Patent ID: 9197937
Filing Date: 2015-11-24
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. In a system comprising: (a) a set-top-box receiving data broadcast from a head-end system and (b) a communication device located near the set-top-box, wherein the data broadcast by the head-end system comprises audio and/or video data (audio/video data) corresponding to a particular media content item, a method performed by the communication device, comprising: receiving, at the communication device, meta-data transmitted by the set-top-box, wherein the set-top-box automatically transmitted the meta-data in response to receiving a signal containing the meta-data regardless of whether a user of the communication device has performed any operation; in response to receiving the meta-data, the communication device obtaining information associated with the received meta-data; the communication device displaying one or more on-demand options in response to obtaining the information associated with the meta-data; the communication device receiving user input indicating a user of the communication device has selected one of the displayed on-demand options; the communication device causing the set-top-box to tune to an on-demand channel, which is not a linear channel, in response to receiving the user input indicating that the user has selected one of the on-demand options displayed by the communication device; the communication device transmitting to the head-end system a message comprising information for identifying the set-top-box, wherein the head-end system is configured such that, in response to receiving the message, the head-end system transmits to the set-top-box a command that causes the set-top-box to: (i) tune to the on-demand channel or (ii) display the on-demand menu; the message further comprises information identifying the on-demand option selected by the user; and the head-end system is further configured such that, in response to receiving the message, the head-end system unicasts to the set-top-box a media content item associated with the selected on-demand option.