Method and system for distributing content to a user device through allocated assets of a satellite network and a broadband network

1. A method comprising:

storing a content file having a header for terrestrial communication in a content repository associated with a content distribution system;

receiving a request for content from a user device;

determining a popularity rating of the content file after receiving the request for content;

in response to the popularity rating, selecting a satellite for communicating the content;

allocating satellite assets in response to the popularity rating;

reformatting the header of the content file from a first header to a second header by removing a program map table and changing a service channel identifier or program identifier to a broadcast service channel identifier or broadcast program identifier suitable for satellite broadcasting in response to selecting the satellite; and

broadcasting a mapping to the user device;

tuning the user device in response to the mapping;

receiving the content file with the second header at the user device from the satellite instead of a terrestrial communication network in response to tuning.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein allocating satellite assets comprises allocating satellite assets at a content management system.

3. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein allocating satellite assets comprises allocating a number of pipes and pipe sizes.

4. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein allocating satellite assets comprises determining a number of content titles for pipes and distributing the content corresponding to the titles through pipes.

5. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein allocating satellite assets comprises allocating satellite assets in response to a content size.

6. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein allocating satellite assets comprises allocating satellite assets at a content delivery network.

7. A method as recited in claim 6 wherein determining a popularity rating comprises determining the popularity rating based on an amount of downloads from the content delivery network.

8. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein determining a popularity rating comprises determining the popularity rating at a content delivery network and further comprising communicating the popularity rating to a content management system.

9. A method comprising:

storing a plurality of content files having headers for terrestrial communication in a content repository associated with a content distribution system, said headers each comprising a program map table and a service channel identifier or a program identifier;

receiving a request for a selected content of the plurality of content files from a user device;

determining a popularity rating of the plurality of content files after receiving the request for a first content;

assigning a satellite category or a broadband category to each of the plurality of content files in response to the popularity rating;

in response to the satellite category, reformatting a header of a first content file of the plurality of content files from a first header to a second header by removing the program map table and changing the service channel identifier or program identifier to a broadcast service channel identifier or broadcast program identifier suitable for satellite broadcasting, communicating the first content file with the second header to a transport processing system, communicating the content with the second header to a satellite from the transport processing system, broadcasting a mapping to the user device, tuning the user device based on the mapping and receiving the content at the user device through the satellite in response to tuning; and

in response to the broadband category, communicating the content to a content delivery network, communicating the content to a terrestrial communication network from the content delivery network and communicating content to the user device through the terrestrial communication network.

10. A method as recited in claim 9 further comprising determining a popularity rating at a content delivery network.

11. A method as recited in claim 10 wherein the popularity rating corresponds to an amount of downloads from the content delivery network.

12. A method as recited in claim 9 further comprising determining a popularity rating at a content delivery network and communicating the popularity rating to a content management system.

13. A method as recited in claim 9 further comprising in response to the satellite category, determining a satellite asset allocation and wherein communicating content to the user device comprises communicating the content to the user device in response to the asset allocation.

14. A method as recited in claim 13 wherein determining an asset allocation comprises determining the asset allocation at a content management system.

15. A method as recited in claim 13 wherein determining the satellite asset allocation comprises determining a number of pipes and a pipe sizes.

16. A method as recited in claim 13 wherein determining the satellite asset allocation comprises determining a number of content titles and distributing the content corresponding to the titles through pipes.

17. A method as recited in claim 13 further comprising determining a satellite asset location in response to a content size.

18. A communication system comprising:

a content repository storing a plurality of content files having headers for terrestrial communication associated with a content distribution system;

a transport processing system communicating with the content distribution system;

a terrestrial communication network;

a content delivery network communicating with the content distribution system and the terrestrial network and determining a popularity rating of the content;

a content management system receiving the popularity rating and assigning a satellite category or a broadband category to each of the plurality of content files in response to the popularity rating;

said content distribution system reformatting a first header of a first content with a plurality of content files to a second header by removing a program map table and changing a service channel identifier or program identifier to a broadcast service channel identifier or broadcast program identifier suitable for satellite broadcasting, communicating the first content to the transport processing system in response to the satellite category;

said content management system generating a mapping in response to the content management system assigning a satellite category;

a guide delivery system broadcasting the mapping to a user device;

said transport processing system broadcasting the content with the second header through a satellite from the transport processing system to the user device;

said user device receiving the mapping and tuning to the first content from the satellite in response to the mapping;

said content distribution system in response to the broadband category, communicating the first content with the first header to the content delivery network; and

said content delivery network communicating the first content with the first header through a terrestrial communication network to the user device.

19. A communication system as recited in claim 18 wherein the content delivery network determines the popularity rating corresponding to an amount of downloads from the content delivery network.

20. A communication system as recited in claim 18 wherein the content delivery network communicates the popularity rating to a content management system.

21. A communication system as recited in claim 18 wherein the content management system determines a satellite asset allocation in response to the popularity rating and wherein the content delivery network communicates the first content to the user device in response to the asset allocation.

22. A communication system as recited in claim 21 wherein the content management system determines the satellite asset allocation by determining a number of pipes and a pipe sizes for the first content.

23. A communication system as recited in claim 21 wherein the content management system determines the satellite asset allocation by determining a number of content titles and distributing the content corresponding to the titles through pipes.

24. A communication system as recited in claim 21 wherein the content management system determines the satellite asset allocation by determining an asset location in response to a content size.