METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR PACKETIZED CONTENT DELIVERY OVER A CONTENT DELIVERY NETWORK

• US 20110103374A1
• Filed: 04/21/2010
• Published: 05/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Inventors: Gould, Kenneth, Pfeffer, Howard, Hardin, Glen, Patel, Vipul, Gaedtke, Jason, Markley, Jeffery P., Hegde, Vedavati, Williamson, Louis, Cholas, Chris, Hasek, Charles, Aissi, Wilfrid, Lajoie, Michael L.
• Granted Patent: US 10,264,029 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1016 IP multimedia subsystem [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1023 Media gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/148 Migration or transfer of sessions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for delivery of packetized content (e.g., video, audio, data, etc.) over a content delivery network. In one embodiment, the content is packetized using an Internet Protocol (IP), and delivered by a service provider over both managed and unmanaged networks to subscribers of the provider, so as to provide delivery at any time, at any location, and via any designated user device. The delivered content may originate from the service provider, third-party content sources (e.g., networks or studios), the subscriber(s) themselves, or other sources including the Internet. Use of a common control and service functions within the network afford the ability to integrate or blend services together, thereby affording the service provider and subscriber new service and economic opportunities. Content delivery sessions may also be migrated from one device to another. A network-based user interface infrastructure, and gateway-based client-side architecture, are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A content delivery network configured to provide packetized delivery of at least video, voice and data to a plurality of different users using a common networking layer packet protocol which is agnostic to the underlying network architecture;

wherein the delivery of at least one of said video, voice and data is performed using;

(i) a session-based protocol, and (ii) sessions that are unique to each of said plurality of users; and

wherein said network is substantially circuit switched.

2. The network of claim 1, wherein the network comprises a common service layer and a common control layer.

3. The network of claim 1, wherein the packetized delivery comprises implementation of one or more quality-of-service (QoS) policies.

4. The network of claim 3, wherein the common control layer enables blended or cross-service control functionality.

5. The network of claim 1, wherein the packet protocol comprises the Internet protocol (IP), and the session based protocol comprises the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP).

6. The network of claim 5, wherein the network comprises a radio frequency interface, said radio frequency interface being adapted to transmit said video, voice and data to said plurality of different users over said common transport using a plurality of Quadrature Amplitude Modulated (QAM) channels.

7. The, network of claim 6, wherein the plurality of Quadrature Amplitude Modulated (QAM) channels comprises a plurality of DOCSIS QAMs.

8. A content delivery network configured to provide packetized delivery of at least video, voice and data to a plurality of different users, said network comprising an architecture for providing centralized delivery of content to a plurality of users in said network, said network comprising:

at least one first data center to provide service to all of said plurality of users in said network, said at least one first data center comprising at least;

an interface to acquire a first plurality of content; and

a storage entity to store said acquired first plurality of content; and

a plurality of second data centers in communication with said at least one first data center, individual ones of said plurality of second data centers each providing service to a subset of said plurality of users in said network, said plurality of second data centers each comprising at least;

an interface to receive said first plurality of content from said at least one first data center;

an interface to acquire a second plurality of content, said second plurality of content comprising content specific to a particular geographic location associated to said subset of said plurality of users serviced by said individual ones of said plurality of second data centers;

a storage entity to store said second plurality of content; and

an interface to transmit said first and said second plurality of content to said plurality of users.

9. The network of claim 8, wherein when a first one of said first plurality of content is requested by at least one of said plurality of users, said first one of said first plurality of content is transmitted from said at least one first data center to an individual one of said plurality of second data centers providing service to said at least one of said plurality of users, said individual one of said plurality of second data centers transmitting said first one of said first plurality of content to said at least one of said plurality of users .

10. The network of claim 9, wherein when a first one of said second plurality of content is requested by at least one of said plurality of users, said first one of said second plurality of content is provided directly thereto from said storage entity of an individual one of said plurality of second data centers providing service to said at least one of said plurality of users.

