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Having described the invention, I claim:
1. A stored video program pay-per-view system adapted for use with an
associated display device, comprising:
means for selecting a video program to be received at a subscriber's
location, the viewing of the program having associated therewith a payment
to a provider;
means for locally storing one or more such programs at the subscriber's
without the subscriber incurring a viewing charge;
means for receiving, locally storing and reviewing information
representative of a previously stored program, and for selecting a program
to be viewed on the display device; and
means, in communication with the means for selecting a program to be
viewed, for ensuring payment to the provider, such payment not being due
until a particular program has been selected for viewing.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein payment is due only after a program has
been selected for viewing and substantially viewed in its entirety.
3. The system of claim 2, further including means enabling a viewer to stop
and re-start the viewing of a selected program without payment being due
until such program has been substantially viewed in its entirety.
4. The system of claim 3, the means for reviewing information
representative of a previously stored program including information
relating to the extent to which a program has been viewed, including any
stopping and re-starting of the program.
5. The system of claim 1, further including means enabling multiple viewers
to locally store programs and information representative of such programs
on an individualized basis.
6. The system of claim 1, further including means whereby one viewer may
control the ability of another viewer to select a video program to be
received.
7. The system of claim 1, further including means enabling a viewer to
watch a selected program any number of times during a predetermined period
of time without an additional payment being due.
8. The system of claim 1, wherein the means for selecting a video program
to be received at a subscriber's location further includes:
means for providing a list at the subscriber's location of currently
available programs; and
means for selecting programs from the list to be stored, including programs
to be broadcast at a future time.
9. The system of claim 1, wherein the means for selecting a video program
to be received at a subscriber's location is controlled at the location of
the provider.
10. The system of claim 9, including means for automatically providing
programs to a subscriber's location based upon categorical criteria.
11. The system of claim 1, wherein the means for ensuring payment to the
provider includes the transfer of program selection information to the
provider after the program has been selected for viewing.
12. The system of claim 1, wherein the means for ensuring payment to the
provider includes a transfer of funds prior to the viewing of a pay
program.
13. A stored program pay-per-view system situated at a subscriber's
location, comprising:
an input to receive a pay video program from a provider;
an output to deliver the program to a display device for viewing;
means for locally storing one or more such programs at the subscriber's
location without the subscriber incurring a viewing charge;
means to receive and display program-related information, enabling a
program to be selected for reception and storage;
a memory to store program-related information associated with a previously
stored program;
display generation circuitry enabling the program-related information
associated with a previously stored program to be viewed on the display
device, so that a stored program may be selected for viewing; and
means to communicate to the provider that a program has been selected for
viewing, enabling the provider to receive the payment associated with the
viewing of the program.
14. The stored program pay-per view system of claim 13, further including
data compression/decompression means to store a received program in
digitally compressed form.
15. The stored program pay-per view system of claim 13, wherein the input
to receive a pay video program from a provider includes in a
bi-directional cable system forming a portion of the means to communicate
to the provider that a program has been selected for viewing.
16. The stored program pay-per view system of claim 13, further including
means to receive a key to descramble a pay program in scrambled form,
receipt of the key being in response to a communication to the provider
that a program has been selected for viewing.
17. A stored program pay-per-view system situated at a subscriber's
location, comprising:
an input to receive a pay video program from a provider;
an output to deliver the program to a display device for viewing;
means for locally storing one or more such programs without the subscriber
incurring a viewing charge;
means to receive and store program-related information;
display generator means in communication with the output for displaying
program-related information on the display device;
means to account for the viewing of a program, the output of which is
connected in an information path to the provider;
a user interface; and
a controller in communication with the program storage means, the means to
receive and store program-related information, the display generator
means, the means to account for the viewing of a program, and the user
interface, the controller being operative, under user control through the
interface, to perform the following functions:
(a) cause the selective display of the program-related information,
enabling a program to be selected for reception and storage,
(b) cause program-related information associated with a previously stored
program to be retained and selectively displayed, enabling a stored
program to be selected for viewing, and
(c) inform the provider of the program selected for viewing to ensure that
the provider receives payment.
