Patent ID: 8468570

Claim:
A method of providing a pause function for a broadcast program in a multi-client network, the method comprising: allocating predetermined storage limits in a storage device for a plurality of clients on the network; delivering first portions of a broadcast program to a client; receiving a pause request from the client; determining if the client's stored broadcast programming has reached the client's predetermined storage limit; pausing the delivery of the broadcast program to the client and delivering second portions of the broadcast program to a storage device responsive to receipt of the pause request and a determination that the client's stored broadcast programming has not reached the client's predetermined storage limit; delivering the stored second portions of the broadcast program from the storage device to the client while delivering third portions of the broadcast program to the storage device responsive to a further determination that the client's stored broadcast programming has reached the client's predetermined storage limit; receiving a rewind request from the client; and permitting the client to rewind through the stored second portions of the broadcast program if the client's stored broadcast programming has not reached the client's predetermined storage limit.