11. The network of claim 8, wherein said first plurality of content comprises content which is not specifically associated with any geographic region.

12. The network of claim 8, wherein said storage entities of said plurality of second data centers are further configured to store individual ones of said first plurality of content which are determined to be frequently requested.

13. The network of claim 8, wherein said plurality of second data centers are in communication with said at least one first data center via a connective link configured to have a higher data carrying capacity than the aggregate capacity of said at least one first data center and said plurality of second data centers.

14. The network of claim 8, wherein said at least one first data center and said plurality of second data centers each further comprise:

one or more content catchers;

a plurality of encoders and/or transcoders; and

at least one multiplexing entity.

15. A method for the efficient delivery of content to a plurality of users across a nation via a content delivery network, said nation being divided into a plurality of regions, said network comprising at least one national data center and a plurality of regional data centers, said method comprising:

receiving national content at said at least one national data center, said national content comprising content appropriate for delivery to all of said plurality users across said nation;

receiving second content at individual ones of said plurality of regional data centers, said second content comprising content appropriate only for delivery to individual ones of said plurality of users serviced by said individual ones of said regional data centers;

storing individual ones of said national content at each of said plurality of regional data centers, said individual ones of said national content comprising content which is frequently selected by users of said network; and

in response to receiving a request for at least one of said individual ones of said national content from said one of said plurality of users, delivering said requested at least one of said individual ones of said national content thereto from said individual one of said plurality of regional data centers.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein in response to receiving a request for said geographically targeted content from one of said plurality of users, delivering said requested geographically targeted content thereto from an individual one of said plurality of regional data centers providing service to said one of said plurality of users.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein individual ones of said national content and/or said geographically targeted content comprises Internet Protocol (IP) packetized audio and video content.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising, in response to receiving a request for said national content from at least one of said plurality of users:

transmitting said national content from said national data center to said individual one of said plurality of regional data centers; and

delivering said national content to said at least one of said plurality of users via said individual one of said plurality of regional data centers.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein said network further comprises a second national data center configured to provide failover and redundancy services.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein said request comprises a request received via a web server in a second content delivery network, said second content delivery network in communication with said content delivery network and said act of delivering comprises transmitting content to said second content delivery network.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein said plurality of regions are further divided into a plurality of divisions, each of said plurality of divisions comprising-individual ones of a plurality of local data centers.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein said second content comprises geographically targeted second content, said geographically targeted second content being targeted to a geographic area associated with a geographic region serviced by individual ones of said regional data centers.

23. A content acquisition, storage and caching system for use in a content delivery network, and configured to provide said content to both IP-capable devices and non-IP capable devices, said system comprising:

at least one content storage entity configured to store received content;

a plurality of content processing entities configured to process said received content, said processing comprising at least encoding and encrypting said content; and

at least one media delivery platform, said media delivery platform configured to deliver said processed content in a first format to said non-IP capable devices, and to deliver said processed content in a second format to said IP-capable devices.

24. The system of claim 23, further comprising a plurality of management entities configured to manage said plurality of content processing entities, said at least one content storage entity, and said at least one media delivery platform.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein said plurality of management entities comprises at least one rights and policy manager configured to manage each of said plurality of content processing entities, said at least one content storage entity, and said at least one media delivery platform according to one or more rules inputted by an operator of said network.

26. The system of claim 23, wherein said first format comprises Moving Pictures Experts Group (MPEG) encoded content, and said second format comprises Internet Protocol (IP) encapsulated content.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein said MPEG encoded content is delivered in an MPEG transport stream, and said IP encapsulated content is delivered in a Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) packet stream.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein said IP encapsulated content comprises content having one or more specified quality-of-service (QoS) parameters.

29. The system of claim 23, wherein said encoding of said content further comprises transcoding said content, at least portions of said transcoding occurring at two or more different locations.

