RECORDING DEVICE AND METHOD FOR EFFICIENT NETWORK PERSONAL VIDEO RECORDER MANIPULATION THROUGH ADAPTIVE BIT RATE STREAMING

• US 20150089554A1
• Filed: 09/24/2013
• Published: 03/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ericsson AB (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Original Assignee: Ericsson Television Incorporated (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Phillips, Chris, Reynolds, Jennifer Ann
• Granted Patent: US 9,955,203 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/92
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/21815 comprising local storage units
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23113 involving housekeeping operations for stored content, e.g. prioritizing content for deletion because of storage space restrictions storage management, e.g. defragmentation G06F3/0604; snloading stored programs G06F9/445; housekeeping operations in file systems, e.g. deletion policies G06F16/10; buffering arrangements in a network node or in an end terminal in packet networks H04L49/90
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23439 for generating different versions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2387 Stream processing in response to a playback request from an end-user, e.g. for trick-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2393 involving handling client requests scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26258 for generating a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlist, or scheduling item distribution according to such list retrieval of multimedia data based on playlists G06F16/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2662 Controlling the complexity of the video stream, e.g. by scaling the resolution or bitrate of the video stream based on the client capabilities
• 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 21/47214 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 21/8456 by decomposing the content in the time domain, e.g. in time segments

Abstract

A recording device and a method are described herein that provide a network-based personal video recording service utilizing adaptive bit rate technology for a plurality of users. In operation, the recording device records at a minimum a single bit rate (one set of segmented files) of the broadcast content within each user'"'"'s network personal video recorder storage unit. Plus, the recording device stores the other bit rates (remaining sets of segmented files) in a central storage location or some other storage location.

Claims

1. A recording device for providing a network-based personal video recording service for a plurality of users, the recording device comprising:

a plurality of personal video recorder storage units;

a processor; and

a memory that stores processor-executable instructions where the processor interfaces with the memory and executes the processor-executable instructions to enable following operations;

receiving a record message from an end-user device associated with one user of the plurality of users, wherein the record message contains a request to record a broadcast content;

storing a plurality of sets of segmented files associated with the broadcast content, wherein each one of the sets of segmented files has a bitrate that is different than bitrates of the remaining sets of the segmented files;

generating a unique manifest for the one user, wherein the unique manifest has references to segmented files associated with (1) one of the sets of segmented files stored in one of the personal video recorder storage units associated with the one user, and (2) the remaining sets of segmented files stored in a storage unit other than the personal video recorder storage unit associated with the one user; and

sending the unique manifest to the end-user device associated with the one user.

2. The recording device of claim 1, wherein the processor further interfaces with the memory and executes the processor-executable instructions to enable following operations:

receiving a play-back message from the end-user device of the one user, wherein the play-back message includes one of the references in the unique manifest;

using the one reference in the play-back message to retrieve a corresponding segmented file from either the personal video recorder storage unit associated with the one user or from the storage unit;

sending the retrieved segmented file to the end-user device; and

repeating the second receiving operation, the using operation, and the second sending operation to provide requested segmented files of the recorded broadcast content in a sequential manner to the end-user device.

3. The recording device of claim 1, wherein the processor further interfaces with the memory and executes the processor-executable instructions to enable following operation:

deleting the one set of segmented files stored in the personal video recorder storage unit associated with the one user, and the remaining sets of segmented files which are stored in the storage unit.

4. The recording device of claim 1, wherein:

the storage unit is a general storage unit; and

the processor further interfaces with the memory and executes the processor-executable instructions such that after receiving the record message the storing operation is started where the one of the sets of segmented files are stored in the personal video recorder storage unit associated with the one user, and if not already being stored then beginning to store the remaining sets of segmented files in the general storage unit.

5. The recording device of claim 4, wherein the record message contains a prescheduled record request to record the broadcast content during a particular start time and end time.

6. The recording device of claim 4, wherein the processor further interfaces with the memory and executes the processor-executable instructions to perform the storing operation by enabling following operations:

determining, upon receiving the record message from the end-user device of the one user, if the broadcast content is currently being stored in the general storage unit;

if a result of the determining operation is no, beginning to store the remaining sets of segmented files of the broadcast content in the general storage unit;

after beginning to store the remaining sets of segmented files of the broadcast content in the general storage unit or if a result of the determining operation is yes, beginning to store the one of the sets of segmented files of the broadcast content in the personal video recorder storage unit associated with the one user; and

after beginning to store the one of the sets of segmented files of the broadcast content in the personal video recorder storage unit associated with the one user, incrementing a general recording count for the broadcast content to indicate number of users recording the broadcast content.

7. The recording device of claim 4, wherein the processor further interfaces with the memory and executes the processor-executable instructions to stop the storing operation by enabling following operations:

determining, after an end time has been reached for recording the broadcast content for the one user, if a general recording count is at one indicating that the one user is the only user that was recording the broadcast content;

if a result of the determining operation is yes, stopping the storing of the remaining sets of segmented files in the general storage unit;

after the stopping of the storing of the remaining sets of segmented files in the general storage unit or if a result of the determining operation is no, stopping the storing of the one of the sets of segmented files in the personal video recorder storage unit associated with the one user; and

after the stopping of the storing of the one of the sets of segmented files in the personal video recorder storage unit associated with the one user, stopping the generation of the unique manifest for the one user, and decrementing the general recording count by one for the broadcast content.

