Methods and Systems for Dynamically Balancing Storage of Recorded Media Content Data Between a Local Storage Device and a Network Storage Device

• US 20110293251A1
• Filed: 05/28/2010
• Published: 12/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Aldrey, Raul I., Relyea, Donald H., Roberts, Brian F., Mehta, Japan A., Bassali, Harpal S., Sharma, Sudhanshu
• Granted Patent: US 8,923,685 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 386/295
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23103 using load balancing strategies, e.g. by placing or distributing content on different disks, different memories or different servers storage management G06F3/0604; allocation of resources considering the load in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/505; techniques for rebalancing the load in a distributed system G06F9/5083; access to distributed or replicated servers, e.g. load balancing, in data networks H04L67/1001
• 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 21/4334 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 21/4335 Housekeeping operations, e.g. prioritizing content for deletion because of storage space restrictions storage management, e.g. defragmentation G06F3/0604; unloading stored programs G06F9/445; storage management in file systems G06F16/10; buffering arrangements in a network node or in an end terminal in packet networks H04L49/90

Abstract

An exemplary method includes receiving a command input by a user to record media content, recording media content data representative of the media content in response to the command, automatically selecting at least one storage device from a local storage device and a network storage device for storage of the recorded media content data in accordance with at least one of a plurality of storage balancing factors, and storing the recorded media content data in the at least one selected storage device. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a media content storage balancing system, a command input by a user to record media content;

recording, by the media content storage balancing system, media content data representative of the media content in response to the command;

automatically selecting, by the media content storage balancing system, at least one storage device from a local storage device and a network storage device for storage of the recorded media content data in accordance with at least one of a plurality of storage balancing factors; and

storing, by the media content storage balancing system, the recorded media content data in the at least one selected storage device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising dynamically shifting, by the media content storage balancing system after the storing, at least a portion of the recorded media content data between the local storage device and the network storage device in accordance with at least one of the plurality of storage balancing factors.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the dynamically shifting comprises on-loading the at least a portion of the recorded media content data from the network storage device to the local storage device in anticipation of a presentation of the recorded media content to the user.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the dynamically shifting comprises off-loading the at least a portion of the recorded media content data from the local storage device to the network storage device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the plurality of storage balancing factors comprises at least one of an interaction profile associated with the user, a user profile associated with the user, a demand rating of the recorded media content, a demand curve associated with the recorded media content, a replay value of the recorded media content, a storage capacity of the local storage device, a hardware profile of a media content access device associated with the local storage device, a characteristic of the recorded media content, a business rule associated with the recorded media content, a time of day, and a network activity level.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

presenting, by the media content storage balancing system, the recorded media content to the user; and

dynamically shifting, by the media content storage balancing system after the presentation, at least a portion of the recorded media content data between the local storage device and the network storage device in accordance with at least another one of the plurality of storage balancing factors.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the automatically selecting comprises selecting the network storage device for storage of the recorded media content data and wherein the storing comprises using the local storage device as a temporary cache for at least a portion of the recorded media content data before the recorded media content data is entirely stored within the network storage device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting is performed transparently to the user.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the local storage device is associated with a media content access device and wherein the network storage device is communicatively coupled to the local storage device by way of one of a local area network and a wide area network.

11. The method of claim 1, embodied as computer-executable instructions on at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium.

3. The method of 2, wherein the dynamic shifting is performed transparently to the user.

12. A method comprising:

receiving, by a media content access device, a command input by a user to record media content;

recording, by the media content access device, media content data representative of the media content in response to the command;

initially storing, by the media content access device, the recorded media content data within a local storage device associated with the media content access device; and

dynamically shifting, by the media content access device after the initial storing, at least a portion of the recorded media content data from the local storage device to a network storage device in accordance with at least one of a plurality of storage balancing factors.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least one of the plurality of storage balancing factors comprises at least one of an interaction profile associated with the user, a user profile associated with the user, a demand rating of the recorded media content, a demand curve associated with the recorded media content, a replay value of the recorded media content, a storage capacity of the local storage device, a hardware profile of a media content access device associated with the local storage device, a characteristic of the recorded media content, a business rule associated with the recorded media content, a time of day, and a network activity level.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

presenting, by the media content storage balancing system, the recorded media content to the user; and

dynamically shifting, by the media content storage balancing system after the presentation, at least a portion of the recorded media content data between the local storage device and the network storage device in accordance with at least another one of the plurality of storage balancing factors.

16. The method of claim 12, embodied as computer-executable instructions on at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium.

15. The method of 12, wherein the dynamic shifting is performed transparently to the user.

17. A system comprising:

a digital video recording facility configured to

receive a command input by a user to record media content, and

record media content data representative of the media content in response to the command; and

a storage management facility communicatively coupled to the digital video recording facility and configured to

automatically select at least one storage device from a local storage device and a network storage device for storage of the recorded media content data in accordance with at least one of a plurality of storage balancing factors, and

store the recorded media content data in the at least one selected storage device.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the storage management facility is further configured to dynamically shift at least a portion of the recorded media content data between the local storage device and the network storage device in accordance with at least another one of the plurality of storage balancing factors.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the storage management facility is configured to perform the dynamic shifting in a manner that is transparent to the user.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the at least one of the plurality of storage balancing factors comprises at least one of an interaction profile associated with the user, a user profile associated with the user, a demand rating of the recorded media content, a demand curve associated with the recorded media content, a replay value of the recorded media content, a storage capacity of the local storage device, a hardware profile of a media content access device associated with the local storage device, a characteristic of the recorded media content, a business rule associated with the recorded media content, a time of day, and a network activity level.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein the storage management facility is configured to perform the automatic selection in a manner that is transparent to the user.