System and method for enabling access to content through a personal channel

Abstract

A media switch enables a terminal to access content by receiving a content request from a terminal for a first piece of content to be distributed over a cable system, identifying a personal channel within resources available in the cable system to distribute the first piece of content to the terminal, transmitting access information to the terminal to enable the terminal to access the first piece of content through the personal channel, and interfacing with a cable headend to provide the first piece of content on the personal channel.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of enabling a terminal to access content requested by the terminal, the method comprising: 
 receiving a content request from a terminal for a first piece of content to be distributed over a cable system;    identifying a personal channel within resources available in the cable system to distribute the first piece of content to the terminal;    transmitting access information to the terminal to enable the terminal to access the first piece of content through the personal channel; and    interfacing with a cable headend to provide the first piece of content on the personal channel.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the personal channel is dedicated to a single terminal.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the personal channel includes a modulated channel in the cable system accessible by tuning to a frequency and accessing data transmitted using the frequency and associated with a particular process identification number.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the first piece of content includes non-video content.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising accessing the first piece of content by adding terminal address information to a list of addresses supported by a broadcasting switch.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising accessing the first piece of content by adding terminal address information to a list of addresses supported by an on-demand switch.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein adding terminal address information to the list of addresses supported by the on-demand switch includes adding a play marker indicating the temporal location of the terminal in receiving the first piece of content.  
     
     
         8 . A media switch enabling a terminal to access content requested by the terminal, the media switch comprising: 
 a first communications interface structured and arranged to receive a content request from a terminal for a first piece of content to be distributed over a cable system;    a switch controller structured and arranged to identify a personal channel within resources available in the cable system to distribute the first piece of content to the terminal;    a second communications interface structured and arranged to transmit access information to the terminal to enable the terminal to access the first piece of content through the personal channel; and    a third communications interface structured and arranged to interface with a cable headend to provide the first piece of content on the personal channel.    
     
     
         9 . The media switch of  claim 8  wherein the personal channel is dedicated to a single terminal.  
     
     
         10 . The media switch of  claim 8  wherein the personal channel includes a modulated channel in the cable system accessible by tuning to a frequency and accessing data transmitted using the frequency and associated with a particular process identification number.  
     
     
         11 . The media switch of  claim 8  wherein the first piece of content includes non-video content.  
     
     
         12 . The media switch of  claim 8  further comprising accessing a broadcasting switch structured and arranged to: 
 receive a stream of data units including a payload portion and an attribute portion;  
 duplicate at least a payload portion of a data unit within the stream of data units; and  
 enable access to the duplicated payload portion of the data unit by two or more terminals.  
 
     
     
         13 . The media switch of  claim 12  wherein the broadcasting switch is structured and arranged to enable access to the first piece of content by adding terminal address information to a list of addresses supported by the broadcasting switch.  
     
     
         14 . The media switch of  claim 1  further comprising an on-demand switch structured and arranged to: 
 receive a first stream of data units;  
 store content from the first stream;  
 generate second streams that incorporate the stored content for use by more terminals having addressing information that was not part of the first stream and configured to duplicate one or more portions of the first stream; and  
 enable the terminals to access the second streams.  
 
     
     
         15 . The media switch of  claim 14  wherein the first piece of content is accessed by adding terminal address information to a list of addresses supported by an on-demand switch.  
     
     
         16 . The media switch of  claim 15  wherein adding terminal address information to the list of addresses supported by the on-demand switch includes adding a play marker indicating the temporal location of the terminal in receiving the first piece of content.  
     
     
         17 . A media switch enabling a terminal to access content requested by the terminal, the media switch comprising: 
 means for receiving a content request from a terminal for a first piece of content to be distributed over a cable system;    means for identifying a personal channel within resources available in the cable system to distribute the first piece of content to the terminal;    means for transmitting access information to the terminal to enable the terminal to access the first piece of content through the personal channel; and    means for interfacing with a cable headend to provide the first piece of content on the personal channel.    
     
     
         18 . A program enabling a terminal to access content requested by the terminal, the program comprising: 
 a first communications code segment structured and arranged to receive a content request from a terminal for a first piece of content to be distributed over a cable system;    a switching code segment structured and arranged to identify a personal channel within resources available in the cable system to distribute the first piece of content to the terminal;    a second communications code segment structured and arranged to transmit access information to the terminal to enable the terminal to access the first piece of content through the personal channel; and    a third communications code segment structured and arranged to interface with a cable headend to provide the first piece of content on the personal channel.