Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for processing communications. In one aspect, a method in a first node in a network of delivering content comprises delivering a first portion of the content to a device, receiving a request for a second portion of the content from the device and, responsive to the request and responsive to a determination that the second portion of the content should be delivered to the device from a second node in the network, instructing the device to retrieve the content from the second node.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for processing communications. In one aspect, a method in a first node in a network of delivering content comprises delivering a first portion of the content to a device, receiving a request for a second portion of the content from the device and, responsive to the request and responsive to a determination that the second portion of the content should be delivered to the device from a second node in the network, instructing the device to retrieve the content from the second node.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for processing communications. In one aspect, a method in a first node in a network of delivering content comprises delivering a first portion of the content to a device, receiving a request for a second portion of the content from the device and, responsive to the request and responsive to a determination that the second portion of the content should be delivered to the device from a second node in the network, instructing the device to retrieve the content from the second node.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for processing communications. In one aspect, a method in a first node in a network of delivering content comprises delivering a first portion of the content to a device, receiving a request for a second portion of the content from the device and, responsive to the request and responsive to a determination that the second portion of the content should be delivered to the device from a second node in the network, instructing the device to retrieve the content from the second node.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for processing communications. In one aspect, a method in a first node in a network of delivering content comprises delivering a first portion of the content to a device, receiving a request for a second portion of the content from the device and, responsive to the request and responsive to a determination that the second portion of the content should be delivered to the device from a second node in the network, instructing the device to retrieve the content from the second node.

Abstract: A method in, and a Broadcast Management unit (130) for providing digital content to a user equipment (120), and a method in, and a user equipment (120) for receiving digital content. The user equipment (120) is served by a base station (110) in a cell (115) of a cellular communications network (100). The Broadcast Management unit decides (301) to provide a digital content by broadcast or multicast in a service area (105) comprising the cell (115), instead of only letting the digital content be available in the service area (105) by unicast. The Broadcast Management unit provides (302-304), in response to the decision, broadcast or multicast of the digital content in the service area (105), thereby enabling reception of the digital content by the user equipment (120) via the base station (110) and by one or more additional user equipments (121, 122, 123) being served in the service area (105). As a result, improvement of performance is enabled in the cellular communications network.

Abstract: A method in, and a Broadcast Management unit (163) for recommending and providing digital content to a user equipment (120), and a method in and a user equipment (120) for accessing recommended digital content. The user equipment is served by a base station in a cellular communications network. The Broadcast management unit decides (301, 401, 501) to recommend a digital content to the user equipment (120) and one or more additional user equipments (121, 122, 123) and provides broadcast or multicast of the digital content in a service area (105. The user equipment registers (306; 409; 701) a request for one or more digital contents that are recommended and then identifies, in response to the registered request, a digital content that is recommended and available from broadcast or multicast by the base station (110).

Abstract: The teachings herein describe methods and apparatuses for caching content at the “edge” of a wireless communication network, based on operating one or more RAN caches within the RAN portion of the network under the control of a gateway cache that operates at the packet data network interface level within the CN portion of the network. Each RAN cache operates as subordinate of the gateway cache, based on intercepting content requests from wireless devices operating within the RAN, providing corresponding proxied content requests to the gateway cache, and serving or not serving requested content from the RAN cache in dependence on control signaling from the gateway cache. Such operation permits all decision making to reside in the gateway cache, thereby retaining full visibility for critical billing and lawful intercept functions, while obviating in many instances the need to back haul such content.

Abstract: A method in and a communication node for providing a digital content to at least one wireless device in a cellular communications network. The communication node obtains information identifying the digital content. The digital content is associated with a moving demand area being an area that changes location over time according to a movement pattern and in which area a demand for the digital content has been identified to move with the area. The communication node provides, based on the obtained information, a broadcast or multicast of the digital content in a provision area comprising the moving demand area. The provision area corresponds to one or more cells served by one or more base stations broadcasting or multicasting the digital content. The provided broadcast or multicast is adapted based on the movement pattern.

Abstract: A method in, and a Broadcast Management unit (163) for recommending and providing digital content to a user equipment (120), and a method in and a user equipment (120) for accessing recommended digital content. The user equipment is served by a base station in a cellular communications network. The Broadcast management unit decides (301, 401, 501) to recommend a digital content to the user equipment (120) and one or more additional user equipments (121, 122, 123) and provides broadcast or multicast of the digital content in a service area (105. The user equipment registers (306; 409; 701) a request for one or more digital contents that are recommended and then identifies, in response to the registered request, a digital content that is recommended and available from broadcast or multicast by the base station (110).

