Systems and methods for providing content to vehicles

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for delivering programming content to vehicles (e.g., seagoing vessels) in a cost-effective manner. In some embodiments, programming content may be delivered to vehicles over previously deployed networks (e.g., satellite networks), using excess network capacity which may not otherwise be used to deliver data. By opportunistically employing excess network capacity (e.g., as the capacity becomes available), data constituting programming content may be delivered to vehicles over a period of time, such as via multicast transmission. A vehicle may store received data on one or more onboard servers. After an item of programming content has been received, the item may be made accessible to the vehicle's crew and/or passengers, such as by streaming the item to one or more suitably configured playback devices. Content may be served to playback devices “on demand” and/or according to a programming schedule.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising acts of:
 (A) receiving, on a vehicle, a plurality of unitary items of programming content each having at least one characteristic; and   (B) defining, on the vehicle, a sequence in which the plurality of items of content is to be presented in unison to all playback devices on the vehicle, the sequence being based at least in part upon the at least one characteristic of each of the plurality of unitary items of programming content.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the act (B) comprises defining a manner of repeating the sequence. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one characteristic comprises a time at which the unitary item of programming content was created. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one characteristic comprises at least one of a start time at which playback of the unitary item of programming content is to begin, a finish time after which playback of the unitary item of programming content is not to begin, and an expiration time at which the unitary item of programming content is to be deleted. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the act (B) comprises defining a programming channel on which each of the plurality of unitary items of programming content is to be made available based at least in part upon the at least one characteristic of each of the plurality of unitary items of programming content. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one characteristic comprises a content type. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the act (B) comprises newly establishing a programming channel on which a first item of the plurality of unitary items of programming content is to be made available based at least in part upon the at least one characteristic of the first item. 
     
     
         8 . At least one computer-readable storage medium having instructions encoded thereon which, when executed in a system on a vehicle, cause the system to perform a method comprising acts of:
 (A) receiving, on a vehicle, a plurality of unitary items of programming content each having at least one characteristic; and   (B) defining, on the vehicle, a sequence in which the plurality of items of content is to be presented in unison to all playback devices on the vehicle, the sequence being based at least in part upon the at least one characteristic of each of the plurality of unitary items of programming content.   
     
     
         9 . The at least one computer-readable storage medium of  claim 8 , wherein the act (B) comprises defining a manner of repeating the sequence. 
     
     
         10 . The at least one computer-readable storage medium of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one characteristic comprises a time at which the unitary item of programming content was created. 
     
     
         11 . The at least one computer-readable storage medium of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one characteristic comprises at least one of a start time at which playback of the unitary item of programming content is to begin, a finish time after which playback of the unitary item of programming content is not to begin, and an expiration time at which the unitary item of programming content is to be deleted. 
     
     
         12 . The at least one computer-readable storage medium of  claim 8 , wherein the act (B) comprises defining a programming channel on which each of the plurality of unitary items of programming content is to be made available based at least in part upon the at least one characteristic of each of the plurality of unitary items of programming content. 
     
     
         13 . The at least one computer-readable storage medium of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one characteristic comprises a content type. 
     
     
         14 . The at least one computer-readable storage medium of  claim 12 , wherein the act (B) comprises newly establishing a programming channel on which a first item of the plurality of unitary items of programming content is to be made available based at least in part upon the at least one characteristic of the first item. 
     
     
         15 . A system, comprising:
 at least one computer processor programmed to;   
       receive, on a vehicle, a plurality of unitary items of programming content each having at least one characteristic; and 
       define, on the vehicle, a sequence in which the plurality of items of content is to be presented in unison to all playback devices on the vehicle, the sequence being based at least in part upon the at least one characteristic of each of the plurality of unitary items of programming content. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one computer processor is programmed to define a manner of repeating the sequence. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one characteristic comprises a time at which the unitary item of programming content was created. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one characteristic comprises at least one of a start time at which playback of the unitary item of programming content is to begin, a finish time after which playback of the unitary item of programming content is not to begin, and an expiration time at which the unitary item of programming content is to be deleted. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one computer processor is programmed to define a programming channel on which each of the plurality of unitary items of programming content is to be made available based at least in part upon the at least one characteristic of each of the plurality of unitary items of programming content. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the at least one characteristic comprises a content type. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the at least one computer processor is programmed to newly establish a programming channel on which a first item of the plurality of unitary items of programming content is to be made available based at least in part upon the at least one characteristic of the first item.