System and method for providing content to a user

1. A method for providing content to a user, the method comprises:

generating, by a media provider, a first instruction to a user to fulfill by the user a preliminary condition for receiving a second media conveying stream;

transmitting by the media provider the first instruction towards the user while sending by the media provider a first multicast media conveying stream;

waiting for a predetermined preliminary condition fulfillment period to lapse from an end of the transmitting of the instruction;

transmitting, by the media provider, the second media conveying stream towards the user, wherein the transmitting is initiated by the media provider without being aware of an exact timing of a fulfillment of the preliminary condition by the user;

generating, by the media provider, a second instruction operable to fulfill another preliminary condition for receiving a third media conveying stream;

transmitting the second instruction towards the user while sending to the user the second media conveying stream;

waiting for a second preliminary condition fulfillment time period to lapse from an end of the instructing; and

transmitting, by the media provider, the third media conveying stream towards the user, wherein the transmitting is initiated without being aware of an exact timing of a fulfillment of the second preliminary condition.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the stage of generating the first instruction comprises generating the instruction that is an instruction to join a multicast group that is a destined to receive the second media conveying stream.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein the stage of generating the first instruction comprises generating the instruction that is an instruction to accept a unicast second media conveying stream, to be tuned to receive the second media conveying stream that is associated with the certain unicast address.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein the waiting comprises preventing by the media provider transmission of media content to the user during the preliminary condition fulfillment period.

5. The method according to claim 1 further comprising estimating a time period required for fulfilling the preliminary requirement and determining a length of the preliminary condition fulfillment period in response to the estimating.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein the second and third media conveying streams are multicast streams and wherein, the stage of generating the other instruction comprises generating an instruction to leave a multicast group that receives the second media conveying stream and to join a multicast group that is a destined to receive the third media conveying stream.

7. The method according to claim 1 wherein the transmitting of the second media conveying stream is preceded by a processing the second media conveying stream such as to provide a seamless transition between the first multicast media conveying stream and the second media conveying stream.

8. A non-transitory computer readable medium having a computer-readable code embodied therein for providing content to a user, the computer-readable code comprises instructions for:

generating, by a media provider, a first instruction to a user to fulfill by the user a preliminary condition for receiving a second media conveying stream;

transmitting by the media provider the instruction to the user while also sending by the media provider to the user a first multicast media conveying stream;

waiting for a predetermined preliminary condition fulfillment period to lapse from an end of the transmitting of the instruction;

transmitting, by the media provider, the second media conveying stream towards the user, wherein the transmitting is initiated by the media provider without awareness of an exact timing of a fulfillment of the preliminary condition by the user;

generating, by the media provider, a second instruction operable to fulfill another preliminary condition for receiving a third media conveying stream;

transmitting the second instruction towards the user while sending to the user the second media conveying stream;

waiting for a second preliminary condition fulfillment time period to lapse from an end of the instructing; and

transmitting, by the media provider, the third media conveying stream towards the user, wherein the transmitting is initiated without being aware of an exact timing of a fulfillment of the second preliminary condition.

9. A system for providing media, the system comprises a media provider that comprises:

a controller, adapted to generate an instruction to a user to fulfill by the user a preliminary condition for receiving a second media conveying stream;

an interface, coupled to the controller, wherein the interface is adapted to send the instruction to the user while also sending to the user a first multicast media conveying stream;

wherein the media provider is adapted to: wait for a predetermined preliminary condition fulfillment period to lapse from an end of a transmitting of the instruction; and then transmit the second media conveying stream towards the user; wherein the media provider initiates a transmission of the second media conveying stream without being aware of an exact timing of a fulfillment of the preliminary condition by the user;

wherein the media provider is further adapted to: generate another instruction to fulfill another preliminary condition for receiving a third media conveying stream; transmit the instruction to the user, while also sending the second media conveying stream; wait for another preliminary condition fulfillment period to lapse from an end of the instructing; and transmit the third media conveying stream to the user, wherein the transmitting is initiated without awareness of an exact timing of a fulfillment of the other preliminary condition.

10. The system according to claim 9 wherein the controller is adapted to generate the instruction that is an instruction to join a multicast group that is a destined to receive the second media conveying stream.

