US 6,983,480 B1
Method for authorizing limited programming distribution
John J. Sie, Englewood, Colo. (US); Ganesh Basawapatna, Greenwood Village, Colo. (US); and Martin F. Sabraw, Englewood, Colo. (US)
Assigned to Starz Entertainment Group LLC, Englewood, Colo. (US)
Filed on Oct. 12, 2000, as Appl. No. 9/687,140.
Claims priority of provisional application 60/163324, filed on Nov. 03, 1999.
Claims priority of provisional application 60/159202, filed on Oct. 13, 1999.
Claims priority of provisional application 60/159469, filed on Oct. 13, 1999.
Int. Cl. H04N 7/16 (2006.01); H04N 7/173 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 725—25 22 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for distributing programming, the method comprising:
transmitting a first set of program segments according to a schedule of programming;
storing a second set of program segments on a server, at least one of the first set of program segments having a counterpart in the second set of program segments;
maintaining user authorizations to program segments on the server, wherein the user authorizations include:
a record of the number of times a user has previously been given program control over a particular program segment from the server; and
a limit on the number of times the user is authorized to have program control over the particular program segment from the server;
detecting a request from the user for program control of the particular program segment; and
determining whether to grant program control over the particular program segment to the user in accordance with the user authorizations.