18. A stored program pay-per-play system, comprising:
an input for receiving a program from a provider, enjoyment of the program
having a payment associated therewith;
means for locally storing a plurality of such programs received through the
input without the provider demanding the payment associated therewith;
means for reviewing a previously stored program and for selecting a program
to be enjoyed; and
means, in communication with the means for locally storing one or more
programs, for providing payment from the user to the provider of a
program, but only after that program has been selected for enjoyment.
19. The system of claim 18, including a video program.
20. The system of claim 18, including an audio program.
21. The system of claim 18, wherein the means for providing payment from
the user to the provider of a program includes an electronic funds
transfer prior to the enjoyment of the program.
22. The system of claim 18, wherein the means for providing payment from
the user to the provider of a program includes the debiting of an account
previously established between the user and the program provider.
23. The method of compensating a pay program provider, comprising the steps
of:
receiving, at a subscriber's location, a pay program from a provider;
locally storing the program along with information relating to the program;
selecting the program to be played; and
compensating the provider only after the program has been substantially
played in its entirety. |
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Description |
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FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to video storage and retrieval, and, more
particularly, to a system capable of storing one or more pay programs, and
wherein a user is responsible for payment only after a particular
selection has been viewed or enjoyed.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Despite the continuing publicity surrounding the prospects for true
video-on-demand, the implementation costs involved in the delivery of
programming on this basis remain prohibitive. In practice, a pay-per-view
system might need to allocate a dozen or more "channels" for different
viewers watching the same popular program, but offset in time by as little
as one frame of video. When the utilization of the available transmission
bandwidth is inefficient, the cost of delivery requires pricing levels
that are unattractive to the viewer, particularly when compared with
established delivery systems such as video rental stores or simply waiting
for the movie to be scheduled on a premium cable channel.
As a consequence, current industry discussions are now centered around the
concept of "near"-video-on-demand, in which the period of time a viewer is
required to wail for a chosen program is minimized, typically by
broadcasting the same program on several channels simultaneously, buy
offset in time by multiples of 10 or 15 minutes. In this manner, viewers
need only wait until the next starting time, and then tune their cable
converter box to the appropriate channel. This approach has a major
disadvantage.the viewer must arrange to see the program during one of the
periods in which it is available on cable TV. If the program is only
scheduled at times when the viewer cannot be present, then the only
alternative is to attempt to videotape the program for viewing at a later
date, which, in the case of pay-per-view, will require special
arrangements, as these program purchases are typically implemented by
placing a telephone call at the time the purchase is to occur.
The prior art discloses several attempts which address at least some of the
issues involved in facilitating pay-per-view purchases. For example, Baji
et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,027,400, describe the hardware requirements for
implementing a video-on-demand system on a bi-directional broadcast
system, in which a collection of server computers manage program and
commercial databases. Data are assembled into cells to be transmitted to
individual subscriber systems, using an Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM)
packet transmission system for the broadband transmission line. Orders for
program materials from subscribers are entered via the subscriber's
network terminal and terminal control unit, employing the same broadband
transmission line for the necessary communications to execute the
transaction. However, few of the currently installed cable systems are
capable of bi-directional transmission, which limits the applicability of
this type of system in the short term.
At the present time, pay-per-view systems usually are implemented by
employing connections to telephone lines to execute the transaction and
initiate the program delivery process. Stetten et al., U.S. Pat. No.
3,746,780, discloses the use of a separate and independent telephone
communications link to enable access to stored audio and video material,
and Abraham, U.S. Pat. No. 4,590,516, discloses an improved system for
such an application.
While these references establish the basic requirements for a pay-per-view
type of system, they do not adequately address the formidable
communications problems associated with the nearly-simultaneous access of
a large number of subscribers to the transaction facilities. Bestler et
al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,755,872, discloses the use of the Automatic Number
identification (ANI) services offered in many areas of the country, and
exploit these capabilities to identify the subscriber and to forward the
transaction information to the cable company's billing computer. A common
feature of all of these systems is that the transaction (billing) occurs
at the time the program is viewed, and this places a heavy burden on the
communication facilities. In addition, completion of the ordering/billing
transaction must precede the viewing of the program material.
