Updating content libraries by transmitting release data

• US 20060218218A1
• Filed: 03/09/2005
• Published: 09/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NBC Universal Media LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Vvond, LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Ganesan, Prasanna, Rossmann, Alain, Miranz, Tony, Matloub, Shahriyar
• Granted Patent: US 8,887,224 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/200
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2225 Local VOD servers
• 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 21/4325 by playing back content from the storage medium reproduction of recorded television signals H04N5/76; reproduction of recorded television signals H04N9/79
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6543 for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording remote booting in general G06F9/4416

Abstract

There are many boxes (e.g., set-top boxes) in a system offering media services to users. Each of the boxes maintains a library with a significant number of titles. Techniques for updating the library in each of these boxes using a transmission infrastructure are described. According to one aspect of the techniques, a service provider is provided with a high bandwidth broadcasting or multicasting capability, a release fragmented into a header and several segments is transmitted to all boxes that are respectively configured to receive a proper release package to update the library. Alternatively, separate release packages may be transmitted via different channels to the boxes, wherein each of the boxes is tuned to a proper channel to receive a proper release package.

Claims

1. A method for keeping a library dynamically updated, the method comprising:

preparing a release in a data package, the release including at least a title to update the library; and

transmitting the data package via a transmission infrastructure to boxes in service, wherein each of the boxes is configured to locally cache at least a portion of the data package, and not every one of the boxes caches an identical portion of the data package.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the title corresponds to a file being a collection of data together with auxiliary data, if there is such auxiliary data, the file is divided into a header and several segments, and the data package includes the header and the several segments for the title.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the portion of the data package locally cached in the each of the boxes includes the header and none, or at least one of the segments.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the data package includes a plurality of release packages, each Including the header and none, or at least one of the segments.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the transmitting of the data package comprises:

allocating a channel for each of the release packages; and

transmitting each of the release packages substantially at the same time via the channel to the boxes respectively configured to be automatically tuned to the channel.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein each of the boxes is configured to recover the header and none, or at least one of the segments for title, and as a result, the library in the each of the boxes is updated with the title.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein, when one of the boxes is not available to receive any one of the release packages at the time of the data package being transmitted, the one of the boxes is configured to retrieve one of the release packages from one or more of the boxes.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the one of the boxes is configured to update the library with the title whenever the header for the title is successfully retrieved.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein, when the title in the library is ordered, the segments for the title are simultaneously downloaded from respective ones of the boxes that collectively have the segments.

10. The method of claim 2, wherein a size of the header is substantially close to zero, and when the title in the library is ordered, the segments for the title are simultaneously downloaded from respective ones of the boxes that collectively have the segments.

11. The method of claim 2, wherein the transmission infrastructure Includes one or more of a satellite network, a cable network, and an IP network with multicasting support.

12. The method of claim 2, wherein the transmitting of the data package via the transmission infrastructure to boxes in service is carried out via broadcasting or multicasting.

13. A system for keeping a library dynamically updated, the system comprising:

a transmission infrastructure;

a plurality of boxes configured to provide media services, each of the boxes maintaining the library including a plurality of titles, wherein the transmission infrastructure is capable of broadcasting or multicasting a release in a data package to all of the boxes, should all of the boxes be available to receive at least a portion of the data package, and

wherein the release includes at least a new title to update the library, and not every one of the boxes caches an identical portion of the data package.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the transmission infrastructure includes one or more of a satellite network, a cable network and an IP network with multicasting support.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the transmission infrastructure is configured to be able to broadcast or multicast the data package to all of the boxes at substantially high bandwidth.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the title corresponds to a file being a collection of data together with auxiliary data, If there is such auxiliary data, the file is divided into a header and several segments, the data package includes the header and the several segments for the title.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the portion of the data package locally cached in the each of the boxes includes the header and none, or at least one of the segments.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the data package includes a plurality of release packages, each Including the header and none, or at least one of the segments.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the portion of the data package received in one the boxes is one of the release packages.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein, when one of the boxes is not available to receive any one of the release packages at the time of the data package being transmitted, the one of the boxes is configured to retrieve one of the release packages from one or more of the boxes.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the one of the boxes Is configured to update the library with the title whenever the header for the title is successfully retrieved.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein, when the title in the library is ordered, the segments for the title are simultaneously downloaded from respective ones of the boxes that collectively have the segments.

23. A method for keeping a library dynamically updated, the method comprising:

transmitting, periodically or at a predefined time and via a transmission infrastructure, data packages respectively pertaining to a pluralilty of titles, wherein the data packages were previously transmitted in one or more releases to boxes in service,

wherein at least a new box is configured to receive the data packages and retain some or all of the data packages in accordance with instructions from a server computing device configured to manage media services to the boxes as well as the new box, and

wherein the library in the new box is updated accordingly In response to the retained some or all of the data packages.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the instructions indicate how outdated the library is in the new box.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the instructions further include information on a number of titles that should be added to the library in the new box.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein each of the data packages includes at least a header and one or more segments that collectively pertains to one of the titles, and the new box retains the header and none or at least one of the segments.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein the transmission infrastructure includes one or more of a satellite network, a cable network and an IP network with multicasting support.

28. The system of claim 23, wherein the transmission Infrastructure is configured to be able to broadcast or multicast the data packages to the boxes and the new box at substantially high bandwidth.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the data packages are not retained in the boxes provided that the library In each of the boxes is updated while the data packages are selectively retained in the new box.

30. The system of claim 23, wherein the now box is either newly-installed or has been out of services for a period of time.