METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR UTILIZING DYNAMIC BANDWIDTH ALLOCATION FOR RECORDING CONTENT

• US 20110083154A1
• Filed: 10/06/2009
• Published: 04/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Boersma, Frank Leroy
• Granted Patent: US 8,719,871 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/109
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/637 Control signals issued by the client directed to the server or network components
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6581 Reference data, e.g. a movie identifier for ordering a movie or a product identifier in a home shopping application

Abstract

An approach is provided for utilizing dynamic bandwidth allocation for recording content. A recording manager generates a request for bandwidth for a future recording of a programming content to be delivered to a set-top box. The recording manager then receives a response indicating a dynamic bandwidth allocation for the future recording and schedules the future recording of the programming content based on the dynamic bandwidth allocation.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

generating a request for bandwidth for a future recording of a programming content to be delivered to a set-top box;

selectively receiving a response indicating a dynamic bandwidth allocation for the future recording; and

scheduling the future recording of the programming content based on the dynamic bandwidth allocation.

2. A method of claim 1, further comprising:

if there is no bandwidth allocation for the future recording, determining an alternate transmission of the programming content; and

generating another request for bandwidth for recording of the alternate transmission of the programming content.

3. A method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an input from a user for canceling the future recording;

canceling the future recording based on the input; and

generating a notification about the canceled future recording.

4. A method of claim 1, wherein the dynamic bandwidth allocation is provided using Internet protocol television (IPTV), switched digital video, or a combination thereof.

5. A method of claim 1, wherein the set-top box includes a digital video recorder (DVR) or a personal video recorder (PVR).

6. An apparatus comprising:

a recording manager configured to generate a request for bandwidth for a future recording of a programming content to be delivered to a set-top box, to selectively receive a response to the request indicating a dynamic allocation of the bandwidth for the future recording, and to schedule the future recording of the programming content based on the bandwidth allocation.

7. An apparatus of claim 6, wherein the recording manager is further configured to determine an alternate transmission of the programming content and to generate another request for bandwidth for recording of the alternate transmission of the programming content.

8. An apparatus of claim 6, wherein the recording manager is further configured to receive an input from the user for canceling the future recording, to cancel the future recording based on the input, and to generate a notification about the canceled future recording.

9. An apparatus of claim 6, wherein the dynamic bandwidth allocation is provided using Internet protocol television (IPTV), switched digital video, or a combination thereof.

10. An apparatus of claim 6, wherein the apparatus is included in the set-top box, a digital video recorder (DVR), or personal video recorder (PVR).

11. A method comprising:

receiving a request for bandwidth for a future recording of a programming content to be delivered to a set-top box;

determining whether a dynamic bandwidth allocation is available for delivering the programming content for the future recording;

reserving the dynamic bandwidth allocation based on the determination; and

generating a response indicating the dynamic bandwidth allocation.

12. A method of claim 11, further comprising:

determining whether an existing dynamic bandwidth allocation has already been provided to another set-top box for delivering the programming content; and

sharing the existing dynamic bandwidth allocation to support the request if there is an existing dynamic bandwidth allocation.

13. A method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving a notification that the future recording has been canceled;

determining whether the dynamic bandwidth allocation reserved for the future recording is shared with another set-top box; and

canceling the dynamic bandwidth allocation if the bandwidth allocation is not shared.

14. A method of claim 11, wherein the dynamic bandwidth allocation is provided using Internet protocol television (IPTV), switched digital video, or a combination thereof.

15. A method of claim 11, wherein the set-top box includes a digital video recorder (DVR) or a personal video recorder (PVR).

16. An apparatus comprising:

a processor configured to receive a request for bandwidth for a future recording of a programming content to be delivered to a set-top box, to determine whether a dynamic bandwidth allocation is available for delivering the programming content for the future recording, to reserve the dynamic bandwidth allocation based on the determination, and to generate a response indicating the dynamic bandwidth allocation.

17. An apparatus of claim 16, wherein the processor is further configured to determine whether an existing dynamic bandwidth allocation has already been provided to another set-top box for delivering the programming content and to share the existing dynamic bandwidth allocation to support the request if there is an existing dynamic bandwidth allocation.

18. An apparatus of claim 16, wherein the dynamic bandwidth allocation has been reserved for the future recording, and the processor is further configured to receive a notification that the future recording has been canceled, to determine whether the dynamic bandwidth allocation reserved for the future recording is shared with another set-top box, and to cancel the dynamic bandwidth allocation if the bandwidth allocation is not shared.

19. An apparatus of claim 16, wherein the dynamic bandwidth allocation is provided using Internet protocol television (IPTV), switched digital video, or a combination thereof.

20. An apparatus of claim 16, wherein the apparatus is included in a server maintained by a service provider.