Kauffman, U.S. Pat. No. 4,710,955, discloses a method and apparatus for
implementing bi-directional communications between the billing computer
and the subscriber apparatus. In this approach, the actual billing process
is on a non-real-time basis, using a method referred to as
"store-and-forward". Here, the subscriber purchases program credits
(stored in the subscriber's terminal facilities) in advance, and these
credits are debited when an order is placed for programming. The actual
billing is recorded when a telephone communications link is established
between the subscriber terminal and the cable company billing computer, at
which time the subscriber's terminal reports the purchase to the billing
computer. Although not explicitly disclosed, it is clear that a subscriber
with good credit could be allowed to purchase a program even though he did
not have an adequate supply of credits, and tile supply could be
replenished automatically when the subscriber's terminal unit contacts the
billing computer.
A separate aspect of these systems is the method by which the security is
implemented. It is the usual practice for a cable company to employ any of
several well-known techniques for "scrambling" the premium channel program
material, and rely on the subscriber's terminal facilities to de-scramble
the signals for viewing. This de-scrambling process is authorized by the
cable company's billing and transmission facilities, employing either the
broadband transmission line or a separate telephone communication link.
Arn et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,535,355, Schilling et al., U.S. Pat. No.
4,621,285, Hamilton, U.S. Pat. No. 4,796,299, and Chomet et al., U.S. Pat.
No. 4,916,737, disclose various methods for implementing the security by
employing encryption keys and other such data security techniques.
Yurt et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,132,992, disclose an audio/video transmission
system which includes provisions for storage of program content at the
cable system facility, at intermediate data-compressed storage libraries,
or at the subscriber terminal site. The system disclosed relies on a
complicated method of assembling program data into blocks for distribution
onto a variety of transmission media at a range of transmission rates, but
does not guarantee a uniform data rate. As a result, the subscriber
receiving terminal requires buffering in the form of digital data storage
means, so that the program may be played back at a later time, in
real-time.
All of the systems discussed herein share the common feature that the
purchase transaction occurs at the time of the program transmission,
although the act of recording of the billing may be delayed for a period
of time. If for any reason the viewing is interrupted or terminated, the
viewer has no means by which he may cancel the transaction.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention discloses a method and apparatus by which an audio or
combined audio/video pay-per-play system may be implemented, thereby
providing a subscriber with a much wider choice of program materials for
enjoyment at the subscriber's convenience. In the preferred embodiment,
the subscriber has magnetic, optical, or magneto-optical storage means by
which program material may be recorded for later playback. While the
recording itself may take place at any time preceding playback, billing
occurs only when, and if, the subscriber chooses to select a program for
replay or actually enjoys the program substantially in its entirety. The
billing may alternatively be based on a stored-credit billing or account
debiting scheme.
The recording of program materials may be directed automatically by
subscriber-operated storage-management facilities, which could scan
program schedules and select materials to be recorded, based on title,
cast, program genre or viewer/listener preferences. These
storage-management facilities could enable the subscriber to discard
programs after replay, or remove programs that the subscriber has decided
not to enjoy, and would be capable of including a wide range of input and
output facilities. Where necessitated by royalty arrangements, the
storage-management facilities may provide in an alternative embodiment,
records of which subscribers have actually replayed (and not just stored)
program material. In an alternative embodiment, storage facilities could
be made available to subscribers from regional program server computers,
or even designated program storage means located at a centralized
distribution facility, such as a cable provider.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a block diagram depicting major components in the stored-movie
pay-per-view system; and
FIG. 2 is a more detailed block diagram of a comprehensive system according
to the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The details of the invention will become evident with reference to FIG. 1,
which depicts the facilities provided at a subscriber site. Although this
discussion centers on cable delivery in general and video programming in
particular, other delivery media and programming, including audio-only,
video games, etc., are easily accommodated as alternatives. The typical
connection to the broadband cable system 2 provides the usual conventional
video program services to cable converter box 4. In cable systems offering
premium services, it is typical to use such a converter box 4 as part of
system security, to perform any necessary de-scrambling of the premium
program signals. In most homes, the output of the cable converter box 4 is
connected to a VCR 6, and the output of the VCR, in turn, is connected to
the television set 8 or video monitor. If no VCR is installed at a
particular television set, then the output of the cable converter box
would typically be connected directly to the television set. For
uni-directional cable systems (which have no provisions for data to be
sent from the subscriber-terminal/converter-box back to the cable system
facilities), a separate communications link 12 may be supplied for
interacting with the cable system billing and/or ordering facilities. In
the case of a bi-directional system, these features would preferably be
implemented by way of the cable converter box itself.
