Abstract: A system for generating viewership profiles to facilitate distributing promotions based on the profiles to one or more network devices, such as set top boxes. The system includes a promotion agent associated with each network device which collects viewing activity data of the network device. For example, the viewing activity data may include a channel the network device was tuned to, a time when the network device was tuned to the channel, and a time the network device was tuned away from the channel. The collected viewing activity data is then transmitted, for example, every twenty-four hours, to a life-cycle manager server, which also periodically receives a program schedule. The program schedule typically specifies the channel on which a particular program was displayed, as well as the time the program was shown. The life-cycle manager server correlates the viewing activity data with the program schedule to generate the viewership profile of the network device.

Abstract: The present disclosed system is directed toward a communication and management system that dynamically targets network devices for content deployment, such as application programs, device drivers, configuration files, and registry subhives. Moreover, the present system targets users of network devices for promotions, such as advertisements offered by Internet e-commerce sites. Promotions are generally icons or graphic images with links to host web servers overlaying a video display, but also includes audio and video clips or data streams. Network devices and their users are targeted through user profiles. User profiles are created when network devices register with the system server and are continually updated with information provided by user activity and event logs that are periodically uploaded from each device.

Abstract: A system for generating viewership profiles to facilitate distributing promotions based on the profiles to one or more network devices, such as set top boxes. The system includes a promotion agent associated with each network device which collects viewing activity data of the network device. For example, the viewing activity data may include a channel the network device was tuned to, a time when the network device was tuned to the channel, and a time the network device was tuned away from the channel. The collected viewing activity data is then transmitted, for example, every twenty-four hours, to a life-cycle manager server, which also periodically receives a program schedule. The program schedule typically specifies the channel on which a particular program was displayed, as well as the time the program was shown. The life-cycle manager server correlates the viewing activity data with the program schedule to generate the viewership profile of the network device.

Abstract: The present disclosed system is directed toward a communication and management system that dynamically targets network devices for content deployment, such as application programs, device drivers, configuration files, and registry subhives. Moreover, the present system targets users of network devices for promotions, such as advertisements offered by Internet e-commerce sites. Promotions are generally icons or graphic images with links to host web servers overlaying a video display, but also includes audio and video clips or data streams. Network devices and their users are targeted through user profiles. User profiles are created when network devices register with the system server and are continually updated with information provided by user activity and event logs that are periodically uploaded from each device.

Abstract: Idle Video-On-Demand (VOD) channel capacity is used to deliver promotional content to selected set-top boxes (STBs) in a cable television network. Commercial segment cues are used to instruct a set-top box to switch away from a broadcast program to the VOD channel during a commercial segment, and then switch back again to the original broadcast program at the end of the segment. More particularly, a promotion server determines an asset to be distributed such as a targeted promotion item (e.g., a commercial), and a list of STBs that are to receive it. The promotion server causes the video promotion content to be stored in VOD servers located at the head ends. A scheduler process then delivers schedule messages to head end message servers which identify each promotion asset, and an STB which is to receive it. The head end message server notifies its associated VOD server which then cues the asset by loading the asset, starting the asset, but pausing it.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to routing promotion content files to groups of end node devices having the same or similar device attributes, such as data storage capacity, called transmission groups. Specifically, a promotion is assembled into one or more data packages, with a package being created for each different transmission group. Promotions may be aggregated, with multiple promotions being placed in each package. The packages may include information such as promotion identification, start time, end time, duration, port number, multicast or broadcast address to facilitate bulk data routing via broadcast or multicast. The packages are then used to generate and deliver promotion schedules to each device of a transmission group and to schedule bulk data transmissions to the respective transmission groups via separate broadcast or multicast for each package.

Abstract: A scalable messaging system for data transmission between the network devices, such as set top boxes, and a central system server, such as a server which maintains a database of event logs for the network. Individual routers at the data center broadcast an announcement packet indicating that they are available to accept messages from the network devices. The announcement message contains at least an identification of the router and the manner in which messages may be sent to it, e.g., one or more connection socket numbers and/or network addresses. The frequency at which availability messages are sent by the routers is preferably dependent upon the relatively loading of the individual router. Thus, the more heavily loaded a particular router becomes, the less often it will broadcast an availability message; the more lightly loaded it becomes, the more often such messages are broadcast.

Abstract: A system and method is provided for event data collection and processing in a multimedia network. The server can include an event collection manager that receives messages containing event data from plural settop devices. Upon message receipt, the event collection manager accesses a database to identify a data aggregation group for the set top that sent the message and anonymously stores the event data in association with the data aggregation group. The data aggregation group can be associated with a policy that specifies anonymous storage of event data based on event type. For example, the data aggregation policy may specify storage of individual event types with personal identification information. Conversely, the aggregation policy may specify anonymous storage of individual event types anonymously excluding personal identification information. Aggregate reports can be generated from the stored event data by aggregation group.

Abstract: A scalable messaging system for data transmission between the network devices, such as set top boxes, and a central system server, such as a server which maintains a database of event logs for the network. Individual routers at the data center broadcast an announcement packet indicating that they are available to accept messages from the network devices. The announcement message contains at least an identification of the router and the manner in which messages may be sent to it, e.g., one or more connection socket numbers and/or network addresses. The frequency at which availability messages are sent by the routers is preferably dependent upon the relatively loading of the individual router. Thus, the more heavily loaded a particular router becomes, the less often it will broadcast an availability message; the more lightly loaded it becomes, the more often such messages are broadcast.