Abstract: Providing digital content to at least one user equipment At least one user equipment is served by a base station in a cellular communications network. A broadcast management unit obtains information identifying the digital content and a presentation area associated with the digital content. The broadcast management unit provides, based on the obtained information, a broadcast or multicast of the digital content in a service area. The service area comprises the presentation area and the at least one user equipment. The at least one user equipment is thereby enabled to, via the base station, receive the digital content in the service area and to visually and/or audially present the digital content in response to that the at least one user equipment has determined that the at least one user equipment is located in the presentation area.

Abstract: A method in, and a Broadcast Management unit (130) for providing digital content to a user equipment (120), and a method in, and a user equipment (120) for receiving digital content. The user equipment (120) is served by a base station (110) in a cell (115) of a cellular communications network (100). The Broadcast Management unit decides (301) to provide a digital content by broadcast or multicast in a service area (105) comprising the cell (115), instead of only letting the digital content be available in the service area (105) by unicast. The Broadcast Management unit provides (302-304), in response to the decision, broadcast or multicast of the digital content in the service area (105), thereby enabling reception of the digital content by the user equipment (120) via the base station (110) and by one or more additional user equipments (121, 122, 123) being served in the service area (105). As a result, improvement of performance is enabled in the cellular communications network.

Abstract: The teachings herein describe methods and apparatuses for caching content at the “edge” of a wireless communication network, based on operating one or more RAN caches within the RAN portion of the network under the control of a gateway cache that operates at the packet data network interface level within the CN portion of the network. Each RAN cache operates as subordinate of the gateway cache, based on intercepting content requests from wireless devices operating within the RAN, providing corresponding proxied content requests to the gateway cache, and serving or not serving requested content from the RAN cache in dependence on control signaling from the gateway cache. Such operation permits all decision making to reside in the gateway cache, thereby retaining full visibility for critical billing and lawful intercept functions, while obviating in many instances the need to back haul such content.

Abstract: In a streaming media environment in which multiple channels of media content are available, the present invention reduces the time interval between a user requesting a new channel and the media content of the requested channel being made available to the user.

Abstract: The invention relates to the delivery of television assets such as linear broadcast content or video on demand content through a distribution network to a number of users.

Abstract: There is provided a method of removing or replacing advert slots in linear broadcast television programming when replayed as a time-shifted television asset, comprising capturing an input linear broadcast video stream to form a time-shifted television asset, detecting advert cue signals indicative of advert slot timings within the time-shifted television asset, generating metadata indicative of the advert slot timings from the detected advert cue signals, and packaging the time-shifted television asset together with the metadata, for use by a downstream system to replace or remove adverts from the time-shifted television asset.

Abstract: An interactive television system is provided which provides personal video recorder services for users. In the embodiment described, content is recorded at a head-end of the system and stored in the user's set top boy for future playout. Access to the content stored in the user's top box is also controlled by the head end.

Abstract: A configuration tool for a content and distribution management system for assets (111, 112), comprising: a. an editor (101) for editing templates defining metadata (161, 162, 163; 171, 172, 173) of an asset (111; 112) through key/value pairs and lists of values; b. a plurality of agents (121, 122, 123, 12N), each having headend device specific logic for transforming an internal asset format into a headend device specific asset format; c. an extensible representation of metadata, e.g. XML, for uninterpreted transport of device specific assets to the appropriate agent (121; 122; 123; 12N); and d. a configurable workflow (151) for defining the order and dependencies between elements of events handling the assets (111; 112) and/or metadata (161, 162, 163; 171, 172, 173).

Abstract: An interactive television system is provided which provides personal video recorder services for users. In the embodiment described, content is recorded at a head-end of the system and stored in the user's set top boy for future playout. Access to the content stored in the user's top box is also controlled by the head end.

Abstract: A data switch is provided which can be used, for example, to control the delivery of a number of video streams to a plurality of users. The data switch operates to receive the incoming data streams and temporarily stores them in a buffer. The data switch receives requests from users identifying the data stream that each user wishes to receive. The data switch then reads out the data from the buffer to each of the users in accordance with their selection.