11. The system according to claim 9 wherein the second media conveying stream is associated with a certain unicast address; and wherein the controller is adapted to generate the instruction that is an instruction to be tuned to receive the second media conveying stream that is associated with the certain unicast address.

12. The system according to claim 9 wherein the media provider is further adapted to prevent transmission of media content to the user during the preliminary condition fulfillment period.

13. The system according to claim 12 , wherein the media provider is adapted to prevent the transmission of media content to the user during the preliminary condition fulfillment period in which no media is transmitted to the user by the media provider until the preliminary condition fulfillment period lapses.

14. The system according to claim 9 wherein the controller is adapted to estimate a time period required for fulfilling the preliminary requirement and to determine a length of the preliminary condition fulfillment period in response to the estimation.

15. The system according to claim 9 wherein the second and third media conveying streams are multicast streams and wherein the controller is adapted to generate an instruction to leave a multicast group that receives the second media conveying stream and to join a multicast group that is a destined to receive the third media conveying stream.

16. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the controller is adapted to transmit the instruction while sending a first multicast media conveying stream of a television program; and to transmit the second media conveying stream which is a media stream of an advertisement which is not requested for by the user.

17. The system according to claim 9 , further comprising a router that is coupled between:

(a) a first network that is coupled to multiple media providers,

(b) the media provider; and

(c) multiple users; wherein the media provider is configured to send the instruction to the user and to transmit media streams to the user through the router; wherein the router and not the media provider receives from the user join and leave requests from the user.

18. The system according to claim 17 , wherein the media provider does not receive any information from the user.

19. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the media provider is configured to send the instruction to the user and to transmit media streams to the user through a router that is coupled between: (a) a first network that is coupled to multiple media providers, (b) the media provider; and (c) multiple users; wherein the media provider does not receive join and leave requests from the user that are received by the router.

20. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the preliminary condition comprises a condition selected from a group consisting of tuning into a unicast address and joining a multicast group.

21. A system for providing media, the system comprises a media provider that comprises:

a controller, adapted to generate an instruction to a user to fulfill by the user a preliminary condition for receiving a second media conveying stream;

an interface, coupled to the controller, wherein the interface is adapted to send the instruction to the user while also sending to the user a first multicast media conveying stream;

wherein the media provider is adapted to: wait for a predetermined preliminary condition fulfillment period to lapse from an end of a transmitting of the instruction; and then transmit the second media conveying stream towards the user; wherein the media provider initiates a transmission of the second media conveying stream without being aware of an exact timing of a fulfillment of the preliminary condition by the user;

wherein the controller is adapted to estimate a time period required for fulfilling the preliminary requirement and to determine a length of the preliminary condition fulfillment period in response to the estimation; and

wherein the controller is adapted to generate multiple instructions to multiple users to fulfill by the users preliminary conditions for receiving the second media conveying stream; wherein the controller is adapted to generate the multiple instructions that comprise timing of join requests and that request different users out of the multiple users to join a multicast group of the second media conveying stream in different points in time, wherein the media provider is further adapted to: wait for a predetermined preliminary condition fulfillment period to lapse from an end of a transmitting of the instructions; and then transmit the second media conveying stream towards the multiple user; wherein the system media provider initiates a transmission of the second media conveying stream without being aware of an exact timing of a fulfillment of the preliminary conditions by the users.

22. A system for providing media, the system comprises a media provider that comprises:

a controller, adapted to generate an instruction to a user to fulfill by the user a preliminary condition for receiving a second media conveying stream;

an interface, coupled to the controller, wherein the interface is adapted to send the instruction to the user while also sending to the user a first multicast media conveying stream;

wherein the media provider is adapted to: wait for a predetermined preliminary condition fulfillment period to lapse from an end of a transmitting of the instruction; and then transmit the second media conveying stream towards the user; wherein the media provider initiates a transmission of the second media conveying stream without being aware of an exact timing of a fulfillment of the preliminary condition by the user;

wherein the controller is adapted to estimate a time period required for fulfilling the preliminary requirement and to determine a length of the preliminary condition fulfillment period in response to the estimation; and

wherein the controller is adapted to estimate the time period required for fulfilling the preliminary requirement further in response to: (a) at least one network characteristics selected from a group consisting of response period and network length, and (b) at least one other parameter selected from a group consisting of network statistics, and a model of the network.