META CHANNEL CACHING AND INSTANT VIEWING RELATED TECHNOLOGY

• US 20100199311A1
• Filed: 02/05/2009
• Published: 08/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PurpleComm Incorporated
• Original Assignee: PurpleComm Incorporated
• Inventors: Sheu, William H., Chang, Jack H., Tuan, Sherman
• Granted Patent: US 8,458,746 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4381 Recovering the multiplex stream from a specific network, e.g. recovering MPEG packets from ATM cells transmission of MPEG streams over ATM H04L12/5601
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4384 involving operations to reduce the access time, e.g. fast-tuning for reducing channel switching latency
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time

Abstract

Caching related technology, in which a time needed to begin rendering network-based video content without caching a decoded version of the content is determined and, the determined time to begin rendering the network-based video content is compared to a threshold time. When the determined time to begin rendering the network-based video content exceeds the threshold time, an initial portion of the network-based video content is pre-transcoded to a faster video codec format, and the pre-transcoded initial portion of the network-based video content is stored in electronic storage associated with a media system of a user.

Claims

1. A method of enabling a media system to render content, the method comprising:

storing, in first electronic storage, meta-channel information defining multiple meta-channels that identify content entries and that indicate an order with which to experience the content entries;

accessing, from the meta-channel information stored in the first electronic storage, content entries corresponding to content defined by each of the multiple meta-channels for a particular time frame, the accessed content entries including at least one content entry that relates to a first type of content broadcast by a content provider at a specific time and at least one content entry that relates to a second type of content made available, over a network, by a content provider in response to user requests;

based on the accessed content entries, identifying a type of content defined by each of the multiple meta-channels for the particular time frame;

based on the identified type of content defined by each of the multiple meta-channels for the particular time frame, selecting a subset of the multiple meta-channels, the selected subset of meta-channels each defining, for the particular time frame, the second type of content made available, over a network, by a content provider in response to user requests;

storing, in second electronic storage associated with a media system of a user, a decoded version of the content defined for the particular time frame by each of the meta-channels included in the selected subset of meta-channels; and

in response to selection, by the user during the particular time frame, of one of the meta-channels included in the selected subset of meta-channels, controlling the media system to render content defined by the selected meta-channel using the decoded version of the content stored in the second electronic storage associated with the media system of the user.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein controlling the media system comprises controlling the media system to render content defined by the selected meta-channel using the decoded version of the content stored in the second electronic storage, whereby using the decoded version enables a channel switching time for switching to the selected meta-channel to be comparable to a channel switching time for switching to a meta-channel the defines the first type of content broadcast by a content provider at a specific time.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein:

controlling the media system comprises controlling the media system to render content defined by the selected meta-channel using the decoded version of the content stored in the second electronic storage, whereby using the decoded version enables a channel switching time for switching to the selected meta-channel to be less than half a second; and

controlling the media system to render content defined by the selected meta-channel without using the decoded version of the content stored in the second electronic storage results in a channel switching time for switching to the selected meta-channel that is greater than half a second.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein controlling the media system comprises:

initially using the decoded version of the content stored in the second electronic storage to render the content defined by the selected meta-channel;

triggering a process to render an original version, other than the decoded version, of the content defined by the selected meta-channel, the process to render the original version of the content defined by the selected meta-channel having a longer delay to begin rendering of the content than initially using the decoded version of the content; and

when the original version of the content defined by the selected meta-channel is ready for rendering, transitioning from using the decoded version of the content to using the original version of the content.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein transitioning from using the decoded version of the content to using the original version of the content comprises:

identifying an amount of content that has been rendered using the decoded version of the content;

identifying a transition point in the original version of the content that corresponds to the amount of content that has been rendered using the decoded version of the content; and

beginning using the original version of the content at the transition point to enable smooth transition from the decoded version of the content to the original version of the content.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein triggering the process to render the original version, other than the decoded version, of the content defined by the selected meta-channel comprises decoding the original version of the content defined by the selected meta-channel using a video codec.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein triggering the process to render the original version, other than the decoded version, of the content defined by the selected meta-channel further comprises:

sending, over a network, a request to a content provider serving the original version of the content defined by the selected meta-channel; and

downloading, over the network from the content provider, the original version of the content defined by the selected meta-channel.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein selecting the subset of the multiple meta-channels comprises:

identifying the multiple meta-channels that define, for the particular time frame, the second type of content made available, over a network, by a content provider in response to user requests and for which a time needed to begin rendering content defined by the meta-channel without storing, in the second electronic storage associated with the media system of the user, a decoded version of the content exceeds a threshold time;

