Method and apparatus for pay-per-view system
US6671879B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 30, 1999 |
| Grant date | Dec 30, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 30, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04N21/8549
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method and system that provides a single multipurpose PPV channel that a subscriber tunes for all PPV services. From the subscriber's perspective, the program guide, previews, advertising, purchasing options, and showings of all PPV events occur on a single channel. There can be a single multipurpose PPV channel for all PPV services or single PPV channels for groups of similar services, such as a single Family PPV channel, a single Sports PPV channel, and a single Adult PPV channel that each represent single multipurpose channels for similar programming. The advertising on a single multipurpose channel can be directed to the type of programming on all the channels in the group. Once a subscriber purchases a PPV event, the HCT tunes to the MPEG transport stream and program information for the selected PPV event and displays the PPV event on the single multipurpose PPV channel at its associated start time. The subscriber does not have to select another channel. The subscriber that has not purchased a current PPV event continues to watch the previews, advertising, or program guide uninterrupted on the single multipurpose PPV channel. If a subscriber is watching the single multipurpo…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.