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 |
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.
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