Patent ID: 6701528
Filing Date: 2004-03-02
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
A method of providing a video program in response to a user demand, wherein the video program is repeatedly transmitted on one of a plurality of channels, each repeated transmission temporally separated from a previous transmission by a retransmission interval and being transmitted on a different channel than the previous transmission, the method comprising the steps of:selecting at least one of a plurality of video programs for VOD service; receiving and storing a first segment of the selected video program in a local storage device before accepting a user demand to view the selected video program, wherein a temporal length of the first segment is substantially equivalent to the retransmission interval; and after accepting the user demand to view the selected video program, retrieving the stored first segment for presentation to the user while receiving and storing subsequent segments of the video program from each of the plurality of channels transmitting a portion of the selected video program in parallel in the local storage device.