System and method for delivery of content in a network

Abstract

A content delivery service is described for delivering content over a broadband digital broadcast network. A controller allows the delivery of content to be made in accordance with activity in a public land mobile network. The delivery of content may therefore be effectively scheduled and an appropriate revenue level.

1 . An apparatus comprising:
 a processor; and   memory storing computer readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform a method comprising:
 determining a number of active terminals in an area based on data derived from a second wireless network different from a first wireless network; 
 determining whether the determined number of active terminals meets a predefined threshold; 
 in response to determining that the number of active terminals meets the predefined threshold, selecting content for delivery through the first wireless network, wherein the selection is made based on a pattern of usage associated with one or more active terminals in the area; and 
 initiating delivery of the selected content through the first wireless network. 
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , the memory further comprising instructions for:
 categorizing the one or more active terminals in the area into a plurality of groups based on the pattern of usage associated with the one or more active terminals in the area.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein a first content item is selected for delivery to a first group of active terminals and a second content item is selected for delivery to a second group of active terminals of the plurality of groups. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the predefined threshold is defined based on a type of location associated with the area. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the data derived from the second wireless network comprises a number of connected user terminals to said second wireless network. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the data derived from the second wireless network comprises a geographic location of user terminals connected to the second wireless network. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first wireless network is a unidirectional digital broadband network and the second wireless network is a bi-directional communications network. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , the memory further storing instructions for:
 determining that a hot spot exists in response to determining that the number of active terminals meets the predefined threshold; and   storing information about the hot spot, wherein the hot spot information includes an estimate of a ratio of mobile stations to active terminals, wherein the estimate is based on a category of hot spot associated with the identified hot spot.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the hot spot information includes an estimate of a ratio of mobile stations to active terminals, wherein the estimate is based on a hot spot category associated with the hot spot. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein initiating delivery of content through the first wireless network is performed in response to a criterion being met by second data derived from the second wireless network. 
     
     
         11 . A method comprising:
 determining a number of active terminals in an area based on data derived from a second wireless network different from a first wireless network;   determining whether the determined number of active terminals meets a predefined threshold;   in response to determining that the number of active terminals meets the predefined threshold, selecting content for delivery through the first wireless network, wherein the selection is made based on a pattern of usage associated with one or more active terminals in the area; and   initiating delivery of the selected content through the first wireless network.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the data derived from the second wireless network includes a number of connected user terminals to the second wireless network. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the first network is a unidirectional digital broadband network and the second wireless network is a bi-directional communications network. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the unidirectional digital broadband network is a Digital Video Broadcast (DVB) network. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 categorizing the one or more active terminals in the area into a plurality of groups based on the pattern of usage associated with the one or more active terminals in the area.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein a first content item is selected for delivery to a first group of active terminals of the plurality of groups and a second content item is selected for delivery to a second group of active terminals of the plurality of groups. 
     
     
         17 . One or more computer readable storage media storing computer readable instructions that, when executed, cause a processor to perform a method comprising:
 determining a number of active terminals in an area based on data derived from a second wireless network different from a first wireless network;   determining whether the determined number of active terminals meets a predefined threshold;   in response to determining that the number of active terminals meets the predefined threshold, selecting content for delivery through the first wireless network, wherein the selection is made based on a pattern of usage associated with one or more active terminals in the area; and   initiating delivery of the selected content through the first wireless network.   
     
     
         18 . The one or more computer readable storage media of  claim 17 , further comprising instructions for:
 categorizing the one or more active terminals in the area into a plurality of groups based on the pattern of usage associated with the one or more active terminals in the area.   
     
     
         19 . The one or more computer readable storage media of  claim 18 , wherein a first content item is selected for delivery to a first group of active terminals of the plurality of groups and a second content item is selected for delivery to a second group of active terminals of the plurality of groups. 
     
     
         20 . The one or more computer readable storage media of  claim 17 , wherein the first network is a unidirectional digital broadband network and the second wireless network is a bi-directional communications network.