Network based digital video recorder playback adapter

• US 10,477,260 B2
• Filed: 10/17/2014
• Issued: 11/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cox Communications Incorporated (Cox Enterprises Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Cox Communications Incorporated (Cox Enterprises Incorporated)
• Inventors: Rothschild, Keith Alan, Ames, Jr., Robert Lee, Hardzog, Jr., Ronald Larry, Raza, Muhammad Asif
• Primary Examiner(s): Pendleton, Brian T
• Assistant Examiner(s): Saint Cyr, Jean D
• Application Number:
  US14/517,352
• Publication Number:
  US 20160112739A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,852 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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 21/2343 involving reformatting operations of video signals for distribution or compliance with end-user requests or end-user device requirements video transcoding H04N19/40; media packet handling at the source H04L65/762
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23439 for generating different versions
• 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 21/2393 involving handling client requests scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2541 Rights Management protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10; security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2665 Gathering content from different sources, e.g. Internet and satellite
• 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 21/4622 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 21/64322 IP
• 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 21/8456 by decomposing the content in the time domain, e.g. in time segments

Abstract

This disclosure describes systems and methods related to a network-based digital video recorder playback adapter. In some embodiments, a request for digital content may be received from a customer device. A plurality of segments associated with the digital content may be received. A content stream may be generated based at least in part on the plurality of segments associated with the digital content. The content stream may be transmitted. Additionally, load balancing may be implemented to optimally select a source of digital content. Additional load balancing may further be performed at a customer premises between multiple communicative connections to provide requested content to the client device.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

at least one memory storing computer-executable instructions; and

at least one processor, wherein the at least one processor is configured to access the at least one memory and to execute the computer executable instructions to;

identify a request for content from a client device, wherein the request is for a first signal type of the content;

determine that the content is available at a first source and a second source;

determine to load balance between the first source and the second source, wherein the first signal type is associated with the first source of the content and a second signal type is associated with the second source of the content;

identify at least one first metric associated with a first pathway to the first source, wherein;

the at least one first metric comprises a first latency associated with the first pathway;

identify at least one second metric associated with a second pathway to the second source, wherein;

the at least one second metric comprises a second latency associated with the second pathway;

identify at least one third metric associated with a third pathway with the client device;

load balance, based at least in part on the at least one first metric, the at least one second metric, and the at least one third metric, wherein to load balance includes to cause the content to be provided to the client device from the second source; and

transcode the content from the second signal type to the first signal type.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first source is an IP source and the second source is a QAM content source.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to transmit an indication to the client device that the content is to be provided from the first source.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein, to transcode the content from the second signal type to the first signal type, the at least one processor is further configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to:

receive the content from a QAM content source;

trans-encapsulate the content from the QAM content source as IP-based content; and

transmit the IP-based content to the client device.

5. A method, comprising:

identifying, by a home gateway device comprising one or more computer processors, a request for content from a client device, wherein the request is for a first signal type of the content;

determining, by the home gateway device, that the content is available at a first source and a second source;

determining to load balance between the first source and the second source, wherein the first signal type is associated with the first source of the content and a second signal type is associated with the second source of the content;

identifying, by the home gateway device, at least one first metric associated with a first pathway to the first source, wherein;

the at least one first metric comprises a first latency between the first source and the home gateway device;

identifying, by the home gateway device, at least one second metric associated with a pathway to the second source, wherein;

the at least one second metric comprises a second latency between the second source and the home gateway device;

identifying, by the home gateway device, at least one third metric associated with a third pathway to the client device;

load balancing, by the home gateway device and based at least in part on the at least one first metric, the at least one second metric, and the at least one third metric, wherein to load balance includes to cause the content to be provided to the client device from the second source; and

transcoding the content from the second signal type to the first signal type.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising transmitting, by the home gateway device, an indication to the client device that the content is to be provided from the first source.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein transcoding the content from the second signal type to the first signal type further comprises:

receiving, by the home gateway device, the content from a QAM content source;

trans-encapsulating, by the home gateway device, the content from the QAM content source as an IP-based content; and

transmitting, by the home gateway device, the IP-based content to the client device.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein:

the request for content includes an identifier of the content, and

determining that the content is available at a first source and a second source comprises;

providing the identifier to the first source, in response to querying the content and

providing the identifier to the second source, in response to querying the content.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the at least one first metric includes available bandwidth between the first source and the home gateway, and wherein the at least one second metric includes available bandwidth between the second source and the home gateway.

