System and Method for Failsoft Headend Operation

• US 20080313681A1
• Filed: 01/31/2005
• Published: 12/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Woundy, Richard M., Zundel, Jean-Pol, Hartley, Harry, Black, Neville
• Application Number:
  US10/597,549
• Publication Number:
  US 20080313681A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/93
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2801 Broadband local area networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23608 Remultiplexing multiplex streams, e.g. involving modifying time stamps or remapping the packet identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2381 Adapting the multiplex stream to a specific network, e.g. an Internet Protocol [IP] network transmission of MPEG streams over ATM H04L12/5601
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42676 for modulating an analogue carrier signal to encode digital information or demodulating it to decode digital information, e.g. ADSL or cable modem
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/437 Interfacing the upstream path of the transmission network, e.g. for transmitting client requests to a VOD server flow control in data networks H04L47/10; streaming protocols, e.g. RTP or RTCP, H04L65/65; scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests in data packet switching networks H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6118 involving cable transmission, e.g. using a cable modem
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6168 involving cable transmission, e.g. using a cable modem
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6437 Real-time Transport Protocol [RTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17309 Transmission or handling of upstream communications

Abstract

A complex, multiple location consumer communication and content delivery system includes a plurality of headend facilities and a central facility including a database. A distributed information technology (IT) architecture involves back office IT infrastructure located at the central facility, and headend IT infrastructure located at each headend facility. Headend IT infrastructure may be provided with a policy setting limits for transactions that normally require real-time access to the central database. The headend is programmed to handle real-time transactions, without real-time access to the central database, in accordance with the set policy limits.

Claims

1. A method for failsoft headend operation in a complex, multiple location consumer communication and content delivery system, the system including a plurality of headend facilities, the system further including a central facility including a central database, and the system further including a distributed information technology (IT) architecture wherein a back office IT infrastructure is located at the central facility and wherein each headend facility includes a headend IT infrastructure, the method comprising:

providing a policy to a headend IT infrastructure, the policy defining policy limits for transactions that normally require real-time access to the central database; and

handling real-time transactions with the headend IT infrastructure, without real-time access to the central database, in accordance with the policy limits.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

handling non-real-time transactions at least partially with the back office IT infrastructure.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

handling real-time transactions at least partially with the back office IT infrastructure, with real-time access to the central database, for real-time transactions that fall outside of the policy limits.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining an availability of access to the central database from the headend facility; and

in the event that access to the central database is unavailable, handling real-time transactions with the headend IT infrastructure, without real-time access to the central database, in accordance with the policy limits, thereby providing failsoft headend facility operation.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the headend facilities is for a cable television system.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the central database is realized as a relational database.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the central database is realized as an LDAP/X.500 directory.

8. A method for failsoft headend operation in a complex, multiple location consumer communication and content delivery system, the system including a plurality of headend facilities, the system further including a central facility including a central database, and the system further including a distributed information technology (IT) architecture wherein a back office IT infrastructure is located at the central facility and wherein each headend facility includes a headend IT infrastructure, the method comprising:

for each headend facility, providing a policy to the associated headend IT infrastructure, the policy defining policy limits for transactions that normally require real-time access to the central database; and

for each headend facility, in the event that access to the central database is unavailable, handling real-time transactions with the associated headend IT infrastructure, without real-time access to the central database, in accordance with the associated policy limits, thereby providing failsoft headend facility operation.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

for each headend facility, handling non-real-time transactions at least partially with the back office IT infrastructure.

10. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

for each headend facility, handling real-time transactions at least partially with the back office IT infrastructure, with real-time access to the central database, for real-time transactions that fall outside of the associated policy limits.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein at least one of the headend facilities is for a cable television system.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein the system is a cable television network and the headend facilities for cable television systems.

13. The method of claim 8 wherein the central database is realized as a relational database.

14. The method of claim 8 wherein the central database is realized as an LDAP/X.500 directory.

15. A complex, multiple location consumer communication and content delivery system, the system comprising:

a plurality of headend facilities;

a central facility including a central database;

a distributed information technology (IT) architecture wherein a back office IT infrastructure is located at the central facility and wherein each headend facility includes a headend IT infrastructure; and

wherein at least one headend IT infrastructure is provided with a policy defining policy limits for transactions that normally require real-time access to the central database, and is programmed to handle real-time transactions, without real-time access to the central database, in accordance with the policy limits.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the at least one headend IT infrastructure is programmed to handle non-real-time transactions at least partially with the back office IT infrastructure.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein the at least one headend IT infrastructure is programmed to handle real-time transactions at least partially with the back office IT infrastructure, with real-time access to the central database, for real-time transactions that fall outside of the policy limits.

18. The system of claim 15 wherein the at least one headend IT infrastructure is programmed to determine an availability of access to the central database, and in the event that access to the central database is unavailable, handle real-time transactions, without real-time access to the central database, in accordance with the policy limits, thereby providing failsoft headend facility operation.

19. The system of claim 15 wherein at least one of the headend facilities is for a cable television system.

20. The system of claim 15 wherein the central database is realized as a relational database.

21. The system of claim 15 wherein the central database is realized as an LDAP/X.500 directory.