30. The system of claim 23, wherein said processing of said content further comprises inserting secondary content therein.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein said inserting secondary content comprises inserting secondary content which is geographically relevant to a geographical region to which said processed content is to be delivered.

32. The system of claim 30, wherein said inserting secondary content comprises inserting secondary content which is relevant to one or more topical contexts associated with said received content.

33. Content delivery network apparatus, comprising:

first apparatus configured to provide delivery of IP-encapsulated video, voice or data content to a first plurality of users having IP-enabled client devices; and

second apparatus configured to provide delivery of at least video content carried over an MPEG transport to a second plurality of users having non-IP enabled client devices, said video content carried over said MPEG transport comprising video programming that is the same as that comprising said IP-encapsulated video content delivered to said first plurality of users;

wherein said first and second apparatus are configured so that said delivery of IP-encapsulated video, voice or data content to a first plurality of users having IP-enabled client devices and said delivery of at least video content carried over an MPEG transport to a second plurality of users having non-IP enabled client devices may occur substantially contemporaneously and over at least some common network infrastructure.

34. The network apparatus of claim 33, wherein the network comprises a common service layer and a common control layer, the common control layer enabling blended or cross-service control functionality.

35. The network apparatus of claim 33, wherein said delivery of IP-encapsulated video, voice or data content to a first plurality of users having 1P-enabled client devices and said delivery of at least video content carried over an MPEG transport to a second plurality of users having non-IP enabled client devices both occur with at least one Quality-of-Service (QoS) requirement applied.

36. The network apparatus of claim 35, wherein the delivery of IP-encapsulated video, voice or data content to a first plurality of users having IP-enabled client devices is performed using:

(i) a session-based protocol, and (ii) sessions that are unique to each of said plurality of users having IP-enabled client devices.

37. The network apparatus of claim 36, wherein the delivery of IP-encapsulated video, voice and data content to a first plurality of users having IP-enabled client devices comprises IP-encapsulated video, voice or data having user-specific targeted secondary content inserted therein, said user-specific targeting being enabled at least in part based on use of said unique sessions.

38. The network apparatus of claim 37, wherein the said user-specific targeting is based at least in part on the IP addresses of respective ones of said IP-enabled client devices, said IP addresses being associated with respective ones of user accounts maintained by an operator of said network.

39. The network apparatus of claim 35, wherein the first apparatus is further configured to enable transportability/migration of user sessions established for said delivery of said IP-encapsulated video, voice or data content to a first plurality of users having IP-enabled client devices between said IP-enabled devices and other IP-enabled devices of said users.

40. The network apparatus of claim 33, further comprising a radio frequency interface, said radio frequency interface being adapted to transmit said IP-encapsulated voice video or data and said at least video content carried over an MPEG transport over respective one or more Quadrature Amplitude Modulated (QAM) channels.

41. The network apparatus of claim 40, wherein the respective one or more plurality of Quadrature Amplitude Modulated (QAM) channels comprise:

(i) a first plurality of QAM channels to carry said IP-encapsulated video, voice or data; and

(ii) a second plurality of QAM channels to carry said at least video content carried over an MPEG transport.

42. The network apparatus of claim 41, wherein said IP-encapsulated voice, video or data comprises MPEG-4/H.264 encoded, IP-encapsulated content carried within an MPEG transport, and said at least video content carried over an MPEG transport comprises MPEG-encoded content carried within an MPEG multiplexed transport stream (MPTS).

43. Content delivery network apparatus, comprising:

first apparatus configured to provide delivery of IP-encapsulated video, voice or data content to a first plurality of users having IP-enabled client devices; and

second apparatus configured to provide delivery of at least video content carried via a multiplexed transport stream to a second plurality of users having non-IP enabled client devices;

wherein said first and second apparatus each comprise circuit-switched apparatus; and

wherein said video content provided by said second apparatus comprises video programming that is the same as that carried by said IP-encapsulated video content.