Patent ID: 6487390
Filing Date: 2002-11-26
Classification: G09F,H04B

Abstract:
A method for load balancing between a plurality of channels including analog channels and digital channels for providing on-demand information to a user in a local network, comprising the steps of:receiving a request for on-demand information from a user; determining the number of allocated digital channels in said network; allocating a digital channel from said plurality of channels, if the number of allocated digital channels is less than an optimal number of channels, to provide the user requested information to said user in digital format; determining the number of available analog channels if the number of allocated digital channels is not less than said optimal number of channels; allocating an analog channel, if said determined number of available analog channels is greater than zero, to provide said user requested information to said user in analog format; allocating a digital channel, if said determined number of allocated digital channels is less than the number of said plurality of digital channels and said determined number of available analog channels is zero, to provide said user requested information to said user in digital format; and canceling said request received from said user if said determined number of allocated digital channels is not less than the number of said plurality of digital channels and said determined number of available analog channels is zero.