Patent ID: 8730985

Claim:
A communications system configured to provide content broadcast through a communications network to a plurality of devices, the system comprising: at least one requesting device configured to receive a first data stream comprising live programming content which is broadcast only within a geographic broadcast region of said at least one requesting device; a server configured to receive from said at least one requesting device a selection of at least one second data stream comprising live programming content which is broadcast only outside a geographic broadcast region of said at least one requesting device; a processor configured to join as a member of a group for receiving information objects containing programming content of said selected at least one second data stream, said information objects being identified by an identifier associated with said group; a controller configured to, in real-time, multiplex at least said first data stream with said selected at least one second data stream to produce a live composite data stream comprising live programming content which is broadcast only within said geographic broadcast region of said requesting device and live programming content which is broadcast only outside said geographic broadcast region of said requesting device; and an interface configured to provide said composite data stream on at least one program channel through said communications network to said at least one requesting device.