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US 5,905,522 AGranted
Resource allocation method for interactive televideo system
AssigneeMicrosoft Corporation
InventorFrank A. Lawler
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AssigneeMicrosoft Corporation
InventorFrank A. Lawler
Estimating the term…
The present invention includes a method of delivering programming over an interactive television or televideo (IT) system. The IT system includes a central control node that delivers programming to multiple subscribers or viewers. Each viewer has a video display set (e.g., a television receiver) and an associated interactive controller in communication with the central control node and that is responsive to input from the viewer for controlling programming on the video display set. With reference to a preferred embodiment, the method of this invention includes allocating dedicated programming services among the viewers associated with the IT system. The dedicated programming services may be allocated according to the available resources of the IT system, the relative values of different dedicated programming services, or both. As a result, the method of this invention minimizes disruption of dedicated programming services and particularly those of highest value or priority.
In an interactive televideo system having a central control node in bidirectional communication with plural viewer stations that include video display sets operably coupled to interactive station controllers, the central control node delivering programming over multiple channels to the plural viewer stations and receiving information from the interactive station controllers, delivery of at least selected programming requiring selected resources of the interactive televideo system, a method of allocating selected resources for delivering the selected programming to a viewer station, comprising:
In an interactive televideo system having a central control node in bidirectional communication with plural viewer stations that include video display sets operably coupled to interactive station controllers, the central control node delivering programming over multiple channels to the plural viewer stations and receiving information from the interactive station controllers, delivery of at least selected programming requiring selected resources of the interactive televideo system, a method of allocating the selected resources for delivering the selected programming, comprising:
The method of 10 in which the first selected resources of the first selected programming require more of the selected resources of the interactive televideo system than the second selected resources of the second selected programming.
The method of 10 in which the first selected resources of the first selected programming require less of the selected resources of the interactive televideo system than the second selected resources of the second selected programming.
In an interactive televideo system having a central control node in bidirectional communication with plural viewer stations that include video display sets operably coupled to interactive station controllers, the central control node delivering programming over multiple channels to the plural viewer stations and receiving information from the interactive station controllers, the programming including dedicated programming that is delivered to a selected viewer station according to a request therefrom, the televideo system having selected resources for delivering dedicated programming to a selected viewer station, a memory associated with the interactive televideo system, comprising:
In an interactive televideo system having a central control node in bidirectional communication with plural viewer stations that include video display sets operably coupled to interactive station controllers, the central control node delivering programming over multiple channels to the plural viewer stations and receiving information from the interactive station controllers, the programming including dedicated programming that is delivered to a selected viewer station according to a request therefrom, the televideo system having selected resources for delivering dedicated programming to a selected viewer station, a memory associated with the interactive televideo system, comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.