# US 10,321,178 B2 · Automated method for scheduling channels in an abstract time domain > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,321,178 B2 - Document ID: US10321178B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/202,519 - Filed: 2014-03-10 - Published: 2015-09-10 - Granted: 2019-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2014-03-10 - Assignees: Synamedia Limited - Applicants: Cisco Technology Inc. - Inventors: Pete Rai; Trevor Smith; Stephen-John Craig - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10321178B2 ## CPC - H04N 21/26283: {for associating distribution time parameters to content, e.g. to generate electronic programme guide data} - H04H 20/103: {Transmitter-side switching} - H04H 60/06: Arrangements for scheduling broadcast services or broadcast-related services - H04N 21/25841: {involving the geographical location of the client (retrieval from the Internet by querying based on geographical locations G06F16/9537; arrangements for identifying locations of receiving stations in broadcast systems H04H60/51; location of the user terminal in data switching networks H04L67/52; services making use of the location of users or terminals in wireless networks H04W4/02; locating users or terminals in wireless networks H04W64/00)} - H04N 21/25891: {being end-user preferences (retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18)} - H04N 21/26233: {involving content or additional data duration or size, e.g. length of a movie, size of an executable file} - H04N 21/26241: {involving the time of distribution, e.g. the best time of the day for inserting an advertisement or airing a children programme} - H04N 21/26258: {for generating a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlist, or scheduling item distribution according to such list (retrieval of multimedia data based on playlists G06F16/40)} - H04N 21/2668: Creating a channel for a dedicated end-user group, e.g. insertion of targeted commercials based on end-user profiles {(information retrieval from the Internet by querying with filtering and personalisation G06F16/9535; arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast H04H20/10; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; adaptation of message content in packet-switching networks H04L51/063)} - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - H04H: BROADCAST COMMUNICATION (multiplex communication H04J; pictorial communication aspects of broadcast systems H04N) ## Abstract In one embodiment of the present invention, a method implemented on a computing device includes: retrieving a set of channel parameters, the set of channel parameters defining a television channel schedule made of a plurality of viewing time periods; retrieving a set of regional parameters relevant to a geographical area, the set of regional parameters defining at least one regional viewing time period of a first duration; identifying a viewing time period from the plurality of viewing time periods relevant to the at least one regional viewing time period by comparing the regional parameters to the channel parameters; retrieving an abstract schedule associated with the identified viewing time period, where the abstract schedule is a pro forma schedule of programs having a second duration and comprising a set of program content items; and generating a concrete television schedule for the at least one regional viewing time period, where the concrete television schedule is a an instantiated finalized schedule produced by mapping the second duration to the first duration and rearranging the set of program content items of the retrieved abstract schedule. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method implemented on a regional television channel scheduler computing device comprising: retrieving a set of channel parameters, said set of channel parameters characterizing a plurality of viewing time periods included in a television channel schedule for a channel that is broadcast to a plurality of geographical areas; retrieving a set of regional parameters relevant to a geographical area of said plurality of geographical areas, said set of regional parameters characterizing at least one regional viewing time period of a first duration and including audience characteristics relevant to said at least one regional viewing time period; identifying a viewing time period from said plurality of viewing time periods relevant to said at least one regional viewing time period by comparing said set of regional parameters to said set of channel parameters; retrieving an abstract schedule associated with said identified viewing time period, wherein said abstract schedule is a pro forma schedule generated by a central television channel scheduler computing device, having a second duration, and comprising a set of program content items selected by said central television channel scheduler computing device in accordance with particular channel parameters from said set of channel parameters, wherein said particular channel parameters characterize said identified viewing time period, and wherein said central television channel scheduler computing device and said regional television channel scheduler computing device are not co-located; generating a concrete television schedule for said at least one regional viewing time period for said geographical area, wherein said concrete television schedule is an instantiated finalized schedule produced by: mapping said second duration to said first duration, and rearranging said set of program content items of said retrieved abstract schedule, wherein said generating a concrete television channel schedule comprises: resolving scheduling conflicts arising between different concrete television schedules by updating said rearranged set of program content items of said concrete television schedules wherein said scheduling conflicts comprise an overlap between one or more rearranged set of program content items of different concrete television schedules and a gap between different concrete television schedules wherein resolving the gap between different concrete television schedules comprises retrieving filler content of a suitable duration from a backup catalogue, and generating a concrete television channel schedule for said channel broadcast in said geographical area; and transmitting the concrete television schedule to a plurality of client devices. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said retrieving a set of regional parameters, said identifying, said retrieving an abstract schedule and said generating steps are performed for a plurality of regional viewing time periods to generate a plurality of concrete television schedules, each one of said plurality of concrete television schedules being associated with one regional viewing time period and comprising a rearranged set of program content items; and said method further comprises: generating a concrete television channel schedule for a channel broadcast in said geographical area using said plurality of concrete television schedules. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said overlap between said one or more rearranged set of program content items of different concrete television schedules is resolved by using at least one of: a weight associated with a viewing time period retrieved from said set of channel parameters; a local weight associated with a regional viewing time period retrieved from said set of regional parameters; a weight associated with each of said one or more overlapping rearranged program content items, said weight defining an importance of a rearranged program content item; a program content item parameter associated with each of said one or more overlapping rearranged program content items, said program content item parameter defining a rule applicable to a rearranged program content item; or an additional constraint retrieved from said set of regional parameters. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1 and wherein said retrieving a set of channel parameters comprises: selecting said set of channel parameters from among a multiplicity of said sets of channel parameters, wherein said selecting is performed on a temporal basis. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method according to claim 4 and wherein said temporal basis is in accordance with at least one of a season or a specific event. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1 and wherein said retrieving a set of regional parameters comprises: selecting said set of regional parameters from among a multiplicity of said sets of regional parameters, wherein said selecting is performed on a temporal basis. