Methods and Systems for Using In-Stream Data Within an On Demand Content Delivery Path

• US 20110138169A1
• Filed: 12/17/2010
• Published: 06/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Comcast Cable Holdings LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Michel, Walter F.
• Granted Patent: US 11,140,362 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/150
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23424 involving splicing one content stream with another content stream, e.g. for inserting or substituting an advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23892 involving embedding information at multiplex stream level, e.g. embedding a watermark at packet level
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/858 Linking data to content, e.g. by linking an URL to a video object, by creating a hotspot
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

An on demand content delivery platform for delivering on demand digital assets includes a network transport composed of network elements. A content delivery path extends from an application server, through the network transport, to a client. During content delivery, at a network element, data is inserted into the content delivery path to produce a content stream containing inserted in-stream data. In one implementation, the content is conditioned in accordance with instructions present in the in-stream data. In another implementation, the in-stream data represents session information and is utilized for stateless recovery of session information.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

delivering content using a content delivery path;

during content delivery, inserting data into the content delivery path to produce a modified content stream containing inserted in-stream data, the inserted in-stream data including session state information of at least one device in the content delivery path;

encrypting the modified content stream using a plurality of entitlement control messages and entitlement management messages such that access to the modified content stream is determined through use of stored secure tokens; and

processing the modified content stream to perform state information recovery of at least one device in the content delivery path, as content passes through the content delivery path.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the modified content stream is configured to be presented with a scripting language.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the content delivery path includes a session manager configured to support interactive session profiles to manage interactive sessions.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the modified content stream is configured to support use of Extensible Stylesheet Language (XSL) for navigating through available services.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

delivering the modified content stream to a client through an autodiscovery scheme that enables the client to discover an associated service group automatically.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the content delivery path is configured to support networked personal video recording, interactive digital program insertion, switched broadcast video, and streaming media delivery to personal computers.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the in-stream data is inserted into the content delivery path at an originating application server.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the in-stream data is inserted into the content delivery path at an intervening application server.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the processing the modified content stream includes replacing a portion of the content with replacement content.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the processing the modified content stream includes conducting flow control procedures.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the in-stream data includes signed identification information.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the in-stream data includes diagnostic information and wherein the method further comprises:

during content delivery, at a network element, extracting the diagnostic information from the modified content stream; and

performing diagnostic analysis as the modified content stream passes through the content delivery path.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one device for which state information recovery is performed includes an edge modulator.

14. A system comprising:

an application server configured to receive a content stream through a content delivery path, the content stream including on demand content, the application server further configured to modify the content stream by inserting in stream data, the inserted in stream data including session state information of at least one device in the content delivery path downstream from the application server;

a network element configured to receive the modified content stream and use the in stream data included in the modified content stream to restore a session, the modified content stream configured to be accessed through use of stored secure tokens that are stored for use in upcoming sessions.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the modified content stream is configured to be presented with a scripting language.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the content delivery path includes a session manager configured to support interactive session profiles to manage interactive sessions.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the modified content stream is configured to support use of Extensible Stylesheet Language (XSL) for navigating through available services.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the network element is further configured to deliver the modified content stream to a client through an autodiscovery scheme that enables the client to discover an associated service group automatically.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the content delivery path is configured to support networked personal video recording, interactive digital program insertion, switched broadcast video, and streaming media delivery to personal computers.

20. A system comprising:

an asset distribution system configured to distribute assets from content providers to network operators;

an entitlement system configured to manage entitlements to the assets;

an asset propagation manager configured to manage asset propagation across multiple streaming servers;

the streaming servers configured to output video streams and manage stream control;

a session manager configured to manage sessions for on demand video services;

an encryption resource manager configured to manage encryption configuration for each session, wherein the encryption is accomplished by using a plurality of entitlement control messages and entitlement management messages such that access to content is determined through use of stored secure tokens;

a network resource manager configured to manage resources required in a transport network for each session;

wherein at least one of the asset distribution system, entitlement system, asset propagation manager, streaming servers, session manager, encryption resource manager, and network resource manager, is further configured to insert data into a content delivery path to produce a modified content stream containing inserted in-stream data, the inserted data including session state information of at least one downstream device in the content delivery path.