Video Content distribution architecture

• US 20040143850A1
• Filed: 01/16/2003
• Published: 07/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: SBC Properties, L.P.
• Original Assignee: SBC Properties, L.P.
• Inventors: Costa, Pierre
• Application Number:
  US10/347,144
• Publication Number:
  US 20040143850A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/115
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2181 comprising remotely distributed storage units, e.g. when movies are replicated over a plurality of video servers distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS], H04L67/1097
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23805 Controlling the feeding rate to the network, e.g. by controlling the video pump
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Multiple videos in a particular set are distributed for local storage at central offices. Each of the videos is distributed to at least one but not all of the central offices. An order for a selected video from the set is received from a customer served by a first of central offices. If the selected video is not stored by the first central office but is stored by a second of the central offices, the selected video is downloaded from second central office to the first central office, and communicated from the first central office to the customer.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

distributing a first plurality of videos for storage at a plurality of central offices, each of the first plurality of videos being distributed to at least one but not all of the central offices;

receiving, from a customer served by a first of central offices, an order for a selected video from the first plurality of videos;

determining that the selected video is not stored by the first central office but is stored by a second of the central offices;

downloading the selected video from the second central office to the first central office; and

communicating the selected video from the first central office to the customer.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said distributing comprises randomly distributing the first plurality of videos for storage at the central offices.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

distributing a second plurality of videos for storage at all of the central offices.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

distributing, based on at least one demographic of central-office-served viewers, a plurality of videos for storage at the central offices.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising, after said distributing the first plurality of videos:

analyzing a plurality of video-on-demand orders; and

redistributing at least one of the first plurality of videos to the central offices based on said analyzing.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the first plurality of videos are distributed from at least one video server via a telecommunication network.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the telecommunication network comprises at least one of an asynchronous transfer mode network and an Internet Protocol network.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the selected video is communicated from the first central office to the customer via a digital subscriber line.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the order is received via the digital subscriber line.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the selected video is downloaded from the second central office to the first central office via a direct link between the first central office and the second central office.

11. A method comprising:

randomly distributing a first plurality of videos for storage at a plurality of central offices, each of the first plurality of videos being distributed to at least one but not all of the central offices;

distributing a second plurality of videos for storage at all of the central offices;

distributing, based on at least one demographic of central-office-served viewers, a third plurality of videos for storage at the central offices;

wherein the first, second, and third plurality of videos are distributed to the central offices from at least one video server via an asynchronous transfer mode network;

receiving, via a digital subscriber line from a customer served by a first of central offices, an order for a selected video from the first plurality of videos;

determining that the selected video is not stored by the first central office but is stored by a second of the central offices;

downloading the selected video from the second central office to the first central office via a direct link between the first central office and the second central office;

communicating the selected video from the first central office to the customer via the digital subscriber line;

analyzing a plurality of video-on-demand orders; and

redistributing at least one of the videos to the central offices based on said analyzing.

12. A system comprising:

a plurality of central offices; and

at least one video server having a manager to direct distribution of a first plurality of videos for storage at the central offices, each of the first plurality of videos being distributed to at least one but not all of the central offices;

wherein each of the central offices is to receive video-on-demand orders from an associated plurality of customers;

wherein a first of the central offices, in response to receiving an order for a selected video from a customer, is to download the selected video from a second of the central offices upon determining that the selected video is not stored by the first central office but is stored by the second central office, and to communicate the selected video from the first central office to the customer.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the manager is to direct a random distribution of the first plurality of videos for storage at the central offices.

14. The system of claim 12 wherein the manager is further to direct distribution of a second plurality of videos for storage at all of the central offices.

15. The system of claim 12 wherein the manager is further to direct distribution, based on at least one demographic of central-office-served viewers, of a plurality of videos for storage at the central offices.

16. The system of claim 12 wherein, after distributing the first plurality of videos, the manager is to analyze a plurality of video-on-demand orders, and to manage redistribution of at least one of the first plurality of videos to the central offices based thereon.

17. The system of claim 12 wherein the first plurality of videos are distributed from the at least one video server via a telecommunication network.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the telecommunication network comprises at least one of an asynchronous transfer mode network and an Internet Protocol network.

19. The system of claim 12 wherein the selected video is communicated from the first central office to the customer via a digital subscriber line.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the order is received via the digital subscriber line.

21. The system of claim 12 wherein the selected video is downloaded from the second central office to the first central office via a direct link between the first central office and the second central office.