Reconciling digital content at a digital media device

• US 20120106932A1
• Filed: 11/03/2010
• Published: 05/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: InterDigital Patent Holdings, Inc. (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Grevers, Theodore Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 8,548,303 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 386/292
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00181 using a content identifier, e.g. an international standard recording code [ISRC] or a digital object identifier [DOI]
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00492 wherein content or user data is encrypted
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00869 wherein the remote server can deliver the content to a receiving device
• 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 21/472 End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/91 Television signal processing therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8205 involving the multiplexing of an additional signal and the colour video signal

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method includes initiating recording a program at a digital media device, identifying at the digital media device, a missing portion of the program, generating and transmitting a request for the missing portion, receiving a media file containing the missing portion of the program in response to the request, and merging the missing portion with a recorded portion of the program. An apparatus is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

initiating recording a program at a digital media device;

identifying at the digital media device, a missing portion of the program;

generating and transmitting a request for said missing portion of the program;

receiving a media file containing said missing portion of the program in response to said request; and

merging said missing portion with a recorded portion of the program.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein generating said request comprises inserting a program identifier and an offset identifying said missing portion of the program into said request.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said offset comprises a time period between a start of the program and the initiating recording.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein generating said request comprises identifying said request as a reconciliation request.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein transmitting said request comprises transmitting said request to a network cache in a content delivery network.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein transmitting said request comprises transmitting said request to a server configured for storing a media stream and transmitting a portion of stored media in said media file in response to said request.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising storing the merged missing portion and recorded portion of the program as a complete contiguous program at the digital media device.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the recorded portion and said missing portion of the program are encoded according to the same encoding format.

9. An apparatus comprising:

a digital video recorder operable to initiate recording a program;

a program identifier for identifying a missing portion of the program;

a content requester for generating and transmitting a request for said missing portion of the program; and

a content merger for receiving a media file containing said missing portion of the program and merging said missing portion with a recorded portion of the program.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said request comprises a program identifier and an offset identifying said missing portion of the program.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said offset comprises a time period between a start of the program and the initiating recording.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said request comprises an identifier identifying said request as a reconciliation request.

13. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said request is configured for transmittal to a network cache in a content delivery network.

14. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said request is configured for transmittal to a server configured for storing a media stream and transmitting a portion of stored media in said media file in response to said request.

15. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising memory for storing the merged missing portion and recorded portion of the program as a complete contiguous program.

16. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the recorded portion and said missing portion of the program are encoded according to the same encoding format.

17. Logic encoded in one or more tangible media for execution and when executed operable to:

initiate recording a program;

identify a missing portion of the program;

generate and transmit a request for said missing portion of the program; and

merge a received media file containing said missing portion with a recorded portion of the program.

18. The logic of claim 17 wherein the logic for generating said request comprises logic for inserting a program identifier and an offset identifying said missing portion of the program into said request.

19. The logic of claim 17 further comprising logic operable to store the merged missing portion and recorded portion of the program as a complete and contiguous program.

20. The logic of claim 17 wherein the recorded portion and said missing portion of the program are encoded according to the same encoding format.