Patent ID: 9294731
Filing Date: 2016-03-22
CPC Classification: H04N

Claim Text:
1. A method for delivering video content over a network in communication with a subscriber having an associated electronic device, the method comprising the steps of: providing a network server configured to transmit a plurality of multicast streams of video content over the network; assigning a scheduled start time for the transmission of a first stream of the multicast streams; pushing a segment of the video content to the electronic device during an inter-content gap, the pushed segment of video content having a length that is less than a total length of the first stream and at least equal to and dependent upon a stagger interval between the scheduled start time of the first stream and a scheduled start time of a succeeding multicast stream; receiving a request for the video content at a first time, the first time being after the scheduled start time, the request being the first request for the video content received by the network server after the scheduled start time; and transmitting the first stream over the network only after receiving the request.