PROGRAM STORAGE, RETRIEVAL AND MANAGEMENT BASED ON SEGMENTATION MESSAGES

摘要

Segmentation messages indicative of locations of upcoming events, such as the start and end of programs and program portions, and/or rights related to the programs and program portions, are used by cable systems and the like to store programs and program portions for later retrieval and transmission to customers on request. Storage, retrieval and management of programming is thereby facilitated. Methods and systems are disclosed.

主权项

1. A method of generating a program signal stream comprising:
creating a program signal stream comprising a serial sequence of programs; inserting at least one first segmentation message into the program signal stream to indicate a start of an expanse of the program signal stream based, at least in part, on a position of a respective segmentation message in the program signal stream; and transmitting the program signal stream including the expanse and the at least one segmentation message to a program content distribution system.