Video Delivery Module

• US 20090083813A1
• Filed: 01/29/2008
• Published: 03/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Akamai Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Verivue Incorporated (Akamai Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hluchyj, Michael G., Lawler, Christopher, Krishnan, Santosh, Reddy, Uma, Pai, Ganesh, Gruber, Rubin, Dolce, James A., Van Seters, Stephen
• Application Number:
  US12/021,715
• Publication Number:
  US 20090083813A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/93
• 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 21/6408 Unicasting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/16 Analogue secrecy systems; Analogue subscription systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Described herein are techniques, including methods and systems, including computer program products, for a video delivery module. A broadcast program and a video-on-demand program are ingested by a video delivery module. At least a portion of the broadcast program and at least a portion of the video-on-demand program are stored. The broadcast program, the video-on-demand program, or both are delivered as a unicast video stream to a first single subscriber through a multiplexer connected to a plurality of subscribers.

Claims

1. A video delivery module comprising:

a network interface controller module connected to a network interface port and configured to receive a broadcast program and a video-on-demand program from a network and transmit the broadcast program, the video-on-demand program, or both to a subscriber;

a media module configured to process the broadcast program, the video-on-demand program, or both for storage and process the broadcast program, the video-on-demand program, or both for delivery to the subscriber;

a storage module configured to store the broadcast program, the video-on-demand program, or both; and

a switch fabric configured to connect the network interface controller module to the media module, connect the media module to the storage module, connect the storage module to the media module, connect the media module to the network interface controller module, or any combination thereof.

2. The video delivery module of claim 1, wherein the storage module comprises a media storage controller module, a broadcast circular buffer module, or both.

3. The video delivery module of claim 2 further comprises the media storage controller module further configured to store a plurality of advertisement programs.

4. The video delivery module of claim 3, wherein the media module comprises an ingest media module, a delivery media module, or both.

5. The video delivery module of claim 4 further comprises the ingest media module further configured to insert an advertisement program, which is selected from the plurality of advertisement programs based on information associated with a plurality of subscribers, during processing of the broadcast program, the video-on-demand program, or both for storage.

6. The video delivery module of claim 4 further comprises the delivery media module further configured to insert an advertisement program, which is selected from the plurality of advertisement programs based on information associated with the subscriber, during processing of the broadcast program, the video-on-demand program, or both for the subscriber.

7. The video delivery module of claim 4 further comprising the ingest media module further configured to index the broadcast program, the video-on-demand program, or both.

8. The video delivery module of claim 7 further comprising the ingest media module further configured to determine a location in the indexed program to begin the transmission of the indexed program.

9. The video delivery module of claim 7 further comprising the broadcast circular buffer module further configured to store a portion of the broadcast program based on the index of the broadcast program.

10. The video delivery module of claim 2 further comprises the broadcast circular buffer module further configured to store a portion of the broadcast program.

11. The video delivery module of claim 1, wherein the switch fabric directly connects two modules to transfer the broadcast program, the video-on-demand program, or both between the two modules.

12. The video delivery module of claim 1, wherein the switch fabric comprises a data switch fabric, a media switch fabric, or both.

13. The video delivery module of claim 12 further comprising the data switch fabric further configured to connect the network interface controller module to a media module, to connect the media module to the network interface controller module, or both.

14. The video delivery module of claim 12 further comprising the media switch fabric further configured to connect the media module to a storage module, to connect the storage module to the media module, or both.

15. The video delivery module of claim 1 further comprising the network interface controller module further configured to classify data, based on information associated with the data and determine whether to accept the data based on the classification of the data.

16. The video delivery module of claim 1 further comprising the network interface controller module further configured to schedule the transmission of the broadcast program, the video-on-demand program, or both to the subscriber based on information associated with the network.

17. A video delivery module comprising:

a means, connected to a network interface port, for receiving a broadcast program and a video-on-demand program from a network and transmitting the broadcast program, the video-on-demand program, or both to a subscriber;

a means for processing the broadcast program, the video-on-demand program, or both for storage and processing the broadcast program, the video-on-demand program, or both for delivery to the subscriber;

a means for storing the broadcast program, the video-on-demand program, or both; and

a means for connecting the network interface controller module to the media module, connecting the media module to the storage module, connecting the storage module to the media module, connecting the media module to the network interface controller module, or any combination thereof.

18. A video delivery module comprising:

a network interface controller module connected to a network interface port and configured to receive a video program from a network and transmit the video program to a subscriber;

a media module configured to process the video program for storage and process the video program for delivery to the subscriber;

a data switch fabric configured to connect the network interface controller module to the media module;

a storage module configured to store the video program; and

a media switch fabric configured to connect the media module to the storage module.

19. A method of processing a program in a video delivery module, the method comprising:

receiving, at a network interface controller module connected to a network interface port, a broadcast program and a video-on-demand program from a network;

connecting, by a switch fabric, the network interface controller module to a media module;

processing, by the media module, the broadcast program, the video-on-demand program, or both for storage;

connecting, by the switch fabric, the media module to a storage module;

storing, by the storage module, the broadcast program, the video-on-demand program, or both;

connecting, by the switch fabric, the storage module to the media module;

processing, by the media module, the broadcast program, the video-on-demand program, or both for delivery to a subscriber;

connecting, by the switch fabric, the media module to the network interface controller module; and

transmitting, by the network interface controller module, the broadcast program, the video-on-demand program, or both to the subscriber.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprises storing, by the storage module, a plurality of advertisement programs.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprises inserting, by the media module, an advertisement program, which is selected from the plurality of advertisement programs based on information associated with a plurality of subscribers, during the processing of the broadcast program, the video-on-demand program, or both for storage.

22. The method of claim 20 further comprises inserting, by the media module, an advertisement program, which is selected from the plurality of advertisement programs based on information associated with the subscriber, during processing of the broadcast program, the video-on-demand program, or both for delivery to the subscriber.

23. The method of claim 19 further comprising:

indexing, by the media module, the broadcast program; and

storing, by the storage module, a portion of the broadcast program based on the index of the broadcast program.

24. The method of claim 23 further comprises transmitting, by the network interface controller module, the portion of the broadcast program based on a channel change request from the subscriber.

25. A computer program product, tangibly embodied in an information carrier, the computer program product including instructions being operable to cause a data processing apparatus to:

receive, at a network interface controller module connected to a network interface port, a broadcast program and a video-on-demand program from a network;

connect, by a switch fabric, the network interface controller module to a media module;

process, by the media module, the broadcast program, the video-on-demand program, or both for storage;

connect, by the switch fabric, the media module to a storage module;

store, by the storage module, the broadcast program, the video-on-demand program, or both;

connect, by the switch fabric, the storage module to the media module;

process, by the media module, the broadcast program, the video-on-demand program, or both for delivery to a subscriber;

connect, by the switch fabric, the media module to the network interface controller module; and

transmit, by the network interface controller module, the broadcast program, the video-on-demand program, or both to the subscriber.