Methods and systems for accessing content

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9866893-B2
Application number	US-201414463264-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 19, 2014
Priority date	Aug 19, 2014
Publication date	Jan 9, 2018
Grant date	Jan 9, 2018

Abstract

Methods and systems for accessing content are provided. A non-tunable device (e.g., a device without the capability to tune to a particular channel) can access a particular channel via a tunable device (e.g., a device with the capability to tune to the particular channel). A computing device can facilitate content tuning. As an example, the non-tunable device can send user information (e.g., a request for content) to the computing device. The computing device can reserve the available tuner and transmit the tuning information (e.g., tuner reservation identifier) to the non-tunable device. Upon receiving the tuning information, the non-tunable device can transmit a tuning request (e.g., all or portion of tuning information, device identifier) to the tunable device. Upon receiving the tuning request, the tunable device can tune to the particular requested channel and transmit a data asset (e.g., requested content, tuning denial) to the non-tunable device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
transmitting, by a non-tunable device, user information to a computing device;
receiving, by the non-tunable device, tuning information from the computing device based at least in part on the user information, wherein the tuning information identifies a tunable device;
transmitting, by the non-tunable device, a tuning request from the non-tunable device to the tunable device identified by the tuning information, wherein the tuning request comprises channel information and the tunable device is configured to tune to a channel identified by the channel information in response to the tuning request; and
receiving, by the non-tunable device, a data asset from the tunable device based on the tuning request.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the tuning information comprises a tuner reservation identifier.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user information comprises a request for content.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the tuning request comprises a tuner reservation identifier.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the tuning request comprises a request for pay-per-view content, video-on-demand content, or both.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the tunable device comprises one or more QAM tuners.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the data asset comprises content or a tuning denial.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising processing the data asset to provide displayed content.

9. An apparatus comprising:
a device identifier comprising user information;
a communication element configured to transmit the user information to a computing device; and
a receiver configured to receive tuning information from the computing device based at least in part on the user information, wherein the tuning information identifies a tunable device;
wherein the communication element is further configured to transmit a tuning request to the tunable device identified by the tuning information, wherein the tuning request comprises channel information and the tunable device is configured to tune to a channel identified by the channel information in response to the tuning request;
wherein the receiver is further configured to receive a data asset from the tunable device based on the tuning request.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the tuning information comprises a tuner reservation identifier.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the user information further comprises a request for content.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the tuning request comprises a tuner reservation identifier.

13. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the tunable device comprises one or more QAM tuners.

14. The apparatus of claim 9 , further comprising a display configured for displaying the data asset.

15. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the data asset comprises content or a tuning denial.

16. A system comprising:
at least one non-tunable device configured to at least:
transmit user information to a computing device;
receive tuning information from the computing device based at least in part on the user information, wherein the tuning information identifies a tunable device;
transmit a tuning request from the non-tunable device to the tunable device identified by the tuning information, wherein the tuning request comprises channel information and the tunable device is configured to tune to a channel identified by the channel information in response to the tuning request; and
receive a data asset from the tunable device based on the tuning request; and

the computing device, configured to at least:
receive the user information; and
transmit the tuning information.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the tuning information comprises a tuner reservation identifier.

18. The system of claim 16 , wherein the user information comprises a request for content.

19. The system of claim 16 , wherein the tuning request comprises a tuner reservation identifier.

20. The system of claim 16 , wherein the tuning request comprises a request for pay-per-view content, video-on-demand content, or both.

Assignees

• Comcast Cable Comm Llc

Inventors

• Mitchell Slade
• Robinson John

Classifications

• H04N21/47202

  for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand · CPC title

• H04L27/34

  Amplitude- and phase-modulated carrier systems, e.g. quadrature-amplitude modulated carrier systems · CPC title

• H04N21/4383

  Accessing a communication channel · CPC title

• H04N21/4263 Primary

  involving specific tuning arrangements, e.g. two tuners · CPC title