Video-on-demand (VOD) has become an increasingly popular way for service providers to offer content to customers. Typically, a customer browses available VOD items and selects a particular VOD item to watch. Upon making the selection, the VOD item is streamed from to the user's set-top box (STB) from a server. The VOD item is usually transmitted to the STB via a dedicated unicast channel that is opened between the server and the STB. When multiple customers play the VOD item at the same time, multiple dedicated channels are opened, decreasing available bandwidth at the server and increasing a service provider cost of offering VOD services.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds