Methods and apparatus for content delivery notification and management

Computer readable apparatus comprising a non-transitory storage medium, the non-transitory medium comprising at least one computer program having a plurality of instructions, the plurality of instructions configured to, when executed on a processing apparatus of a computerized device, cause the computerized device to:

• receive data representative of a request for delivery of digitally rendered content, the request originating from a computerized client device in communication with a content distribution network;
• evaluate, via utilization of at least one computer program, at least one parameter related to available content delivery bandwidth of the content distribution network;
• based at least on the evaluation indicating that the available content delivery bandwidth is limited to a value less than that needed to service the request, cause delay, for a period of time, of the servicing of the request for the digitally rendered content, the period of time based at least on data associated with a user account of the content distribution network;
• based on metadata associated with digitally rendered content, select secondary digitally rendered content for delivery to the computerized client device;
• cause the delivery of the secondary digitally rendered content to the computerized client device during at least a portion of the period of time, the causing of the delivery of the secondary digitally rendered content to the computerized client device during at least the portion of the period of time comprising utilization of a switched digital channel for the delivery, the utilization of the switched digital channel comprising:
• (i) a switching of the secondary digitally rendered content into a network switching apparatus;
• and
• (ii) causation of the computerized client device to tune to the switched digital channel.

A computerized network apparatus for delivery of digitally rendered content in a content distribution network, the computerized network apparatus comprising:

• processor apparatus;
• one or more data interfaces in data communication with the processor apparatus;
• and
• computer readable apparatus comprising a non-transitory storage medium, the non-transitory medium comprising at least one computer program having a plurality of instructions, the plurality of instructions configured to, when executed by the processing apparatus, cause the computerized network apparatus to:
• based at least on received data representative of a request for delivery of digitally rendered content, the request originating from a computerized client device in communication with a content distribution network, evaluate bandwidth in the content distribution network available to fulfill the request;
• based at least on the evaluation indicating that the available bandwidth is insufficient to fulfill the request, cause generation of one or more notifications for delivery to the computerized client device, the one or more notifications indicative that delivery of the requested digitally rendered content will be delayed;
• and
• cause delivery of alternate digitally rendered content during at least a portion of a period of time associated with the delay, the delivery comprising (i) switching the alternate digitally rendered content into delivery via a network switching apparatus;
• and
• (ii) causing data to be sent to the computerized client device to enable tuning of the client device to a digital channel carrying the alternate digitally rendered content;
• wherein the alternate digitally rendered content relates to the requested digitally rendered content via at least one context.

A computerized network apparatus for delivery of digitally rendered content in a content distribution network, the computerized network apparatus comprising:

• processor apparatus;
• one or more data interfaces in data communication with the processor apparatus;
• and
• computer readable apparatus comprising a non-transitory storage medium, the non-transitory medium comprising at least one computer program having a plurality of instructions, the plurality of instructions configured to, when executed by the processing apparatus, cause the computerized network apparatus to:
• receive data representative of a request for digitally rendered content accessible on a first digital video channel delivered via a network switching process, the request originating from a computerized client device;
• evaluate available bandwidth in the content distribution network to fulfill the request for the digitally rendered content;
• based at least on the evaluation indicating that the available bandwidth is insufficient to fulfill the request, issue a notification of a delay to the computerized client device;
• cause delivery of alternate digitally rendered content during at least a portion of the delay, the alternate digitally rendered content being (i) related to the digitally rendered content, and (ii) then-delivered on a second digital video channel delivered via the network switching process and accessible to the computerized client device, the causation of the delivery comprising causation of the computerized client device to tune to the second digital video channel;
• and
• subsequently cause delivery of the requested digitally rendered content via the first digital video channel after sufficient bandwidth becomes available, the delivery comprising causation of the computerized client device to tune to the first digital video channel;
• wherein the delay is determined based at least in part on at least one account attribute associated with the computerized client device.