In practice, it may be advantageous to implement both the cable box 4 and
record/play controller 10 as a single unit, as suggested by the broken
lines 11 in FIG. 1. In such a configuration, the controller may be
utilized in either uni-directional or bi-directional environments. The
controller 10 optionally may include various devices (not shown) for user
input and controller output, such as keyboard units, bar-code scanners,
infrared remote-control units, integrated CRT displays, on-screen
television displays, voice-activated input or computer-generated voice
output, or touch-screen accessories to be fitted either to the CRT
facilities or to the television set 8.
Selected program materials preferably may be stored in the program storage
unit 14, comprised of magnetic, optical, or magneto-optical discs, or any
of the various magnetic-tape-based storage media. The storage technique
employed may be sophisticated for example, by recording data-compressed
information on arrays of disks or magnetic tapes, including auto-changer
facilities to switching between media, or more straightforwardly, for
example, using a conventional VHS video cassette recorder, preferably with
extended recording time. Whereas standard cassettes have recording times
as long as 8 hours, special cassettes with capacities of 10 hours or more
recording time are currently available.
Program signals are preferably supplied to the program storage unit 14
through a cable box tuner 4. In the case that program signals are recorded
using some form of signal scrambling, either the program storage unit or
the cable converter box will incorporate provisions for descrambling the
signal during playback.
In the preferred embodiment, the program storage unit 14 preferably is
located at the subscriber site. However, in an alternative embodiment, the
physical storage could be a part of a larger storage unit located at the
cable transmission facility, or at one of several intermediate storage
facilities, for example, serving groups of subscribers, located ill the
transmission paths between the cable transmission facility and the
subscriber sites. In this case, the subscriber would be allocated a
specific portion of the overall storage capacity available, and would be
able to use than storage capacity as desired. In this manner, the cable
operation could continue to offer programming in accordance with a
predetermined schedule, but individual subscribers may choose to purchase
the near-video-on-demand feature, if so desired. This would obviate the
need for the cable system to be equipped to supply full video-on-demand
service for all subscribers immediately.
Regardless of the specific method chosen, the record/play controller 10
will perform the necessary tasks associated with program storage
management. The controller preferably includes a microprocessor and
appropriate communication facilities for the type of communication link
employed and the method of program storage available. In a basic form, the
controller merely keeps track of programs as they are recorded, completing
the purchase transaction when the programs are viewed. It also preferably
provides for the erasure of the programs when the subscriber no longer
desires to keep them in a library. However, with the addition of program
schedule information from the cable transmission facility, it is possible
to greatly expand the capabilities of the program storage system described
herein. For example, the record/play controller could be programmed to
record desired materials over an entire month, or could be programmed to
record any "Western" movie, or even any "Western" movie having a
particular actor listed in its cast. As the programs are collected, the
subscriber is able to view them in any order desired, and at any desired
time. Using well-known techniques such as "parental lockout" or passwords,
a subscriber may also be able to control access to the stored programs by
children or unauthorized viewers.
A key feature of the system concerns the fact that although there may be
many programs stored, no program will be billed for until it has been
selected for viewing or, more preferably, actually viewed. Thus, if a
subscriber chooses to erase a program contained in the program storage
unit before he has viewed that program, then he will not incur a charge
for having added the program to the program storage unit library. Because
the program is already available, there is no requirement to complete the
billing transaction within any particular time frame.
As mentioned, in the preferred embodiment, payment will not be due until
the program has been viewed substantially in its entirety. That is, as
with a rented cassette, the viewing of a movie is not limited to
contiguous viewing, but in the event that viewing is stopped and
restarted, for whatever reason, including the viewing of another program
on an intervening basis, the system will automatically keep track of where
viewing left off, and restart from that point until such program has been
viewed substantially in its entirety, even if in piece-meal fashion. The
term "substantially" is used, since it would not be appropriate to enable
a viewer to watch all of a movie but the final credits and avoid payment
by stopping at that point. Thus, in the preferred embodiment, payment will
preferably come due once the majority or some high percentage of the
program has been watched. Alternatively, payment may be transferred or
earmarked to the provider once a program is selected for viewing, but if
viewing were to be terminated shortly thereafter and never resumed, the
system might automatically re-credit the subscriber for that program,
since it was largely unwatched. Such a scheme is in keeping with allowing
a viewer to enjoy a free "preview"0 of a program, as described elsewhere
herein.