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method according to claim 6 and wherein said temporal basis is in accordance with at least one of a season or a specific event. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1 and also comprising: receiving feedback regarding viewership of said program content items; and adjusting at least one of said sets of channel and regional parameters in accordance with said feedback. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method according to claim 8 and wherein said adjusting is performed autonomously. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said abstract schedule has a duration defined by start and end points; and wherein said set of program content items comprises: a first set of program content items with a first program content item starting at said start point; and a second set of program content items with a last program content item finishing at said end point. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein said set of program content items further comprises a third set of program content items placed around a peak point, said peak point being defined in said set of channel parameters and corresponding to a point in time in said identified viewing time period where a number of viewers is the most important. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein said generating a concrete television schedule comprises: mapping said second duration on said first duration of said regional viewing time period; resolving scheduling conflicts arising during said mapping by rearranging said set of program content items of said retrieved abstract schedule; and generating a concrete television schedule for said at least one regional viewing time period. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein said scheduling conflicts comprise one or more of: an overlap between one or more program content items of different sets of program content items; or a gap between different sets of program content items. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein said overlap between said one or more program content items of different sets of program content items is resolved by using at least one of: a weight associated with each of said one or more overlapping program content items, said weight defining an importance of a program content item; a program content item parameter associated with each of said one or more overlapping program content items, said program content item parameter defining a rule applicable to a program content item; or an additional constraint retrieved from said set of regional parameters. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein said gap between different sets of program content items is resolved by retrieving filler content of a suitable duration from a backup catalogue. ### Claim 16 A regional television channel scheduler apparatus comprising: a communication unit operable to retrieve: a set of channel parameters, said set of channel parameters characterizing a plurality of viewing time periods included in a television channel schedule for a channel that is broadcast to a plurality of geographical areas; and a set of regional parameters relevant to a geographical area of said plurality of geographical areas, said set of regional parameters characterizing at least one regional viewing time period of a first duration and including audience characteristics relevant to said at least one regional viewing time period; and a processor operable to identify a viewing time period from said plurality of viewing time periods relevant to said at least one regional viewing time period by comparing said set of regional parameters to said set of channel parameters; wherein said communication unit is further operable to retrieve an abstract schedule associated with said identified viewing time period, wherein said abstract schedule is a pro forma schedule generated by a central television channel scheduler apparatus, having a second duration, and comprising a set of program content items selected by said central television channel scheduler apparatus in accordance with particular channel parameters from said set of channel parameters, wherein said particular channel parameters characterize said identified viewing time period, and wherein said central television channel scheduler apparatus and said regional television channel scheduler apparatus are not co-located; said processor being further operable to generate a concrete television schedule for said at least one regional viewing time period for said geographical area, wherein said concrete television schedule is an instantiated finalized schedule produced by mapping said second duration to said first duration and rearranging said set of program content items of said retrieved abstract schedule, wherein said processor being operable to generate a concrete television channel schedule comprises said processor being operable to: resolve scheduling conflicts arising between different concrete television schedules by updating said rearranged set of program content items of said concrete television schedules wherein said scheduling conflicts comprise an overlap between one or more rearranged set of program content items of different concrete television schedules and a gap between different concrete television schedules wherein resolving the gap between different concrete television schedules comprises retrieving filler content of a suitable duration from a backup catalogue, and generate a concrete television channel schedule for said channel broadcast in said geographical area; and said processor being further operable to transmit the concrete television schedule to a plurality of client devices. ### Claim 17 A computer program product comprising one or more non-transitory computer readable media having computer readable program code embodied therein which when executed by a regional television channel scheduler computing device causes: retrieving a set of channel parameters, said set of channel parameters characterizing a plurality of viewing time periods included in a television channel schedule for a channel that is broadcast to a plurality of geographical areas; retrieving a set of regional parameters relevant a geographical area of said plurality of geographical areas, said set of regional parameters characterizing at least one regional viewing time period of a first duration and including audience characteristics relevant to said at least one regional viewing time period; identifying a viewing time period from said plurality of viewing time periods relevant to said at least one regional viewing time period by comparing said set of regional parameters to said set of channel parameters; retrieving an abstract schedule associated with said identified viewing time period, wherein said abstract schedule is a pro forma schedule generated by a central television channel scheduler computing device, having a second duration, and comprising a set of program content items selected by said central television channel scheduler computing device in accordance with particular channel parameters from said set of channel parameters, wherein said particular channel parameters characterize said identified viewing time period, and wherein said central television channel scheduler computing device and said regional television channel scheduler computing device are not co-located; generating a concrete television schedule for said at least one regional viewing time period for said geographical area, wherein said concrete television schedule is an instantiated finalized schedule produced by mapping said second duration to said first duration and rearranging said set of program content items of said retrieved abstract schedule, wherein said generating a concrete television channel schedule comprises: resolving scheduling conflicts arising between different concrete television schedules by updating said rearranged set of program content items of said concrete television schedules wherein said scheduling conflicts comprise an overlap between one or more rearranged set of program content items of different concrete television schedules and a gap between different concrete television schedules wherein resolving the gap between different concrete television schedules comprises retrieving filler content of a suitable duration from a backup catalogue, and generating a concrete television channel schedule for said channel broadcast in said geographical area; and transmitting the concrete television schedule to a plurality of client devices.