公开(公告)号：CA2175710A1

公开(公告)日：1996-12-16

申请号：CA2175710

申请日：1996-05-01

Applicant: IBM

Inventor： GANEK ALAN GEORGE ,  HERZBERG LOUIS PAUL ,  RUIZ ANTONIO ,  WILLNER BARRY EDWARD

IPC: G06F13/00 ,  H04N5/93 ,  H04N7/173 ,  H04N21/472

Abstract: A system, method and apparatus for Video-on-demand (VOD) satisfying the desire of 'surfers'. The process entails a server operating in a standard Near-Video-on-demand (NVOD) mode, whereby it repeatedly transmits multiple copies of each program on separate channels. Each copy is delayed by a staggeredtime interval. The server also repeatedly transmits a beginning portion of each NVOD program of a duration up to the staggered time interval. The invention provides a way to fulfill a VOD user requests asynchronous with the start of a NVOD transmission but which still makes primary use of the NVOD transmission for thatrequestor. The invention further advantageously provides fixed asset utilization in a predictable manner.