Content sub-item substitution

1. A method of content sub-item substitution, said method comprising:

receiving virtual channel definitions from a headend, said virtual channel definitions defining each of a plurality of virtual channels on the basis of one or more metadata attributes associated with a given said virtual channel, wherein said virtual channels represent groupings for user recorded content according to said one or more metadata attributes;

receiving from said headend one or more content sub-item substitution opportunities for each of said virtual channels, each said content sub-item substitution opportunity specifying one or more content sub-items for use in said content sub-item substitution; and

receiving and recording a content item, said content item including metadata associated with said content item and one or more substitutable content sub-items;

wherein said method further comprises, upon playback of a previously recorded content item:

matching said metadata associated with said previously recorded content item with said one or more metadata attributes, thereby determining a virtual channel valid for said previously recorded content item;

selecting a content sub-item substitution opportunity based on said determined virtual channel; and

substituting said one or more substitutable content sub-items with said one or more content sub-items specified in said selected content sub-item substitution opportunity.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said content sub-item substitution opportunity comprises a validity period according to which said content sub-item substitution opportunity is selected.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein said selecting a content sub-item substitution opportunity comprises determining a time for said content sub-item substitution and selecting a content sub-item substitution opportunity if said time falls within said validity period.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein said validity period is defined by a start time and a duration.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein said validity period is defined by a start time and an end time.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein content sub-item substitution opportunities are defined in an order, and a first content sub-item substitution opportunity not yet selected is selected when more than one content sub-item substitution opportunity can be selected.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein said one or more content sub-item substitution opportunities for each virtual channel comprise a content sub-item substitution schedule, and wherein a new content sub-item substitution schedule is received for each virtual channel at intervals.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein each virtual channel comprises a priority, and a virtual channel having a higher priority is used when more than one virtual channel is determined to be valid for said previously recorded content item.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein said metadata attributes comprise one or more from a group of: content genre, channel, target audience, region, time of day, parental rating, classification and content title.

10. The method of claim 1 , said method further comprising: marking a content sub-item substitution opportunity as expired after it has been selected, wherein content sub-item substitution opportunities marked as expired cannot be selected.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of said one or more content sub-item substitution opportunities comprises a rule to be evaluated in order to select said content sub-item substitution opportunity.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein said rule comprises a profile attribute, and said selecting comprises selecting said content sub-item substitution opportunity if said profile attribute matches a stored user profile attribute.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of said one or more content sub-item substitution opportunities comprises one or more content sub-item spots, each of said one or more content sub-item spots specifying one or more content sub-items for use in said content sub-item substitution.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein at least one content sub-item spot specifies a plurality of content sub-items, and only one content sub-item of said plurality of content sub-items is used in said content sub-item substitution.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein each content sub-item in said plurality of content sub-items is associated with a rule to be evaluated for use in selecting which of said plurality of content sub-items to use in said content sub-item substitution.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein said rule comprises a profile attribute, and said selecting which of said plurality of content sub-items to use comprises selecting a content sub-item if said profile attribute matches a stored user profile attribute.

17. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said content sub-item comprises an advertisement.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein said virtual channels are defined and managed by a broadcaster.

19. Apparatus for content sub-item substitution, said apparatus comprising:

a receiver, operable to receive from a headend:

virtual channel definitions, said virtual channel definitions defining each of a plurality of virtual channels on the basis of one or more metadata attributes associated with a given said virtual channel, wherein said virtual channels represent groupings for user recorded content according to said one or more metadata attributes;

one or more content sub-item substitution opportunities for each of said virtual channels, each said content sub-item substitution opportunity specifying one or more content sub-items for use in said content sub-item substitution; and

a content item, said content item including metadata associated with said content item and one or more substitutable content sub-items;

a store, operable to store said virtual channel definitions, said one or more content sub-item substitution opportunities and said content item;

a content sub-item processor operable, upon playback of a previously recorded content item, to:

match said metadata associated with said previously recorded content item with said one or more metadata attributes, thereby determining a virtual channel valid for said previously recorded content item;

select a content sub-item substitution opportunity based on said determined virtual channel; and

substitute said one or more substitutable content sub-items with said one or more content sub-items specified in said selected content sub-item substitution opportunity.

20. Apparatus for content sub-item substitution, said apparatus comprising:

means for receiving from a headend:

virtual channel definitions, said virtual channel definitions defining each of a plurality of virtual channels on the basis of one or more metadata attributes associated with a given said virtual channel, wherein said virtual channels represent groupings for user recorded content according to said one or more metadata attributes;

one or more content sub-item substitution opportunities for each of said virtual channels, each said content sub-item substitution opportunity specifying one or more content sub-items for use in said content sub-item substitution; and

a content item, said content item including metadata associated with said content item and one or more substitutable content sub-items;

means for storing said virtual channel definitions, said one or more content sub-item substitution opportunities and said content item;

means for matching said metadata associated with said previously recorded content item with said one or more metadata attributes, thereby determining a virtual channel valid for said previously recorded content item;

means for selecting a content sub-item substitution opportunity based on said determined virtual channel; and

means for substituting said one or more substitutable content sub-items with said one or more content sub-items specified in said selected content sub-item substitution opportunity.