for each of the identified meta-channels, determining an amount of content needed to be stored, in the second electronic storage associated with the media system of the user, to enable transition from using a decoded version of the content to using an original version of the content without a break in content rendering;

determining whether the second electronic storage associated with the media system of the user has the ability to store the determined amount of content for each of the identified meta-channels prior to the particular time frame;

conditioned on determining that the second electronic storage associated with the media system of the user has the ability to store the determined amount of content for each of the identified meta-channels prior to the particular time frame, selecting all of the identified meta-channels as the subset of the multiple meta-channels; and

conditioned on determining that the second electronic storage associated with the media system of the user does not have the ability to store the determined amount of content for each of the identified meta-channels prior to the particular time frame, selecting a subset of the identified meta-channels as the subset of the multiple meta-channels.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein determining whether the second electronic storage associated with the media system of the user has the ability to store the determined amount of content for each of the identified meta-channels prior to the particular time frame comprises determining whether the amount of content for the identified meta-channels exceeds an amount of available storage in the second electronic storage associated with the media system of the user.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein determining whether the second electronic storage associated with the media system of the user has the ability to store the determined amount of content for each of the identified meta-channels prior to the particular time frame comprises determining whether an amount of time remaining until a start of the particular time frame exceeds an amount of time needed for the media system to download, decode, and store the determined amount of content for each of the identified meta-channels.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein selecting the subset of the identified meta-channels as the subset of the multiple meta-channels comprises:

identifying combinations of the identified meta-channels for which the second electronic storage associated with the media system of the user has the ability to store, prior to the particular time frame, the determined amount of content for each of the meta-channels included in the combination; and

selecting, from among the identified combinations, a combination of the identified meta-channels that includes the highest number of channels.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein selecting the subset of the identified meta-channels as the subset of the multiple meta-channels comprises:

accessing historical viewing patterns that indicate one or more categories of content the user has experienced during past time frames that are similar to the particular time frame;

comparing the content defined by each of the identified meta-channels to the accessed historical viewing patterns;

determining a subset of the identified meta-channels that the user is mostly to experience during the particular time frame based on the comparison of the content defined by each of the identified meta-channels to the accessed historical viewing patterns; and

selecting the determined subset of the identified meta-channels.

13. The method of claim 8 wherein selecting the subset of the identified meta-channels as the subset of the multiple meta-channels comprises:

determining a meta-channel being experienced by the user at the time of selecting;

accessing information that identifies one or more meta-channels the user typically selects subsequent to experiencing the meta-channel being experienced by the user at the time of selecting;

comparing the accessed information to the identified meta-channels;

determining a subset of the identified meta-channels that the user is most likely to experience during the particular time frame based on the comparison of the accessed information to the identified meta-channels; and

selecting the determined subset of the identified meta-channels.

14. A system comprising:

a first electronic storage device configured to store meta-channel information defining multiple meta-channels that identify content entries and that indicate an order with which to experience the content entries;

a second electronic storage device associated with a media system of a user; and

at least one processor configured to perform operations comprising;

accessing, from the meta-channel information stored in the first electronic storage device, content entries corresponding to content defined by each of the multiple meta-channels for a particular time frame, the accessed content entries including at least one content entry that relates to a first type of content broadcast by a content provider at a specific time and at least one content entry that relates to a second type of content made available, over a network, by a content provider in response to user requests;

based on the accessed content entries, identifying a type of content defined by each of the multiple meta-channels for the particular time frame;

based on the identified type of content defined by each of the multiple meta-channels for the particular time frame, selecting a subset of the multiple meta-channels, the selected subset of meta-channels each defining, for the particular time frame, the second type of content made available, over a network, by a content provider in response to user requests;

storing, in the second electronic storage device associated with the media system of the user, a decoded version of the content defined for the particular time frame by each of the meta-channels included in the selected subset of meta-channels; and

in response to selection, by the user during the particular time frame, of one of the meta-channels included in the selected subset of meta-channels, controlling the media system to render content defined by the selected meta-channel using the decoded version of the content stored in the second electronic storage device associated with the media system of the user.

