HYBRID VIDEO-ON-DEMAND

摘要

A system and method for Video-on-Demand (VOD) satisfying the desire of 'surfers'. The process entails a server operating in a standard NVOD mode, whereby it continuously sends multiple copies of each program on separate channels. Eachcopy is delayed by a staggered time interval. The invention provides a way to fulfill a VOD user request asynchronous with the start of a NVOD transmission but which still makes primary use of the NVOD transmission for that requestor. The system and method combines independent server service satisfying an asynchronous request for only a short duration, usually less than or equal to the NVOD staggered time interval, and then aligns that requestor with an immediately previously commenced NVOD transmission.