Multi-user personalized digital multimedia distribution methods and systems

• US 20050183120A1
• Filed: 01/12/2005
• Published: 08/18/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: IP Video Systems
• Original Assignee: IP Video Systems
• Inventors: Iyer, Mahadevan, Iyer, Shanker, Kowkuntla, Satish, Jain, Saurabh
• Application Number:
  US11/034,124
• Publication Number:
  US 20050183120A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2225 Local VOD servers
• 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 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• 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 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• 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 21/4786 e-mailing message switching systems, e.g. electronic mail systems H04L51/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6408 Unicasting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8456 by decomposing the content in the time domain, e.g. in time segments
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17336 Handling of requests in head-ends

Abstract

A media distribution technique employs a multi-user server positioned at the terminal end of a broadcast media network. The server receives broadcast media signals and selectively captures a portion of the signals for live personalized media streaming and/or storage for later personalized media streaming and/or download over a local distribution network to a collection of user receivers. Request/control streams sent from the receivers to the server control real-time personalization of the media streams such as trick-play functions and channel selection. Buffering and data storage segmentation techniques are used to provide highly responsive personal video recorder-like functionality to the multiple end users.

Claims

1. A multi-user personalized multimedia distribution method comprising:

broadcasting over a media broadcast network a plurality of media signals from a plurality of network transmitters located at a head end of the media broadcast network;

receiving and storing the plurality of media signals at a multi-user media server located at a terminal point of the media broadcast network;

generating from the plurality of media signals a plurality of corresponding personalized unicast media streams independently customized using a plurality of stored personalization preferences; and

transmitting the plurality of personalized media streams from the multi-user media server over a media stream distribution network to a corresponding plurality of end user devices associated with the stored personalization preferences.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving and storing the plurality of media signals at the multi-user media server comprises selectively recording live broadcast channels as determined by the plurality of stored personalization preferences.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving and storing the plurality of media signals at the multi-user media server comprises selectively recording live broadcast channels as determined by system administrator control signals transmitted from a remote location to the multi-user media server.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the stored personalization preferences are specified at least in part by an entity selected from the group consisting of an end user and a system operator.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein transmitting the plurality of personalized media streams is responsive to media requests transmitted from the end user devices to the multi-user media server.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of personalized media streams may be independently time-shifted.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing an end user device with a user interface presenting user options for controlling and customizing a corresponding unicast media stream, generating a media control stream in response to a selected user option, and transmitting the media control stream from the end user device to the multi-user media server.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein generating the plurality of personalized media streams comprises introducing a media time shift operations on the corresponding unicast media streams in accordance with the media control stream.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein transmitting the media control stream is implemented using RTSP or a variant thereof.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving and storing the plurality of media signals comprises segmenting each of the media signals into separate media chunks, time-tagging each media chunk with a unique time tag identifying a start time of the media chunk, and storing the separate media chunks.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein segmenting each of the media signals into separate media chunks uses a chunk size selected based on an indexing capacity of a storage device used to store the media chunks.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the media signals are encoded media signals and wherein the segmenting is performed without decoding the encoded media signals.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving and storing the plurality of media signals at the multi-user media server comprises storing the plurality of media signals on a distributed data storage system.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving and storing the plurality of media signals comprises updating a media chunk index.

15. The method of claim 1 further comprising generating at an end user device a request for a fresh stream from the multi-user media server in response to an empty stream buffer state lasting longer than a predetermined minimum threshold.

16. The method of claim 1 further comprising restarting a unicast stream and resetting a media start time at the multi-user media server in response to a gap in a media signal lasting longer than a predetermined threshold.

17. The method of claim 1 further comprising generating at the multi-user media server a fresh unicast stream in response to a request by an end user device, wherein the fresh stream comprises an additional buffer portion of the media stream.

18. The method of claim 1 further comprising generating a the multi-user media server an initial unicast media stream burst in response to receiving a request from an end user to change media channels.

19. The method of claim 1 further comprising generating at the multi-user media server an initial unicast media stream burst in response to receiving a trick-play control request from an end user.

20. The method of claim 1 further comprising transmitting over a back-end peer-to-peer network layer an on-demand media signal from a network transmitter located at a head end of the media network.

21. The method of claim 1 wherein the media signals comprise a media selected from the group consisting of broadcast media, on-demand prerecorded media, advertisements, video blogs, audiovisual media, and audio media.

22. The method of claim 1 wherein the media broadcast network comprises a network selected from the group consisting of a cable media network, a satellite media network, a wireless television broadcast network, and a video storage playback device.

23. The method of claim 1 wherein transmitting the plurality of personalized media streams comprises embedding the media streams in RTP packets and transmitting the RTP packets using TCP/IP.

24. The method of claim 1 wherein the media stream distribution network comprises a network selected from the group consisting of an IP network, a wifi network, and a two-way enabled multi-dwelling unit cable plant.

25. The method of claim 1 wherein the end user device is a device selected from the group consisting of a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a hand-held computer, and a set-top box coupled with a television.

26. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving and storing the plurality of media signals at the multi-user media server comprises encrypting the media signals for secure storage.

27. The method of claim 1 wherein independently generating a plurality of personalized unicast media streams comprises encrypting each of the personalized unicast media streams using an encryption key specific to each unicast media stream.

28. The method of claim 1 further comprising performing an authorization check to authorize a user device to receive a specified media content.

29. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a management server in secure communication with multiple multi-user media servers, wherein the management server provides one of the multi-user media servers with one or more media encryption keys.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein the management server performs an authorization check to authorize a user device to receive a specified media content.

31. The method of claim 29 wherein the management server maintains a network map of multiple multi-user media servers and assigns user devices to multi-user media servers.

32. The method of claim 29 wherein the management server transparently connects a user device to a multi-user media server capable of delivering a unicast stream to the user device at a required quality level.

33. A multi-user personalized multimedia distribution system comprising:

a media broadcast network,

a plurality of network transmitters located at a head end of the media broadcast network,

a multi-user media server located at a terminal point of the media broadcast network,

a media stream distribution network connected to the multi-user media server, and

a plurality of end user devices connected to the media stream distribution network;

wherein the multi-user media server comprises;

an input processor for receiving from the media broadcast network a plurality of media signals transmitted from the plurality of network transmitters;

a storage device for storing the plurality of media signals;

a streaming module for generating from the plurality of media signals a plurality of corresponding personalized unicast media streams independently customized using a plurality of stored personalization preferences; and

an output processor for transmitting the personalized unicast streams over the media stream distribution network to the plurality of end user devices.

34. The system of claim 33 wherein an end user device comprises a user interface presenting user options for controlling and customizing a corresponding unicast media stream, a network interface for transmitting from the end user device to the multi-user media server a media control stream in response to a selected user option. Wherein the unicast media streams are time-shifted in accordance with requests contained in the media control stream.

35. The system of claim 33 wherein the multi-user media server comprises a segmentation module for segmenting each of the media signals into separate media chunks and time-tagging each media chunk with a unique time tag identifying a start time of the media chunk, and wherein the storage device stores the media signals in the form of separate media chunks.

36. The system of claim 33 wherein media chunks have a chunk size selected based on an indexing capacity of the storage device.

37. The system of claim 33 wherein the storage device is a distributed data storage system.

38. The system of claim 33 wherein the media broadcast network comprises a network selected from the group consisting of a cable media network, a satellite media network, a wireless television broadcast network, and a video storage playback device.

39. The system of claim 33 wherein the media stream distribution network comprises a network selected from the group consisting of an IP network, a wifi network, and a two-way enabled multi-dwelling unit cable plant.

40. The system of claim 33 wherein the end user device is a device selected from the group consisting of a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a hand-held computer, and a set-top box coupled with a television.

41. The system of claim 33 wherein the multi-user media server comprises an encoder for encrypting the media signals prior to storage.

42. The system of claim 33 further comprising an authorization server for performing an authorization check to authorize a user device to receive a specified media content from the multi-user media server.

43. The system of claim 33 further comprising multiple multi-user media servers and a management server in secure communication with the multiple multi-user media servers.

44. The system of claim 43 wherein the management server provides the multi-user media server with one or more media encryption keys.

45. The system of claim 43 wherein the management server maintains a network map of multiple multi-user media servers and assigns user devices to multi-user media servers.

46. The system of claim 43 wherein the management server transparently connects a user device to a multi-user media server capable of delivering a unicast stream to the user device at a required quality level.

47. A multi-user media server comprising:

an input processor for receiving from a media broadcast network a plurality of media signals transmitted from a plurality of network transmitters;

a storage device for storing the plurality of media signals;

a streaming module for generating from the plurality of media signals a plurality of corresponding personalized unicast media streams independently customized using a plurality of stored personalization preferences; and

an output processor for transmitting the personalized unicast streams over a media stream distribution network to a plurality of end user devices.

48. The server of claim 47 wherein the input processor selectively receives live broadcast channels as determined by the plurality of stored personalization preferences.

49. The server of claim 47 wherein the input processor selectively receives live broadcast channels as determined by system administrator control signals transmitted from a remote location to the multi-user media server.

50. The server of claim 47 wherein the stored personalization preferences are specified at least in part by an end user.

51. The server of claim 47 wherein the stored personalization preferences are specified at least in part by a system operator.

52. The server of claim 47 wherein each of the plurality of personalized media streams may be independently time-shifted.

53. The server of claim 47 further comprising a segmentation module for segmenting each of the media signals into separate media chunks and time-tagging each media chunk with a unique time tag identifying a start time of the media chunk, and wherein the storage device stores the media signals in the form of separate media chunks.

54. The server of claim 47 wherein media chunks have a chunk size selected based on an indexing capacity of the storage device.

55. The server of claim 47 wherein the media signals are encoded media signals and wherein the encoded media signals are segmented into separate encoded media chunks without decoding.

56. The server of claim 47 wherein the storage device is a distributed data storage system.

57. The server of claim 47 further comprising an encoder for encrypting the media signals prior to storage.