Patent ID: 9100709
Filing Date: 2015-08-04
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. A method comprising: receiving, from a subscriber in a cable network environment, selection of content to play back on a respective playback device; receiving content availability information, the content availability information indicating multiple possible sources from which the selected content is available to the subscriber, the content availability information indicating a classification type assigned to each of the multiple possible sources, wherein the content availability information is generated prior to receiving the selection of content from the subscriber; accessing a set of retrieval rules specifying a priority order of distributing the selected content from the multiple possible sources in the cable network environment, the priority order specifying an ordering of distributing the selected content based on the classification types; and initiating transmission of the selected content to the respective playback device from a particular source amongst the multiple possible sources in the cable network environment as specified by the priority order of classification types in the set of retrieval rules; wherein the set of retrieval rules is a first set of retrieval rules; wherein the particular source is a first repository storing a first copy of the selected content, the method further comprising: in response to detecting presence of the respective playback device in a first geographical location, utilizing the first set of retrieval rules associated with the first geographical location to transmit the selected content to the respective playback device; in accordance with the first set of retrieval rules, during a first window in which the respective playback device is detected as being present in the first geographical location, initiating transmission of the selected content over a first communication link from the first repository to the respective playback device; tracking movement of the respective playback device to a second geographical location; in response to detecting presence of the respective playback device in the second geographical location, utilizing a second set of retrieval rules associated with the second geographical location to transmit the selected content to the respective playback device; in accordance with the second set of retrieval rules, during a second window in which the respective playback device is detected as being present in the second geographical location, initiating transmission of the selected content over a second communication link from a second repository to the respective playback device; wherein the first set of retrieval rules indicates that a type classification of the first repository is higher in priority than a type classification of the second repository during conditions in which the respective playback device is present in the first geographical location; and wherein the second set of retrieval rules indicates that the type classification of the second repository is higher in priority than the type classification of the first repository during conditions in which the respective playback device is present in the second geographical location.