US2012222072A1PendingUtilityA1

Delivery of feedback information to scheduling service to determine optimum broadcast times based upon client platform tuner contention

44
Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: Sep 13, 2001Filed: May 11, 2012Published: Aug 30, 2012
Est. expirySep 13, 2021(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:John W. Hudspeth
H04N 21/44224H04N 21/45H04N 21/262H04N 21/6582H04N 7/165H04N 21/26208
44
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Claims

Abstract

Delivery of feedback information to a scheduling service to determine optimum broadcast times based upon client platform tuner contention is described. A usage pattern of an electronic media device is recorded. The usage pattern is communicated to a scheduling server. Media content is received during a time period selected by the scheduling server based upon the usage pattern.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . A method comprising:
 recording a usage pattern of an electronic media device, wherein the usage pattern includes a pattern of user interaction with the electronic media device;   communicating the usage pattern to a scheduling server;   receiving an identification of a future time period for receiving television program broadcast media content comprising actual television programs by datacasting during a time period when receiver resources are calculated to be unutilized by the user to view broadcast media content, the time period calculated by the scheduling server based on a likelihood of inactivity of the electronic media device according to the usage pattern; and   receiving the actual television programs by datacasting during the time period.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising storing the programs for use by the electronic media device. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the recording is comprised of recording at least one of the group consisting of:
 day of use;   time of use; and   elapsed time of use.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the pattern of user interaction comprises at least one of the group consisting of:
 turning the electronic media device on or off;   adjusting a volume of the electronic media device; and   recording data with the electronic media device.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the electronic media device is selected from the group consisting of:
 a television (TV);   an audio receiver; and   a digital processing system.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving the programs by datacasting includes receiving the programs by datacasting when receiver resources of the media device are unutilized by real time use by the user to view broadcast media content. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the television program broadcast media content includes a plurality of television programs to be displayed during a plurality of different time periods, wherein each different time period is different than every other different time period and is different than the time period of the datacasting. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the future time period and time period when receiver resources are calculated to be unutilized by the user occur once per day. 
     
     
         9 . A method comprising:
 receiving a usage pattern of a selected electronic media device;   calculating, based on a likelihood of inactivity of the selected electronic media device according to the usage pattern, a time period for the selected media device for datacasting television program broadcast media content comprising actual television programs, the datacasting during a time period when receiver resources are calculated to be unutilized by the user to view broadcast media content;   using the time period to identify a future time period for datacasting the television program broadcast media content to the selected media device; and   transmitting the actual television programs by datacasting the television program broadcast media content to the selected media device during the future time period for datacasting.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising datacasting the television program broadcast media content during the time period, wherein the time period has a predefined likelihood of a receiving device communicatively coupled to the selected electronic media device being able to receive the television program broadcast media content. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising datacasting the television program broadcast media content during the time period and when receiver resources of the media device are unutilized by real time use by the user to view broadcast media content 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the television program broadcast media content includes a plurality of television programs to be displayed during a plurality of different time periods, wherein each different time period is different than every other different time period and is different than the time period of the datacasting. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the selected electronic media device is selected from the group consisting of:
 a television (TV);   an audio receiver; and   a digital processing system.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the usage pattern includes a pattern of user interaction with the electronic media device. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the future time period and time period when receiver resources are calculated to be unutilized by the user occur once per day. 
     
     
         16 . An apparatus comprising:
 a client device communicatively coupled to an electronic media device to record a usage pattern of an electronic media device;   the client device to communicate the usage pattern to a scheduling server;   the client device to receive an identification of a future time period for receiving television program broadcast media content comprising actual television programs by datacasting during a time period when receiver resources are calculated to be unutilized by the user to view broadcast media content, the time period calculated by the scheduling server based on a likelihood of inactivity of the electronic media device according to the usage pattern; and   the client device to receive the actual television programs by datacasting during the time period.   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , the client device to receive the programs by datacasting during the time period and when receiver resources of the media device are unutilized by real time use by the user to view broadcast media content. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , further comprising the client device receiving a datacast of the media content during the time period from a media broadcast device communicatively coupled to the scheduling server. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , further comprising a backchannel to facilitate communication between the client device and the scheduling server, wherein the television program broadcast media content includes a plurality of television programs to be displayed during a plurality of different time periods, wherein each different time period is different than every other different time period and is different than the time period of the datacasting. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the usage pattern includes a pattern of user interaction with the electronic media device. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the future time period and time period when receiver resources are calculated to be unutilized by the user occur once per day. 
     
     
         22 . An apparatus comprising:
 a scheduling server communicatively coupled to the client device to receive a usage pattern of a selected electronic media device;   the scheduling server to calculate, based on a likelihood of inactivity of the selected electronic media device according to the usage pattern, a time period for the selected media device for datacasting television program broadcast media content comprising actual television programs, the datacasting during a time period when receiver resources are calculated to be unutilized by the user to view broadcast media content;   the scheduling server to use the time period to identify a future time period for datacasting the television program broadcast media content to the selected media device; and   transmitting the actual television programs by datacasting the television program broadcast media content to the selected media device during the future time period for datacasting.   
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , further comprising the scheduling server to datacast the media content during the time period and when receiver resources of the media device are unutilized by real time use by the user to view broadcast media content. 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , further comprising a backchannel to facilitate communication between the client device and the scheduling server, wherein the television program broadcast media content includes a plurality of television programs to be displayed during a plurality of different time periods, wherein each different time period is different than every other different time period and is different than the time period of the datacasting. 
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein the usage pattern includes a pattern of user interaction with the electronic media device. 
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein the future time period and time period when receiver resources are calculated to be unutilized by the user occur once per day.

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