Patent ID: 8146123

Claim:
A content on demand system comprising: a content on demand server system comprising non-transitory machine memory and/or circuits comprising logic to compose set top box configuration information into an audio and/or video stream format, and logic to communicate the configuration information to a plurality of service nodes; and a plurality of service nodes each comprising non-transitory machine memory and/or circuits comprising logic to compose a service group identifier into the audio and/or video stream format, and logic to communicate the configuration information and the service group identifier to a plurality of set top boxes; non-transitory machine memory and/or circuits comprising logic to receive from a set top box a request for an audio and/or video stream, the request comprising the service group identifier communicated to the set top box and an identifier of a title of the audio and/or video stream, and to provide the audio and/or video stream to a service node corresponding to the service group identifier.