Invention Grant
US08649385B2 Methods and apparatus for using tuners efficiently for delivering one or more programs 有权
使用调谐器有效传送一个或多个节目的方法和装置

Methods and apparatus for using tuners efficiently for delivering one or more programs
Abstract:
In response to user requests for content, content may be dynamically mapped to communications channels, e.g., QAM channels, used to communicate multiple programs during the same transmission time slot, e.g., through the use of multiplexed MPEG streams. A customer premise device, e.g., STB, uses a tuner tuned to the QAM channel to receive the communicated stream, recovers multiple programs communicated using the single communications channel, and records and/or displays the recovered programs. In this manner, more programs can be received and recorded than there are tuners in the customer premise device, e.g., STB. In some embodiments a content service provider control node processes user requests for content, maps requested programs to transport streams, communicates mapping decision information to a content distribution node, and communicates QAM tuning information to the user devices which can then receive and record multiple programs communicated via a single communications channel. In some embodiments a customer premise device utilizes program information to direct demultiplexed program channels to local or remote recorders (for storing) or decoders (for playback).
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