Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC

Time Warner Cable Inc.

Time Warner Interactive Video Group, Inc.

Aol Time Warner Interactive Video Group, Inc.

Thomas L Gonder

John B Carlucci

Louis Dew Williamson

John Callahan

Erik Gwyn Urdang

Joseph G Buehl

David M Kimble

John A Stebbins

David Bell

Russell L Greenlee

John Anthony Chen

Albert Straub

Vipul B Patel

Steven Ernest Riedl

Remi F Rieger

Scott William Ramsdell

Stephen L Maynard

Nicholas Nielsen

Ernie Biancarelli

John W Callahan

Management of key information as described herein enables a respective service provider to distribute encrypted content to subscribers, preventing improper use of the content without authorization. For example, the service provider can distribute encrypted content for recording by a subscriber at a remote location. At or around a time of recording the encrypted content, and on behalf of the user, the service provider initiates storage of the corresponding decryption information that is needed to decrypt the recorded encrypted content. In order to play back the recorded segments of the encrypted content, the subscriber communicates with a server resource to be authenticated. Subsequent to being authenticated, the server resource distributes a copy of decryption information needed to decrypt the previously recorded segments of encrypted content to the subscriber. Accordingly, the service provider retains control of playing back content via controlled distribution of the corresponding copy of decryption information.

Encryption management, content recording management, and playback management in a network environment

According to one configuration, a content management resource receives feedback indicating playback commands applied to different portions of a given content stream (such as video content) played back by multiple viewers. The feedback can include video playback commands (such as fast forward commands, rewind commands, play commands, etc.) applied by the multiple users to the different portions of the given content stream. The content management resource aggregates the feedback to produce playback control information indicating playback commands applied by users of the multiple playback devices to the different portions of the given content stream. The content management resource uses the playback control information (aggregated feedback) to produce via timing information, locations of desirable segments and/or undesirable segments in the given stream as indicated by the previously applied commands. The content management resource inserts the aggregated feedback into the content metadata. Future user's playback devices are able to utilize the metadata to skip or otherwise control playback of (un)desirable sections of content.

Content management and control based on tracking of prior content playback behavior

Segmentation messages indicative of locations of upcoming events, such as the start and end of programs and program portions, and/or rights related to the programs and program portions, are used by cable systems and the like to store programs and program portions for later retrieval and transmission to customers on request. Storage, retrieval and management of programming is thereby facilitated. Methods and systems are disclosed.

Program storage, retrieval and management based on segmentation messages

In order to efficiently utilize the limited transmission bandwidth of a communications network, e.g., a cable network, guide data for constructing an interactive program guide (IPG) is delivered to a set-top terminal using different methodologies. For example, the guide data associated with those programs which are likely of interest to a user is automatically provided piecemeal in a broadcast stream. The set-top terminal, along with other terminals, may retrieve from such a broadcast stream some or all of the guide data therein over time, which is cached in the terminal in anticipation of a user's invocation of an IPG. On the other hand, the guide data associated with those programs which are less likely of interest to a user is furnished upon request by the set-top terminal needing such guide data to realize an IPG desired by the user. In addition, guide data for each program may be divided into detail guide data providing details of the program (e.g., a synopsis of the program content), and grid guide data providing basic information about the program (e.g., title, channel and broadcast time). A first time window and a second time window may be defined such that the grid guide data associated with those programs broadcast within the first time window and the detail guide data associated with those programs broadcast within the second time window are automatically provided in the broadcast stream. The rest of the detail and grid guide data may be furnished upon request when needed.

Technique for providing program guide data through a communications network delivering programming content

In one embodiment, a method of operating a communications system is disclosed comprising receiving a request for establishment of a session from a terminal, establishing the session with the terminal, and providing at least one navigation video segment to the terminal, via the session. The communications system may be a source of programming, such as a cable system, and the terminal may be a set-top terminal coupled to a display device. The navigation video segment may be used by the terminal to create selection menus to be displayed for user navigation. The video segments may be rich media video segments. A playlist may be generated comprising an indexed listing of a plurality of available video segments. The playlist may facilitate retrieval of video segments requested by a terminal. Communications systems, terminals and methods of operating a terminal are disclosed, as well.

Playlist menu navigation

A system and method for dynamically configuring a switched digital video (SDV) system. An SDV server is configured to generate logs, including logs of program information, stream information and client information. A listener is configured to monitor the logs generated by the SDV server, generate state data indicative of a desired state of the SDV system, and generate state data indicative of an actual state of the SDV system. The listener compares the desired state data to the actual state data and determines whether the actual state data in view of the desired state data are indicative of an aberrant state of the SDV system. When the actual state data are indicative of an aberrant state of the SDV system, the listener determines a remedial action to change the operation of the SDV system and configures the SDV server to implement the remedial action.

System for controlling the state of a switched digital video system and method therefor

Video content is transmitted from a head end, over a switched digital video content-based network, to a client. The head end obtains a first group of program streams and sends to the client only a subset of the program streams selected by subscribers in a neighborhood of the client. The video content is contained in a given one of the subset of the program streams and the client is tuned to a channel corresponding to the given one of the subset of the streams. The supplemental information is transmitted from the head end, over the switched digital video content-based network, to the client, based upon the channel to which the client is tuned. The video content and the supplemental information can both be sent on an identical carrier frequency corresponding to the channel; they may employ an identical quadrature amplitude modulation scheme, and the video content can be broken into packets identified via a first packet identifier, with the supplemental information broken into packets identified via a second packet identifier.

Apparatus and method for providing video content and supplemental information to a client over a switched digital video content-based network

Growing community of inventors

Tega Cay, SC, United States of America

Thomas L Gonder