VIRTUAL SET-TOP BOX TUNER IN CONTENT DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM
A method for scheduling the reception of content in a content receiver, for example, in an STB/DVR, includes scheduling ( 210 ) the reception of selected content by a tuner resource of the STB/DVR at a particular time. The scheduling may be performed at the STB/DVR, or alternatively at a remote device, for example, at a cellular telephone using an EPG. A virtual tuner is provided ( 230 ) to the STB/DVR in the event that the tuner resource of the STB/DVR is not available to receive the selected content when scheduled. In one implementation, usage of the virtual tuner is conditioned on consent to viewing additional non-selected content.
1 . A method for scheduling the reception of content at a content receiver communicably coupled to a content distribution system operated by a content provider, the method comprising:
selecting content;
scheduling reception of the selected content by a tuner resource of the content receiver at a particular time;
the content provider providing a virtual tuner to the content receiver in the event that the tuner resource of content receiver is not available at the particular time.
2 . The method of claim 1 , selecting content from an electronic program guide at the content receiver.
3 . The method of claim 1 , selecting content from an electronic program guide at a remote device communicably coupled to the content receiver via a communications network.
4 . The method of claim 1 , providing the virtual tuner to the content receiver includes recording the selected content and providing the recorded content to the content receiver.
5 . A method in a terminal that communicates over a communications network, the method comprising:
browsing content at the terminal;
searching for content associated with the browsed content;
scheduling content associated with the browsed content at a content receiver entity other than the terminal;
requesting that a content provider provide a virtual tuner to the content receiver entity in the event of a scheduling conflict at the content receiver entity.
6 . The method of claim 5 , searching for content associated with the browsed content includes searching an electronic program guide for content.
7 . The method of claim 5 , accepting a condition that must be satisfied before the virtual tuner is provided to the content receiver entity.
8 . The method of claim 5 , providing an indication that a condition has been satisfied before the virtual tuner is provided to the content receiver entity.
9 . The method of claim 5 ,
viewing promotional content at the terminal,
providing an indication that the promotional contents reviewed before the virtual tuner is provided to the content receiver entity.
10 . The method of claim 1 , the content provider providing the virtual tuner to the content receiver conditionally, wherein the condition requires subscriber to view additional content during content selection, scheduling, or viewing.
11 . A method for scheduling reception of content in a content receiver client having a tuner resource, the method comprising:
scheduling reception of selected content by the tuner resource at a particular time;
in response to scheduling, providing an indication that the selected content may be available from a content provider at an alternative time in the event that the tuner resource is not available to receive the selected content when scheduled.
12 . The method of claim 11 , providing an indication includes indicating that the content provider will provide a virtual tuner in the event that the tuner resource is not available to receive the selected content when scheduled.
13 . The method of claim 11 ,
scheduling the scheduling reception of the selected content from an interactive user interface,
providing the indication that the selected content may be available from a content provider at an alternative time on the interactive user interface.
14 . The method of claim 11 , receiving the selected content from the content provider at the alternative time.
15 . The method of claim 11 , receiving non-selected content from the content server at the content receiver client before the selected content is made available to the content receiver client.
16 . The method of claim 11 , communicating an indication that a condition has been satisfied before receiving the selected content.
17 . The method of claim 11 , indicating that the tuner resource is not available to receive the selected content at the particular time.
18 . The method of claim 11 , scheduling the reception of the selected content by the tuner resource from a remote device that communicates with the content receiver client via an intermediate network.