Abstract: The present disclosed system is directed toward a communication and management system that dynamically targets network devices for content deployment, such as application programs, device drivers, configuration files, and registry subhives. Moreover, the present system targets users of network devices for promotions, such as advertisements offered by Internet e-commerce sites. Promotions are generally icons or graphic images with links to host web servers overlaying a video display, but also includes audio and video clips or data streams. Network devices and their users are targeted through user profiles.

Abstract: The present disclosed system is directed toward a communication and management system that dynamically targets network devices for content deployment, such as application programs, device drivers, configuration files, and registry subhives. Moreover, the present system targets users of network devices for promotions, such as advertisements offered by Internet e-commerce sites. Promotions are generally icons or graphic images with links to host web servers overlaying a video display, but also includes audio and video clips or data streams. Network devices and their users are targeted through user profiles. User profiles are created when network devices register with the system server and are continually updated with information provided by user activity and event logs that are periodically uploaded from each device.

Abstract: The present disclosed system is directed toward a communication and management system that dynamically targets network devices for content deployment, such as application programs, device drivers, configuration files, and registry subhives. Moreover, the present system targets users of network devices for promotions, such as advertisements offered by Internet e-commerce sites. Promotions are generally icons or graphic images with links to host web servers overlaying a video display, but also includes audio and video clips or data streams. Network devices and their users are targeted through user profiles. User profiles are created when network devices register with the system server and are continually updated with information provided by user activity and event logs that are periodically uploaded from each device.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to routing promotion content files to groups of end node devices having the same or similar device attributes, such as data storage capacity, called transmission groups. Specifically, a promotion is assembled into one or more data packages, with a package being created for each different transmission group. Promotions may be aggregated, with multiple promotions being placed in each package. The packages may include information such as promotion identification, start time, end time, duration, port number, multicast or broadcast address to facilitate bulk data routing via broadcast or multicast. The packages are then used to generate and deliver promotion schedules to each device of a transmission group and to schedule bulk data transmissions to the respective transmission groups via separate broadcast or multicast for each package.

Abstract: Synchronization of bulk data transfers to end node devices in a multimedia network involves sending an initial schedule message prior to broadcast or multicast of a content file. The content file could be a promotion or other file that must be efficiently sent to a large number of end node devices, such as television set top boxes. The schedule message contains at least a data transmission time for the content file so that an end node device is aware of when to listen for the later bulk data transmission of the content file. The schedule message may contain other parameters such as promotion identification, message duration, frequency, multicast address and UDP port.

Abstract: A scalable messaging system for data transmission between the network devices, such as set top boxes, and a central system server, such as a server which maintains a database of event logs for the network. Individual routers at the data center broadcast an announcement packet indicating that they are available to accept messages from the network devices. The announcement message contains at least an identification of the router and the manner in which messages may be sent to it, e.g., one or more connection socket numbers and/or network addresses. The frequency at which availability messages are sent by the routers is preferably dependent upon the relatively loading of the individual router. Thus, the more heavily loaded a particular router becomes, the less often it will broadcast an availability message; the more lightly loaded it becomes, the more often such messages are broadcast.

Abstract: A scalable messaging system for data transmission between the network devices, such as set top boxes, and a central system server, such as a server which maintains a database of event logs for the network. Individual routers at the data center broadcast an announcement packet indicating that they are available to accept messages from the network devices. The announcement message contains at least an identification of the router and the manner in which messages may be sent to it, e.g., one or more connection socket numbers and/or network addresses. The frequency at which availability messages are sent by the routers is preferably dependent upon the relatively loading of the individual router. Thus, the more heavily loaded a particular router becomes, the less often it will broadcast an availability message; the more lightly loaded it becomes, the more often such messages are broadcast.

Abstract: This is a system and method for managing data transmission to the set top boxes from a central system server, such as a promotion server which distributes promotion content. A precasting technique is used for transmitting promotion content files prior to promotion activation which takes into account the device attributes of the destination end node devices. More specifically, promotion content files are associated with an expected display or activation start time at the end node devices, such as a cable set top box. A package transmission lead time is calculated which depends upon the memory capacity of a specific group of end node devices, called a “transmission group,” to which the promotion file is to be sent. The package transmission lead time is then taken into account to determine exactly when to send the promotion content. The promotion content is then sent at the designated time via broadcast or multicast transmissions.

Abstract: A multimedia network involves sending an initial schedule message prior to broadcast or multicast of a content file. The content file could be a promotion or other file that must be efficiently sent to a large number of end node devices, such as television set top boxes. The schedule message contains at least a bulk transfer end time for the content file so that the end node devices are aware of when the later bulk data transmission of the content file should be completed. The schedule message may contain other parameters such as promotion identification, message start time, duration, frequency, multicast address and port number. The bulk message containing the promotion is then sent using an efficient bulk transfer messaging technique, such as a multicast Universal Data Protocol (UDP) message which does not require acknowledgment of individual packets or individual addresses of the end node devices to be maintained.

Abstract: Idle Video-On-Demand (VOD) channel capacity is used to deliver promotional content to selected set-top boxes (STBs) in a cable television network. Commercial segment cues are used to instruct a set-top box to switch away from a broadcast program to the VOD channel during a commercial segment, and then switch back again to the original broadcast program at the end of the segment.