Apparatus and methods for carrier allocation in a communications network

A computerized controller apparatus configured for controlling a modulator apparatus, the modulator apparatus configured for radio frequency (RF) spectrum allocation in a digital content delivery network, the computerized controller apparatus comprising:

• at least one data interface configured for data communication with the digital content delivery network;
• processor apparatus in data communication with the at least one data interface;
• and
• storage apparatus in data communication with the processor apparatus, the storage apparatus comprising at least one computer program stored thereon, the at least one computer program comprising a plurality of instructions configured to, when executed by the processor apparatus, cause the computerized controller apparatus to:
• identify each of (i) a prioritized portion of the RF spectrum, and (ii) a non-prioritized portion of the RF spectrum, the prioritized portion of the RF spectrum unavailable for dynamic allocation of carriers;
• receive, at the at least one data interface via the digital content delivery network, data indicative of one or more user requests for first digital content from one or more computerized user devices;
• access data indicative of current carrier information;
• determine whether the first digital content is carried on at least one carrier of (i) one or more permanent carriers in the prioritized portion of the RF spectrum, or (ii) one or more current carriers in the non-prioritized portion of the RF spectrum;
• based at least in part on a determination that the first digital content is carried on the at least one carrier of the one or more permanent carriers in the prioritized portion of the RF spectrum or the one or more current carriers in the non-prioritized portion of the RF spectrum, cause provision of tuning data for the at least one carrier to each of the one or more computerized user devices;
• based at least in part on a determination that the first digital content is not carried on the at least one carrier of the one or more permanent carriers in the prioritized portion of the RF spectrum or the one or more current carriers in the non-prioritized portion of the RF spectrum:
• cause dynamic allocation, via the modulator apparatus, of at least one new carrier in the non-prioritized portion of the RF spectrum to carry the first digital content;
• and
• cause provision of tuning data for the at least one new carrier in the non-prioritized portion of the RF spectrum to each of the one or more computerized user devices.

A computerized controller apparatus for controlling modulator apparatus configured for radio frequency (RF) spectrum allocation in a digital content delivery network, the computerized controller apparatus comprising:

• at least one data interface configured for data communication with the digital content delivery network;
• processor apparatus in data communication with the at least one data interface;
• and
• storage apparatus in data communication with the processor apparatus, the storage apparatus having at least one computer program stored thereon, the at least one computer program comprising a plurality of instructions configured to, when executed by the processor apparatus, cause the computerized controller apparatus to:
• receive, at the at least one data interface via the digital content network, data indicative of one or more user requests for content from one or more computerized user devices via the digital content network, the data indicative of the one or more user requests comprising at least a first user request for first digital content;
• access data indicative of current carrier information for each of (i) a prioritized portion of the RF spectrum, and (ii) a non-prioritized portion of the RF spectrum;
• determine whether the first digital content is carried on at least one carrier of (i) one or more permanent carriers in the prioritized portion of the RF spectrum, or (ii) one or more current carriers in the non-prioritized portion of the RF spectrum;
• based at least in part on a determination that the first digital content is not carried on the at least one carrier of one or more permanent carriers in the prioritized portion of the RF spectrum or the one or more current carriers in the non-prioritized portion of the RF spectrum:
• cause the modulator apparatus to utilize a carrier selection algorithm for dynamic allocation of at least one new carrier in the non-prioritized portion of the RF spectrum to carry the first digital content, the prioritized portion of the RF spectrum unavailable to the carrier selection algorithm;
• and
• cause provision of tuning data for the at least one new carrier in the non-prioritized portion of the RF spectrum to the one or more computerized user devices.