10. A system, comprising:

at least one memory storing computer-executable instructions; and

at least one processor, wherein the at least one processor is configured to access the at least one memory and to execute the computer executable instructions to;

identify a request for content from a client device, wherein the request is for a first signal type of the content;

identify at least one first metric associated with a first pathway between the client device and a network, wherein;

the at least one first metric comprises a first latency associated with the first pathway;

identify at least one second metric associated with a second pathway between the client device and the network, wherein;

the at least one second metric comprises a second latency associated with the second pathway;

identify at least one third metric associated with a third pathway between the client device and the network, wherein the at least one third metric comprises a third latency associated with the third pathway;

determine to load balance between the first pathway, the second pathway, and the third pathway, wherein the first pathway is associated with the first signal type of the content and the second pathway is associated with a second signal type of the content; and

load balance, based at least in part on the at least one first metric, the at least one second metric, and the at least one third metric, wherein to load balance includes to cause the content to be provided to the client device via the second pathway; and

transcode the content from the second signal type to the first signal type.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein to identify a request for content from the client device comprises intercepting the request for content.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one first metric includes available bandwidth via the first pathway, the at least one second metric includes available bandwidth via the second pathway, and the at least one third metric includes available bandwidth via the third pathway.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the second pathway is one of:

(i) a multimedia over cable (MoCA) connection, (ii) an Ethernet connection, or (iii) a WiFi connection.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein to determine that the content is to be provided to the client device via the second pathway comprises:

determining that a first available bandwidth associated with the second pathway is greater than both (i) a second available bandwidth associated with the first pathway, and (ii) a third available bandwidth associated with the third pathway.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein to identify the at least one first metric associated with the first pathway between the client device and the network comprises identifying the at least one first metric based at least in part on the request for content.

16. A method, comprising:

identifying, by a gateway device comprising one or more computer processors, a request for content from a client device, wherein the request is for a first signal type of the content;

identifying, by the gateway device, at least one first metric associated with a first pathway between the client device and a network, wherein;

the at least one first metric comprises a first latency associated with the first pathway;

identifying, by the gateway device, at least one second metric associated with a second pathway between the client device and the network, wherein;

the at least one second metric comprises a second latency associated with the second pathway;

identifying, by the gateway device, at least one third metric associated with a third pathway with the client device, wherein the at least one third metric comprises a third latency associated with the third pathway;

determining to load balance between the first pathway, the second pathway, and the third pathway, wherein the first pathway is associated with the first signal type of the content and the second pathway is associated with a second signal type of the content;

load balancing, by the gateway device and based at least in part on the at least one first metric, the at least one second metric, and the at least one third metric, wherein to load balance includes to cause the content to be provided to the client device via the second pathway; and

transcoding the content from the second signal type into the first signal type.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein identifying a request for content from the client device comprises intercepting the request for content.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the at least one first metric includes available bandwidth via the first pathway, the at least one second metric includes available bandwidth via the second pathway, and the at least one third metric includes available bandwidth via the third pathway.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the second pathway is one of:

(i) a multimedia over cable (MoCA) connection, (ii) an Ethernet connection, or (iii) a WiFi connection.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein determining that the content is to be provided to the client device via the second pathway comprises determining that a second available bandwidth associated with the second pathway is greater than both (i) a first available bandwidth associated with the first pathway, and (ii) a third available bandwidth associated with the third pathway.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein transcoding the content from the second signal type to the first signal type further comprises:

receiving, by the gateway device, the content as a quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) signal;

trans-encoding, by the gateway device, the received content from a QAM signal to an internet protocol (IP) streaming signal; and

transmitting, by the gateway device, the IP streaming signal to the client device.