Remote storage digital video recorder streaming and related methods

• US 10,194,183 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2016
• Issued: 01/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dish Technologies LLC (Dish Network Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Dish Technologies LLC (Dish Network Corporation)
• Inventors: Major, Robert Drew
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Hai V
• Application Number:
  US15/392,235
• Publication Number:
  US 20170188060A1
• Time in Patent Office: 762 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/16 Circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/03184 Details concerning the metric
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0876 Network utilisation, e.g. volume of load or congestion level
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0888 Throughput
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/63 Routing a service request depending on the request content or context
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2187 Live feed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23103 using load balancing strategies, e.g. by placing or distributing content on different disks, different memories or different servers storage management G06F3/0604; allocation of resources considering the load in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/505; techniques for rebalancing the load in a distributed system G06F9/5083; access to distributed or replicated servers, e.g. load balancing, in data networks H04L67/1001
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23106 involving caching operations prefetching while addressing of a memory level in which the access to the desired data or data block requires associative addressing means within memory systems or architectures G06F12/0862; caching at an intermediate stage in a data network H04L67/568
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23116 involving data replication, e.g. over plural servers synchronization of replicated data G06F11/1658; error detection or correction by means of data replication G06F11/2053; replication in distributed file systems G06F16/10; replication in distributed file systems G06F16/27; replication or mirroring of data in data networks H04L67/1095
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23406 involving management of server-side video buffer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23439 for generating different versions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/237 Communication with additional data server
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/238 Interfacing the downstream path of the transmission network, e.g. adapting the transmission rate of a video stream to network bandwidth; Processing of multiplex streams hybrid fiber coaxial [HFC] networks for downstream channel allocation for video distribution H04L12/2801; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; real-time communication protocols in data switching networks H04L65/00; scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2387 Stream processing in response to a playback request from an end-user, e.g. for trick-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2402 Monitoring of the downstream path of the transmission network, e.g. bandwidth available traffic monitoring in data switching networks H04L43/00; monitoring data switching networks utilization H04L43/0876
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26216 involving the channel capacity, e.g. network bandwidth admission control, resource allocation in open networks H04L12/5692; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; establishing a schedule or organising the servicing of application requests taking into account QoS H04L67/61
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26258 for generating a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlist, or scheduling item distribution according to such list retrieval of multimedia data based on playlists G06F16/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2747 Remote storage of video programs received via the downstream path, e.g. from the server
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/278 : Content descriptor database or directory service for end-user access details of content or meta data based information retrieval of video data in video databases G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 : embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4147 : PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 : Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4383 : Accessing a communication channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44004 : involving video buffer management, e.g. video decoder buffer or video display buffer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44209 : Monitoring of downstream path of the transmission network originating from a server, e.g. bandwidth variations of a wireless network arrangements for maintenance or administration in data switching networks involving bandwidth and capacity management H04L41/0896
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4621 : Controlling the complexity of the content stream or additional data, e.g. lowering the resolution or bit-rate of the video stream for a mobile client with a small screen arrangements for using the results of monitoring on user's side in broadcast systems H04H60/65; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 : Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4825 : using a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlists
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6106 : specially adapted to the downstream path of the transmission network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6131 : involving transmission via a mobile phone network wireless downlink channel access H04W74/006
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 : IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64707 : for transferring content from a first network to a second network, e.g. between IP and wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64723 : Monitoring of network processes or resources, e.g. monitoring of network load traffic related reporting in data switching networks H04L43/062
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64738 : Monitoring network characteristics, e.g. bandwidth, congestion level data switched network analysis H04L41/14; monitoring functioning in data switched networks H04L43/0817; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6581 : Reference data, e.g. a movie identifier for ordering a movie or a product identifier in a home shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 : Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8456 : by decomposing the content in the time domain, e.g. in time segments

Abstract

Systems, devices, and methods for streaming or otherwise delivering media content over a network are provided. One exemplary method of streaming media content over a network using a RS-DVR system involves receiving, at the RS-DVR system, a request for a portion of the media content from a media player on a client device via the network, receiving, at the RS-DVR system, the portion of the media content from an origin server on the network, buffering the portion of the media content at the RS-DVR system, and transmitting the portion of the media content to the media player on the client device. The portion of media content may be transmitted using a modified transport layer protocol, and in some embodiments, marked as non-cacheable.