15. A method of enabling a media system to render content, the method comprising:

identifying network-based video content made available, over a network, by a content provider in response to user requests;

determining a time needed to begin rendering the network-based video content without caching a decoded version of the content in electronic storage associated with a media system that is configured to render the network-based video content and that is remote from the content provider;

comparing the time needed to begin rendering the network-based video content to a threshold time;

based on comparison results, determining whether the time needed to begin rendering the network-based video content exceeds the threshold time;

in response to a determination that the time needed to begin rendering the network-based video content exceeds the threshold time;

pre-transcoding at least an initial portion of the network-based video content to a faster video codec format that is different than a slower video codec format in which the network-based video content is made available, over the network, by the content provider, the faster video codec format allowing rendering of the network-based video content to begin faster than the slower video codec format; and

storing, in electronic storage associated with the media system of the user, the pre-transcoded initial portion of the network-based video content to enable faster rendering of the network-based video content by using the pre-transcoded initial portion of the network-based video content in response to user selection of the network-based video content.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein:

determining the time needed to begin rendering the network-based video content without caching a decoded version of the content in electronic storage associated with a media system that is configured to render the network-based video content and that is remote from the content provider comprises determining a time needed to begin rendering the network-based video content based on a time needed to decode the content using a video codec; and

comparing the time needed to begin rendering the network-based video content to the threshold time comprises comparing the determined time needed to begin rendering the network-based video content that is based on the time needed to decode the content using the video codes to a threshold of half a second.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the faster video codec format allows rendering of content to begin in less than half a second and the slower video codec format allows rendering of content to begin in more than half a second.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the initial portion of the content is less than all of the network-based video content.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein storing, in electronic storage associated with the media system of the user, the pre-transcoded initial portion of the network-based video content comprises:

determining a time needed to begin rendering the network-based video content using the slower video codec format; and

selecting the initial portion of the network-based video content to pre-transcode based on the determined time needed to begin rendering the network-based video content using the slower video codec format, the initial portion of the network-based video content being an amount of the network-based video content that, when rendered, lasts for a time that is equal to or greater than the time needed to begin rendering the network-based video content using the slower video codec format.

20. The method of claim 18 further comprising:

receiving, at the media system, user input indicating a desire to view the network-based video content; and

in response to receiving the user system, controlling the media system to render the network-based video content using the pre-transcoded initial portion of the network-based video content.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein controlling the media system to render the network-based video content using the pre-transcoded initial portion of the network-based video content comprises:

initially using the pre-transcoded initial portion of the network-based video content stored in the electronic storage to render the network-based video content;

triggering a process to render an original version, other than the pre-transcoded initial portion, of the network-based video content, the process to render the original version of the network-based video content having a longer delay to begin rendering of the network-based video content than initially using the pre-transcoded initial portion of the network-based video content; and

when the original version of the network-based video content is ready for rendering, transitioning from using the pre-transcoded initial portion of the network-based video content to using the original version of the network-based video content.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein transitioning from using the pre-transcoded initial portion of the network-based video content to using the original version of the network-based video content comprises:

identifying an amount of the network-based video content that has been rendered using the pre-transcoded initial portion of the network-based video content;

identifying a transition point in the original version of the network-based video content that corresponds to the amount of content that has been rendered using the pre-transcoded initial portion of the network-based video content; and

beginning using the original version of the content at the transition point to enable smooth transition from the pre-transcoded initial portion of the network-based video content to the original version of the network-based video content.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein triggering the process to render the original version, other than the pre-transcoded initial portion, of the network-based video content comprises decoding the original version of the network-based video content using the slower video codec.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein triggering the process to render the original version, other than the pre-transcoded initial portion, of the network-based video content further comprises:

sending, over a network, a request to a content provider serving the original version of the network-based video content; and

downloading, over the network from the content provider, the original version of the network-based video content.

25. A system comprising:

an electronic storage device associated with a media system of a user; and

at least one processor configured to perform operations comprising;

identifying network-based video content made available, over a network, by a content provider in response to user requests;

determining a time needed to begin rendering the network-based video content without caching a decoded version of the content in the electronic storage device associated with the media system that is configured to render the network-based video content and that is remote from the content provider;

comparing the time needed to begin rendering the network-based video content to a threshold time;

based on comparison results, determining whether the time needed to begin rendering the network-based video content exceeds the threshold time;

in response to a determination that the time needed to begin rendering the network-based video content exceeds the threshold time;

pre-transcoding at least an initial portion of the network-based video content to a faster video codec format that is different than a slower video codec format in which the network-based video content is made available, over the network, by the content provider, the faster video codec format allowing rendering of the network-based video content to begin faster than the slower video codec format; and

storing, in the electronic storage device associated with the media system of the user, the pre-transcoded initial portion of the network-based video content to enable faster rendering of the network-based video content by using the pre-transcoded initial portion of the network-based video content in response to user selection of the network-based video content.