CONTENT STORAGE AND DELIVERY SYSTEMS AND ASSOCIATED METHODS

• US 20080141321A1
• Filed: 03/30/2007
• Published: 06/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Services Organization Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: KUBAT, Peter, Weintraub, Michael A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,646,016 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/110
• 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 21/23113 involving housekeeping operations for stored content, e.g. prioritizing content for deletion because of storage space restrictions storage management, e.g. defragmentation G06F3/0604; snloading stored programs G06F9/445; housekeeping operations in file systems, e.g. deletion policies G06F16/10; buffering arrangements in a network node or in an end terminal in packet networks H04L49/90
• 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 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4335 Housekeeping operations, e.g. prioritizing content for deletion because of storage space restrictions storage management, e.g. defragmentation G06F3/0604; unloading stored programs G06F9/445; storage management in file systems G06F16/10; buffering arrangements in a network node or in an end terminal in packet networks H04L49/90
• 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 21/6405 Multicasting data broadcast and multicast in packet switching networks H04L12/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for the storage of content on a network and the delivery of content to subscriber locations. According to one system and method, content is delivered to a set-top box from a content source in the process of transmitting the same content to another set-top box. The content source instructs a shared router to duplicate the content such that the content is transmitted to the requesting set-top boxes substantially simultaneously. According to another system and method, a server and cache provide dynamic caching of content such that requests for content are satisfied from the cache if possible. If the requested content is not found in the cache, the content is requested from alternate source and added to the cache. Weight values associated with the stored files are updated such that the more frequently requested files are maintained in the cache.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a plurality of set-top boxes configured to interface with a communications network;

a first content source configured to interface with the communications network and to receive requests for content from at least some of the set-top boxes; and

a router configured to communicate with the first content source, the alternate content sources, and the set-top boxes;

wherein the first content source is configured to instruct the router to duplicate the requested content, in instances in which the first content source is transmitting the requested content to the first set-top box via the router when a request for the same content is received from the second set-top box, such that at least a portion of the content is transmitted to both the first and second set-top boxes substantially simultaneously.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first content source is configured to instruct the router to transmit a first portion of the content to the second set-top box starting at a content boundary corresponding to or following the point during transmission of the content to the first set-top box at which the request from the second set-top box was received.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the first content source is configured to request a second portion of the content, corresponding to a part of the content transmitted to the first set-top box before the request from the second set-top box was received, from at least one alternate content source.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the second set-top box is configured to assemble the first and second portions of the content into a complete content file.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first content source is configured to multicast the content to the first and second set-top boxes.

6. A system comprising:

a plurality of set-top boxes configured to interface with a communications network;

at least one content source configured to interface with the communications network, to receive requests for content, and to transmit content;

a router connected to the communications network and configured to forward the requested content toward a requesting set-top box from among the plurality of set-top boxes; and

a server configured to interface with the communications network, receive a request for content from the requesting set-top box, and receive and transmit content via the router, the server comprising a cache configured to store content and having a predefined capacity;

wherein, if the requested content is in the cache, the server is configured to access the requested content from the cache and to transmit a copy of the content via the router to the requesting set-top box, and, if the requested content is not in the cache, the server is configured to request the content from the at least one content source, to delete content previously stored in the cache selectively, to store a copy of the content in the cache, and to transmit a copy of the content to the requesting set-top box.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the server is configured to delete previously stored content from the cache if the storage of requested content would exceed the predefined capacity of the cache.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the server is configured to assign a weight value to the content when the content is stored in the cache and to adjust each assigned weight value of previously stored content when requested content is stored in the cache and when the previously stored content is accessed from the cache.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the server is configured to assign a predefined weight value to the requested content that is stored in the cache, to change in one direction each weight value of the previously stored content if the requested content is stored in the cache, and to change in the other direction the weight values of the previously stored content if the previously stored content is accessed from the cache.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the server is configured to adjust the weight values of the previously stored content linearly.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the server is configured to adjust the weight values of the previously stored content non-linearly.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the server is configured to select the previously stored content to delete according to the assigned weight value.

13. A method comprising:

transmitting content from a content source to a first requesting set-top box via a router;

receiving at the content source a request for the same content from a second set-top box; and

instructing the router to duplicate the content such that at least a portion of the content is transmitted to both the first and second set-top boxes substantially simultaneously.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein instructing the router comprises instructing the router to transmit a first portion of the content to the second set-top box starting at a content boundary corresponding to or following the point during transmission of the content to the first set-top box at which the request from the second set-top box was received.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising requesting a second portion of the content, corresponding to a part of the content transmitted to the first set-top box before the request from the second set-top box was received, from an alternate content source.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein instructing the router comprises instructing the router to multicast the content to the first and second set-top boxes.

17. A method comprising:

receiving at a server a request for content from a requesting set-top box;

determining at the server whether the requested content is stored in a cache of the server;

transmitting a copy of the content from the cache to the requesting set-top box if the content is in the cache; and

requesting the content from a content source, selectively deleting content previously stored in the cache, storing a copy of the requested content in the cache, and transmitting a copy of the requested content to the requesting set-top box if the requested content is not in the cache.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising deleting previously stored content from the cache if the storage of the requested content would exceed a predefined capacity of the cache.

19. The method of claim 17 further comprising assigning a weight value to the content when the content is stored in the cache and adjusting each assigned weight value of previously stored content when requested content is stored in the cache and when the previously stored content is accessed from the cache.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein assigning and adjusting the weight values comprises assigning a predefined weight value to the requested content that is stored in the cache, changing in one direction each weight value of the previously stored content if the requested content is stored in the cache, and changing in the other direction the weight values of the previously stored content if the previously stored content is accessed from the cache.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein adjusting the weight values comprises adjusting the weight values of the previously stored content linearly.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein adjusting the weight values comprises adjusting the weight values of the previously stored content non-linearly.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein deleting previously stored content comprises selecting the previously stored content to delete according to the assigned weight value.