Claims

1. A method of streaming media content of a live event over a network using a remote storage digital video recorder (RS-DVR) system, the method comprising:

determining a difference between a current utilization of backhaul bandwidth by the RS-DVR system and an allocated amount of backhaul bandwidth associated with the RS-DVR system exceeds a threshold value prior to receiving, at the RS-DVR system, a request for the media content from a media player on a client device via the network;

receiving, at the RS-DVR system, one or more encoded media segments corresponding to the live event from an origin server on the network;

creating, at the RS-DVR system, a shared access rights content file comprising the one or more encoded media segments corresponding to the live event in a temporary data storage at the RS-DVR system; and

transmitting, by the RS-DVR system, the one or more encoded media segments corresponding to the live event from the shared access rights content file to the media player on the client device, wherein the RS-DVR system marks the one or more encoded media segments being transmitted as cacheable.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the one or more encoded media segments further comprises transmitting the one or more encoded media segments of the media content marked as cacheable using a modified transport layer protocol.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein creating the shared access rights content file comprising the one or more encoded media segments in the temporary data storage comprises storing the one or more encoded media segments of the media content in a shared access rights buffer.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

receiving, at the RS-DVR system, a second request for the portion of the media content from a second media player on a second client device via the network; and

transmitting the one or more encoded media segments of the media content from the shared access rights buffer to the second media player on the second client device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the one or more encoded media segments of the media content from the origin server comprises receiving the one or more encoded media segments corresponding to the live event at a time of the request.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining available backhaul bandwidth associated with the RS-DVR system exists prior to receiving the request.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying, by a RS-DVR manager, the RS-DVR system from among a plurality of RS-DVR systems as currently streaming the media content in response to a second request for the portion of the media content from a second media player on a second client device; and

providing, by the RS-DVR manager, indication of the RS-DVR system to the second media player on the second client device, wherein the second media player requests the portion of the media content from the RS-DVR system in response to the indication.

8. The method of claim 1, the media content comprising a live event, the method further comprising automatically deleting the shared access rights content file at the RS-DVR system when the live event ends.

9. The method of claim 1, the temporary data storage comprising a first in, first out (FIFO) buffer, wherein the one or more encoded media segments are evicted from the FIFO buffer after delivery.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the one or more encoded media segments comprises the RS-DVR system instructing a networking component coupled to the RS-DVR system to transmit the one or more encoded media segments using a particular one of a plurality of backbone provider networks coupled to the data center router.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing, by the RS-DVR system, the one or more encoded media segments from the shared access rights content file to multiple media players concurrently.

12. A remote storage digital video recorder (RS-DVR) system comprising:

a network interface to communicate via a network;

a per-subscriber data storage to store per-subscriber rights media content;

a shared data storage to store shared rights media content; and

a processing module coupled to the network interface and the shared data storage to determine a difference between a current utilization of backhaul bandwidth by the RS-DVR system and an allocated amount of backhaul bandwidth associated with the RS-DVR system exceeds a threshold value prior to receiving a request to stream media content of a live event from a media player on a client device via the network, receive one or more encoded media segments corresponding the media content from an origin server on the network, store the one or more encoded media segments of the media content of the live event in the shared data storage, and transmit the one or more encoded media segments of the media content of the live event from the shared data storage to the media player on the client device via the network, wherein the processing module marks the one or more encoded media segments being transmitted from the shared data storage as cacheable prior to transmitting the one or more encoded media segments of the media content to the media player on the client device.

13. The RS-DVR system of claim 12, wherein the shared data storage comprises a buffer, the processing module storing the one or more encoded media segments of the media content in the buffer prior to transmitting the one or more encoded media segments of the media content.

14. The RS-DVR system of claim 12, wherein the processing module receives a second request for streaming the media content from a second media player on a second client device via the network and transmits the one or more encoded media segments of the media content from the shared data storage to the second media player on the second client device via the network.

15. The RS-DVR system of claim 12, wherein the processing module transmits the one or more encoded media segments of the media content to the media player on the client device using a modified transport layer protocol.

16. The RS-DVR system of claim 12, wherein:

the per-subscriber data storage and the shared data storage are physically distinct; and

the shared data storage is configured to support temporary storage of the one or more encoded media segments for purposes of live streaming.

17. A method of streaming media content of a live event over a network using a remote storage digital video recorder (RS-DVR) network, the method comprising:

receiving, at the RS-DVR network, a request for streaming the media content of the live event from a media player on a client device via the network;

identifying, at the RS-DVR network, a first RS-DVR system of a plurality of RS-DVR systems associated with the RS-DVR network for streaming the media content of the live event based on a difference between a current utilization of backhaul bandwidth by the first RS-DVR system and an allocated amount of backhaul bandwidth associated with the first RS-DVR system;

receiving, at the first RS-DVR system, one or more encoded media segments corresponding to the media content of the live event from an origin server on the network;

buffering, at the first RS-DVR system, the one or more encoded media segments of the media content of the live event in a shared access rights data storage at the first RS-DVR system; and

transmitting, by the first RS-DVR system, the one or more encoded media segments of the media content of the live event from the shared access rights data storage to the media player on the client device, wherein the first RS-DVR system marks the one or more encoded media segments being transmitted as cacheable.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

determining available backhaul bandwidth associated with the RS-DVR network exists; and

providing indication of availability of the RS-DVR network for streaming the media content to the media player on the client device via the network, wherein the media player transmits the request for streaming the media content after receiving the indication.