US 11,671,652 B2
Linear media selection
Christopher John Patten, Isleworth (GB); Christopher David Caines, Isleworth (GB); Jeffrey Russell Eales, Isleworth (GB); and Herve Murret-Labarthe, Isleworth (GB)
Assigned to SKY CP LIMITED
Filed by Sky CP Limited, Isleworth (GB)
Filed on Sep. 11, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/18,607.
Application 15/637,974 is a division of application No. 13/388,234, granted, now 10,149,006, issued on Dec. 4, 2018, previously published as PCT/GB2010/051274, filed on Aug. 2, 2010.
Application 17/018,607 is a continuation of application No. 15/637,974, filed on Jun. 29, 2017, granted, now 10,798,445.
Claims priority of application No. 0913389 (GB), filed on Jul. 31, 2009; application No. 1003034 (GB), filed on Feb. 23, 2010; application No. 1004738 (GB), filed on Mar. 22, 2010; and application No. 1008787 (GB), filed on May 26, 2010.
Prior Publication US 2020/0413124 A1, Dec. 31, 2020
Int. Cl. H04N 21/439 (2011.01); G06Q 30/02 (2023.01); H04N 21/258 (2011.01); H04N 21/262 (2011.01); H04N 21/2668 (2011.01); H04N 21/4147 (2011.01); H04N 21/44 (2011.01); H04N 21/442 (2011.01); H04N 21/475 (2011.01); H04N 21/81 (2011.01); H04N 7/16 (2011.01); H04N 21/234 (2011.01); H04N 21/43 (2011.01)
CPC H04N 21/439 (2013.01) [G06Q 30/02 (2013.01); H04N 7/165 (2013.01); H04N 21/23424 (2013.01); H04N 21/25883 (2013.01); H04N 21/2668 (2013.01); H04N 21/26233 (2013.01); H04N 21/26258 (2013.01); H04N 21/4147 (2013.01); H04N 21/4302 (2013.01); H04N 21/442 (2013.01); H04N 21/44016 (2013.01); H04N 21/44222 (2013.01); H04N 21/4755 (2013.01); H04N 21/812 (2013.01)] 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
5. An apparatus for selectively scheduling a plurality of media items to a programming slot in a program break, such that a program receiver is enabled to output up to one selected one of the media items for output in said slot, and to output a linear one of the media items in said slot if no other one of the media items is selected, wherein the media items have respective attributes, and scheduling of the media items to the slot is subject to one or more constraints applicable to the attributes, comprising:
a. an avail schedule generator and updater arranged to generate or update avail schedule data relating to said slot according to one or more of the media items scheduled to said slot; and
b. a scheduler arranged to schedule said linear one of the plurality of media items to the programming slot, and to selectively schedule a further one or more of the media items to the slot, subject to said one or more constraints applicable to the respective attributes of the media items and to the avail schedule data.