Method and apparatus for managing delivery of multimedia content in a communications system

摘要

A method and apparatus for managing delivery of data, also referred to as "content", by a data processing system in a communications system in which a number of content providers and content consumers are located within the communications system. The data processing system receives a request to accept delivery of content at the data processing system, wherein the request originates from a requesting content provider. A determination is made as to when the content may be received from the requesting content provider and when the content may be transmitted to content consumers based on contents already scheduled to be delivered from the number of content providers. Delivery of the content from the requesting content provider is accepted based on a determination of when the content may be received and when the content may be transmitted.