Hybrid central/distributed VOD system with tiered content structure

A hub station in a content delivery network capable of supplying content on demand (COD) services, the content delivery network having a central headend station having a resource management processor, the resource management processor is coupled to the hub station using a network, the hub station comprising:

• a hub media server having at least one content port;
• a radio frequency management infrastructure, the radio frequency management infrastructure coupled to the at least one content port of the hub media server and adapted to receive a content stream from a content transport network;
• the radio frequency management infrastructure adapted to receive resource management control signals from the resource management processor to determine from where the radio frequency management infrastructure should receive the content stream;
• and
• the radio frequency management infrastructure adapted to transmit the content stream to at least one set-top box over a distribution network.

A method of supplying content on demand (COD) services, the method comprising the steps of:

• requesting a COD service;
• accessing a COD asset database to identify COD assets that are capable of supplying the requested COD service;
• determining a COD asset that is available to deliver the requested COD service;
• identifying a content stream path based on the COD asset determined to be available;
• assigning the identified content stream path to supply the requested COD service;
• and
• supplying the requested COD service over the assigned content stream path.

A computer program product comprising:

• a computer usable medium including computer readable code embodied therein for processing data to process requests for COD service, the computer usable medium comprising:
• a requesting module configured to receive requests for COD services from a viewer;
• a determining module configured to access a COD asset database that identifies COD assets capable of being used to deliver the requested COD service and determining whether COD assets are available to deliver the requested COD service;
• an identifying module configured to identify a particular content stream path from the COD assets determined to be available;
• an assigning module to assign the identified content stream path to deliver the requested COD service and update the COD asset database to indicate the COD assets are no longer available;
• and
• a supplying module configured to supply the requested COD service over the assigned content stream path.

A database for storing COD assets capable of delivering a content stream over a content stream path, the database comprising:

• a server identifier for each media server capable of delivering COD services to at least one set-top box;
• a port identifier for each port associated with each media server;
• and
• a QAM identifier for each QAM associated with each port,
• wherein the server identifier, port identifier, and QAM identifier indicate the COD assets associated with a particular content stream path associated with delivering COD services to the at least one set-top box.