The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 28, 1997
Filed:
Jun. 15, 1995
Alan George Ganek, Chappaqua, NY (US);
Louis Paul Herzberg, Monsey, NY (US);
Antonio Ruiz, Yorktown Heights, NY (US);
Barry Edward Willner, Briarcliff Manor, NY (US);
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
A system and method for Video-on-Demand (VOD) satisfying the desire of `surfers`. The process entails a server operating in a standard NVOD mode, whereby it continuously sends multiple copies of each program on separate channels. Each copy is delayed by a staggered time interval. The invention provides a way to fulfill a VOD user request asynchronous with the start of a NVOD transmission but which still makes primary use of the NVOD transmission for that requestor. The system and method combines independent server service satisfying an asynchronous request for only a short duration, usually less than or equal to the NVOD staggered time interval, and then aligns that requestor with an immediately previously commenced NVOD transmission.