde

Jeffery P Markley

Wilfrid Aissi

Michael James Peters

William Lynn Helms

Steven Ernest Riedl

Bryan Santangelo

Andrew Charles Danforth

Eric D Hybertson

Tushar Nakhre

Shan Huang

Craig Mahonchak

Noah Paci

Dean Osborne

Wilfrid Alssi

Wilfird Aissi

A video-on-demand server, having a plurality of audiovisual assets stored in association therewith, and an application server module, are interconnected with a first group of consumer premises equipment (CPE) associated with a first group of subscribers and a second group of CPE associated with a second (different) group of subscribers, via a video content network. The application server module, the first group of CPE, and the second group of CPE are cooperatively configured to prepare a first video-on-demand catalog comprising a first group of the audiovisual assets and a second video-on-demand catalog comprising a second (different) group of the audiovisual assets. The application server module, the first group of CPE, and the second group of CPE are further cooperatively configured to make the first video-on-demand catalog available to the first group of subscribers and to make the second video-on-demand catalog available to the second group of subscribers.

System and method for tailored video-on-demand catalogs

Methods and apparatus for delivery of packetized content (e.g., video, audio, data, etc.) over a content delivery network. In one embodiment, the content is packetized using an Internet Protocol (IP), and delivered by a service provider over both managed and unmanaged networks to subscribers of the provider, so as to provide delivery at any time, at any location, and via any designated user device. The delivered content may originate from the service provider, third-party content sources (e.g., networks or studios), the subscriber(s) themselves, or other sources including the Internet. Use of a common control and service functions within the network afford the ability to integrate or blend services together, thereby affording the service provider and subscriber new service and economic opportunities. Content delivery sessions may also be migrated from one device to another. A network-based user interface infrastructure, and gateway-based client-side architecture, are also disclosed.

Methods and apparatus for packetized content delivery over a content delivery network

Apparatus and methods for ensuring delivery of geographically relevant content to IP-enabled user devices associated with a content distribution network. In one embodiment, the network (or designated content source) determines a geographic context or location of the user device, and uses this information to manage the packaging and delivery of content thereto so as to obey blackout restrictions and/or provide content which is relevant to the geographic context/location. In one variant, the user device comprises a mobile device such as a tablet computer or smartphone, and the content is delivered thereto over either a managed or unmanaged network infrastructure.

Apparatus and methods for ensuring delivery of geographically relevant content

Methods and apparatus that facilitate watching of programming content on a secondary channel during a program segment, e.g., commercial break or program portion which is not of interest to a user, on a primary channel are described. In various embodiments when a user switches to a secondary channel during a program segment, the switch is detected and the program on the primary channel continues to be received and buffered while the content from the secondary channel is output to the display. The program segment on the primary channel may be a commercial break including one or more commercials or a portion of a program identified as a segment in information communicated with the program or via out of band signaling. The end of the segment on the primary channel is detected and the user is notified or automatically switched back to the primary channel at the end of the segment.

Methods and apparatus that facilitate channel switching during commercial breaks and/or other program segments

A request is received from one of a plurality of terminals in a service group of a video content network. The request is to establish a session with a head end of the network. The video content network provides at least first and second different categories of sessions to the service group. The request is evaluated against a policy. The policy specifies a maximum utilization threshold for sessions of the first category and a maximum utilization threshold for sessions of the second category. The request is granted if it is in conformance with the policy. The method may be carried out, for example, with a session resource manager apparatus.

Policy management arbitration by service group

Methods and apparatus for providing an alternate content delivery mechanism available to content-based network users. In one embodiment, the network comprises a cable television network, and subscribers are able to retrieve requested content from one or more other subscriber's storage medium and without going outside the cable network (or accessing the network core in any significant capacity) using a peer-to-peer (P2P) network protocol. Using this approach, bandwidth consumption is advantageously pushed out to the edge of the network from the core, also obviating content requests outside the network (e.g., to third-party servers on the Internet). Methods of operating the aforementioned P2P network, and various business paradigms relating thereto, are also disclosed.

Methods and apparatus for content delivery and replacement in a network

Methods and apparatus for selecting digital access technology for programming and data delivery over, e.g., a network. In one embodiment, the network comprises an HFC cable or satellite network that includes a server process interfacing with a plurality of customer premises equipment (CPE), and/or associated client devices, each having different capabilities profiles. The server determines one or more capabilities possessed by the CPE, and evaluates one or more program or content choices for possible delivery to that CPE based on its profile. The server generates a list of programs or content based on this evaluation, and transmits this list to the CPE, which displays the list for viewing by a user. The user is therefore offered a list of available content that is compatible with their specific configuration. A business and operational rules engine is also optionally employed to control the operation of the foregoing processes to accomplish particular business, or operational goals.

Methods and apparatus for selecting digital access technology for programming and data delivery

Methods and apparatus for supporting video on demand requests in a system supporting hierarchical content stores, e.g., program caches, is described. Requested content is requested by a local streaming device from a remote cache when it is not available in a local cache. Content, e.g., I, P and B frames, supplied by the remote cache is tracked and content delivery is initiated prior to receipt of the full program from the remote content store. Trick play content is requested as needed from the remote content store to respond to trick play commands. Frames which are received as part of the trick play content stream are tracked and not included in normal play data subsequently obtained from the remote cache. The storage of the trick play data along with subsequent normal play data results in a full set of the program content being received and stored in a local cache for streaming in response to a VOD request.

Methods and apparatus for supporting VOD requests in a system with hierarchical content stores

A video-on-demand server, having a plurality of audiovisual assets stored in association therewith, and an application server module, are interconnected with a first group of consumer premises equipment associated with a first group of subscribers and a second group of consumer premises equipment associated with a second group of subscribers, different than the first group of subscribers, via a video content network. The application server module, the first group of consumer premises equipment, and the second group of consumer premises equipment are cooperatively configured to prepare a first video-on-demand catalog comprising a first group of the audiovisual assets and a second video-on-demand catalog comprising a second group of the audiovisual assets, different than the first group of the audiovisual assets. The application server module, the first group of consumer premises equipment, and the second group of consumer premises equipment are further cooperatively configured to make the first video-on-demand catalog available to the first group of subscribers and to make the second video-on-demand catalog available to the second group of subscribers.

Methods and apparatus for selectively caching (and de-caching) video content in network so as to reduce content transformation requirements and also cache storage requirements. In one embodiment, a content caching controller associated with a content server differentiates content requests based on content attributes such as the requested codec format (e.g., MPEG or Windows Media), resolution, bitrate, and/or encryption type or security environment. If the content requested by a user is not available with the requested attribute(s), the content server transfers to content to the user by first transforming it. The content server also speculatively caches the transformed content locally, so that a future request for the same content with the same attributes can be filled by transferring without the intermediate transformation step. The controller allows the network operator to optimize use of available storage and transcoding resources.

Methods and apparatus for content caching in a video network

Methods and apparatus for determining and selecting digital coding and/or decoding technology, delivery bitrates, and resolution parameters for programming and data delivery over, e.g., a content-based network. In one embodiment, the network comprises an HFC cable or satellite network that includes a server process interfacing with a plurality of customer premises equipment (CPE), and/or associated client devices, each having different display resolution, bitrate, and/or decoding capabilities profiles. The server determines the one or more capabilities possessed by the CPE or client device, and evaluates one or more program or content choices for possible delivery to that CPE or device based on its profile. The selection process may also take into consideration network and/or CPE operational considerations, such as conservation of downstream bandwidth, CPE uprating capability, client device power consumption, and the like.

Growing community of inventors

Waxhaw, NC, United States of America

Charles A Hasek