Lawrence S Taylor

US Patent:

6564381, May 13, 2003

Filed:

Sep 25, 1998

Appl. No.:

09/161324

Inventors:

Winston H. Hodge - Yorba Linda CA
Robert M. Kamm - Danville CA
Lawrence E. Taylor - Anaheim CA
David L. Hench - Orange CA
Pierre A. Schuberth - Corona del Mar CA
Kang Tsi Yam - Corona del Mar CA
Gary B. Seaton - Newport Beach CA

Assignee:

VXL Capitol Partners Corporation, Ltd. - Kuala Lumpur

International Classification:

H04N 710

US Classification:

725 97, 725 9, 725 35, 725 45, 725 46

Abstract:

A method and apparatus for scheduling the distribution of information so as to maximize the viewer ship of the same and, therefore, profits. Dynamic scheduling of distribution of subportions of the information, referred to as descriptors that typically correspond to a motion picture program, is achieved so that the subportions may be transmitted to end users having a high probability of perceiving the same. A subgroup of the descriptors have a weighting value assigned thereto with said subgroup of said plurality of descriptors having a weighting value differing from the weighting value associated with the remaining descriptors of said subgroup. The weighting value is a function of predetermined parameters associated with said motion picture program, such as revenue generated when released in movie theaters, comments by professional critics and contractual constraints placed upon the distributor by holders of the ownership rights of the motion picture program. Viewing population numbers are assigned to segments of a predetermined period of time, typically the different hours of the day. The descriptors are then scheduled to be transmitted to end users so that the descriptors with the greatest weighting value is transmitted during a segment which has the greatest viewing population number.

US Patent:

55944914, Jan 14, 1997

Filed:

Dec 29, 1995

Appl. No.:

8/581672

Inventors:

Winston W. Hodge - Yorba Linda CA
Lawrence E. Taylor - Anaheim CA

Assignee:

VXL/HCR Technology Corporation - Yorba Linda CA

International Classification:

H04N 716

US Classification:

378 7

Abstract:

A system for distribution of near-video-on-demand (NVOD) program information featuring use of ADSL telephone links. In NVOD, video program material is divided into segments which are spooled from a server into threads which contain the program information, but at times offset from each other. Telco central offices or other nodes are linked to each other by a publicly accessible network, such as the Internet, with either the telco central offices or Internet nodes providing thread replication so that service requests from a plurality of users may be met. At the telco central offices or nodes the threads may be multiplexed together for transmission over wideband channels, such as T1, OC3 or the like, while incoming threads are demultiplexed and routed to subscribers on ADSL channels. Each ADSL channel has a wideband portion operating in one direction and a narrow band portion operating in the opposite direction. The wideband portion feeds video material to subscriber settop boxes, with the spooling rate from the video server selected to be slightly less than the wideband portion bandwidth.