Also in conformance with cassette rental, in an alternative embodiment of
the invention, a viewer may be allowed to view a selected program as many
times as desired over a particular, predetermined period of time without
incurring any additional charges. This is in keeping with a one- or
two-day movie rental which is associated with a single charge, but which
enables a renter to view the program as many times as desired until the
cassette is due back at the store. Thus the system according to this
invention may keep track of such time periods, and, if the viewer chooses
to keep a particular program in the storage library beyond this time
period, further viewing may be treated as an additional "rental" of that
program having the same or, perhaps, reduced charges associated with the
viewing thereof.
The system preferably displays a list of prerecorded programs now available
for viewing and, having viewed a particular selection, the system
preferably prompts the viewer with a query regarding whether or not that
program should be kept in the library. As such, a system according to this
invention may be called upon to keep track of considerable information
regarding program viewing, not only will titles and other information
pertaining to previously recorded programs preferably be available for
review, but also program length, and a percentage of the program which has
already been viewed, perhaps including the last date associated with the
viewing of that program. In the event of a credit account, the system is
preferably further capable of displaying information relating to the
balance remaining. Such information is displayed on an associated video
monitor or TV receiver using a graphic display generator and related
circuitry which will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. 2.
In the preferred embodiment, until a program has been substantially viewed
in its entirety, it is assumed that various VCR-like controls associated
with that program will be made available, free of charge, until payment is
triggered. For example, if a program has not been viewed for a long time,
it may be appropriate to rewind that program, or to pause at various
points, in order to recall the subject matter. It should also be possible
to fast forward through portions of the program already viewed without
incurring any penalties as well.
In a typical one-way cable or pay-per-view satellite system, a user
communicates to a program provider, by mail or more commonly, by phone, to
take advantage of a particular service. The provider then broadcasts a
code specifically addressed to the subscribers decoder, thereby unlocking
these features, for example, providing the subscriber's site with a key
capable of descrambling an encrypted program. The present invention may
make general use of this scheme, though, rather than provide a code or a
key associated with a particular channel or program, the provider
preferably unlocks an amount of viewing, either in terms of a number of
hours or a level of credit, either of which may be used by a particular
subscriber as desired. As mentioned, with the ability to view the
remaining credit balance, a customer may readily communicate again with
the provider to increase the reserve available for viewing. The provider
may then bill for the amount of credit requested, either as it is used, or
at the time of the request before actual use. In the event that the system
is two-way in nature, the provider may sense when actual use occurs, and
debit the account accordingly. Whereas, with a one-way system, program
selection and actual use information will be communicated through another
medium, for example in advance, through mail or phone, as already
discussed, or, alternatively, with separate RF or computer network
interconnection to the provider.
The record/play controller may further be programmed to initiate a
communication with the cable transmission facility at periodic intervals,
as an example, on a bi-weekly basis. As an alternative, the record/play
controller could communicate directly with a credit-card clearing house,
eliminating the need to keep any records of viewing credits or debits, or
to purchase these credits in advance. This billing method also addresses
the issue of subscriber privacy, since the cable company would receive
lump-sum payments allocated according to the number of purchasers of a
particular program, but would not necessarily receive the detailed
information identifying the programs ordered by a particular subscriber.
Once the transaction has been registered by the record/play controller,
relevant signal de-scrambling facilities would be enabled, allowing the
program to be viewed. Of course, in the event of a credit account, a
descrambling key may be generally available for use by the subscriber at
the subscriber's site without having to download such a key on a
per-selection basis, assuming the credit of the viewer is in good
standing.
FIG. 2 provides a more detailed diagram illustrating a more comprehensive
embodiment of the invention. Program information is received along line
102 and, if derived from a multi-channel source such as a cable input,
demodulated by tuner 104 to produce a baseband signal along path 106. In
the event that line 102 already carries a baseband signal, for example, in
the case of a separate tuning facility forming part of a remote or
independent associated unit, tuner 104 may be bypassed as indicated by the
broken line 105.
While the following discussion is again primarily concerned with the
storage and retrieval of video information, the reader is reminded that
audio information also falls within the scope of this invention, either as
the audio information typically included with video information or as
audio information only, applied simply as high quality sound, including
stereo sound, w | | |
