An integrated network receiver includes a first universal resource identifier for a first channel and an input suitable for receiving a first input video content from the Internet based upon the first universal resource identifier. The integrated network receiver provides the first input video content for the first channel to a head end connected to a plurality of customer devices through a transmission network. The integrated network receiver updating the first universal resource identifier based upon data obtained from a video address server.

A system and method for providing non-guaranteed channels in a switched digital video network using multicast adaptive bitrate (ABR) streaming. In one implementation, upon receiving a request for a non-guaranteed channel is received from a subscriber station (e.g., a set-top box or STB), a bandwidth pipe modeling process is operative to model a bandwidth pipe corresponding to each edge QAM device configured to support non-guaranteed channels for selecting a particular edge QAM device that can best accommodate the requested non-guaranteed channel. Bitrates of MABR streams of existing channels of the selected edge QAM device may be adjusted in order to accommodate a particular MABR stream at chosen bitrate of the requested non-guaranteed channel. IGMP Join operations may be effectuated, as needed, to join MABR streams of the existing channels and the requested non-guaranteed channel to correct IGMP group(s). A channel change response message including one or more channel frequencies, if the change request is accommodated, may be transmitted to the requesting subscriber station.

Methods and devices for dynamically designated first and second subsets of a plurality of frequency channels as upstream and downstream channels, respectively, for performing wired communications using virtual segmentation between a network controller and an endpoint device. performing virtual segmentation to service an endpoint device. Communications are performed between the network controller and the endpoint device through a wired communication medium using the upstream and downstream channels. The first subset and second subsets of the plurality of channels are designated as upstream channels and downstream channels, respectively, based at least in part on one or both of upstream and downstream channel demand and channel availability.

An embodiment of a method includes receiving a subscription request specifying one or more destination sites to receive a video feed and respective times at which to deliver the video feed to each of the one or more destination sites over a terrestrial network, wherein respective delivery times are within a publication time range in which the video feed will be available, and configuring available resources to deliver the requested video feed to the one or more destination sites at the respective times.

The present invention provides a cable TV broadband access system with distributed deployment and centralized control, which comprises: a system terminal end, configured to receive and transmit uplink and downlink service data, and receive and respond to access control data and management control data; a system access end, configured to implement data format transformation and data forwarding or processing for said uplink and downlink service data, said access control data and said management control data of said system terminal end, and transmit, receive and respond to management control data of said system access end; a system head end, configured to implement management control and access control for said system access end and said system terminal end, and process, converge and forward said uplink and downlink service data. Said system uses a system architecture with three-stage distributed deployment and centralized control comprising a system terminal end, a system access end and a system head end, and it can not only realize the end-to-end control management and QoS priority assurance of the broadband data service, but can also realize easy network deployment, low comprehensive cost and high management efficiency.

A communication system and a family of methods for remote access to personal television service are disclosed. According to this invention, a remote personal TV service center provides centralized program guide information. A user may access to the personal TV service center through a digital video recorder which is connected to the personal TV service center via telephone modem or a network server. A user may access to the personal TV service center through a remote computer terminal or a personal digital assistant which is connected to a computer network. The user selects program events and programs the digital video recorder by using a graphical user interface installed in the front panel of the digital video recorder in case of local programming, or using a similar GUI which is incorporated into the Web pages presented to remote users by a Web server in case of remote programming. The media stream stored in one digital video recorder may be transferred to another digital video recorder. For data security protection during data transfer, all communication are authenticated and encrypted.

One embodiment herein includes a Content On Demand (COD) asset insertion system that is operable to process a plurality of asset campaigns from a plurality of asset managers, to process information from a remote COD content distributor about COD content selections by a plurality of Customer Premises Equipment (CPEs), to identify and qualify assets of the asset campaigns for insertion in the COD content selections, and to direct the remote COD content distributor to insert the qualified assets into the COD content selections. The embodiment also includes an analytics processor that is operable to collect information about the assets inserted in the COD content selections, to modify the asset campaigns based on the collected information, and to present the modified asset campaigns to the COD asset insertion decision system. The COD asset insertion decision system is further operable to re-qualify the assets based on the modified asset campaigns.

An automated network-based test system for set top box devices is disclosed. According to certain embodiments, the network-based testing system using Simple Network Management Protocol facilitates remote testing of thousands of set-top boxes, where groups of these set top boxes can be located in various locations that are remote from a main controller server that is running the tests remotely.

Methods of operating a communications system comprise, in one example, inserting advertising in a program stream by a receiving device based, at least in part, on an encrypted segmentation message embedded in the program steam. The at least one segmentation message defines an expanse of the program stream to receive the advertising. At least one embedded decoy message is included in the program stream, as well. In one example the receiving device, which may be a set-top terminal, for example, is coupled to a display device, such as a television, at a user location. A method of operating a receiving device coupled to a display device at a user location is also disclosed, comprising programming the receiving device to record a program and recording the program based, at least in part, on at least one segmentation message in a program stream. Systems are disclosed, as well.

A system and method for providing guaranteed channels in a switched digital video network using multicast adaptive bitrate (ABR) streaming. In one implementation, when a request for a guaranteed channel is received from a subscriber station (e.g., a set-top box or STB), a determination may be made as to which edge QAM device the requested channel is assigned to. A bandwidth pipe modeling may be performed for the assigned edge QAM to determine an optimal bitrate of a particular MABR stream that may be packed into the edge QAM's bandwidth pipe. Thereafter, the particular MABR stream may be joined to facilitate streaming of the requested channel via the QAM serving the subscriber station.