8. The recording device of claim 4, the processor further interfaces with the memory and executes the processor-executable instructions enable following operations:

receiving a delete message from the end-user device associated with the one user, wherein the delete message contains a request to delete the recorded broadcast content associated with the one user;

deleting the unique manifest of the one user;

deleting the one set of segmented files stored in the personal video recorder storage unit associated with the one user;

determining if the one user has permission for stored segmented files in the general storage unit that none of the remaining users can access;

if a result of the determining step is yes, then delete the stored segmented files in the general storage unit that none of the remaining users can access; and

if a result of the determining step is no, then do not delete the stored segmented files in the general storage unit that none of the remaining users can access.

9. The recording device of claim 1, wherein:

the storage unit is a general storage unit; and

the processor further interfaces with the memory and executes the processor-executable instructions such that before receiving the record message at least the remaining sets of segmented files are already being stored in the general storage unit and then after receiving the record message the one of the sets of segmented files are started to be stored in the personal video recorder storage unit associated with the one user.

10. The recording device of claim 1, wherein:

the storage unit is one of the personal video recorder storage units which is not associated with the one user;

the processor further interfaces with the memory and executes the processor-executable instructions to enable following operations;

the storing operation includes storing the plurality of sets of segmented files in the personal video recorder storage unit associated with the one user and in one or more of the personal video recorder storage units associated with one or more other users that also requested to record the broadcast content;

once recording sessions stop for the one user and the one or more other users that requested to record the broadcast content then;

identifying common segmented files that have been stored in the personal video recorder storage unit associated with the one user and in the one or more of the personal video recorder storage units associated with one or more other users;

determining which of the one user or the one or more other users that has longest recording session for the broadcast content;

deleting all of the identified common segmented files except for the one of the sets of segmented files which are stored in the personal video recorder storage units associated with the one user or the one or more other uses that did not have the longest recording session for the broadcast content; and

the generating operation includes re-writing the unique manifest associated with the one user if the one user is not the user that has the longest recording session for the broadcast content such that the re-written unique manifest has references to segmented files associated with the one set of segmented files which are stored in the personal video recorder storage unit associated with the one user, and such that the re-written unique manifest has references to at least a portion of the identified common segmented files which are stored in the personal video recorder storage unit associated with the user that has the longest recording session, wherein the at least a portion of the identified common segmented files do not include the one set of segmented files which are stored in the personal video recorder storage unit associated with the one user.

11. A method implemented in a recording device for providing a network-based personal video recording service for a plurality of users wherein the recording device comprises a plurality of personal video recorder storage units the method comprising:

receiving a record message from an end-user device associated with one user of the plurality of users, wherein the record message contains a request to record a broadcast content;

storing a plurality of sets of segmented files associated with the broadcast content, wherein each one of the sets of segmented files has a bitrate that is different than bitrates of the remaining sets of the segmented files;

generating a unique manifest for the one user, wherein the unique manifest has references to segmented files associated with (1) one of the sets of segmented files stored in one of the personal video recorder storage units associated with the one user, and (2) the remaining sets of segmented files stored in a storage unit other than the personal video recorder storage unit associated with the one user; and

sending the unique manifest to the end-user device associated with the one user.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving a play-back message from the end-user device of the one user, wherein the play-back message includes one of the references in the unique manifest;

using the one reference in the play-back message to retrieve a corresponding segmented file from either the personal video recorder storage unit associated with the one user or from the storage unit;

sending the retrieved segmented file to the end-user device; and

repeating the second receiving operation, the using operation, and the second sending operation to provide requested segmented files of the recorded broadcast content in a sequential manner to the end-user device.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

deleting the one set of segmented files stored in the personal video recorder storage unit associated with the one user, and the remaining sets of segmented files which are stored in the storage unit.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein:

the storage unit is a general storage unit; and

after receiving the record message, the storing step is started such that the one of the sets of segmented files are stored in the personal video recorder storage unit associated with the one user, and beginning to store the remaining sets of segmented files in the general storage unit if the remaining sets of segmented files are not already being stored in the general storage unit.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the record message contains a prescheduled record request to record the broadcast content during a particular start time and end time.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the storing step further comprises:

determining, upon receiving the record message from the end-user device of the one user, if the broadcast content is currently being stored in the general storage unit;

if a result of the determining operation is no, beginning to store the remaining sets of segmented files of the broadcast content in the general storage unit;

after beginning to store the remaining sets of segmented files of the broadcast content in the general storage unit or if a result of the determining operation is yes, beginning to store the one of the sets of segmented files of the broadcast content in the personal video recorder storage unit associated with the one user; and

after beginning to store the one of the sets of segmented files of the broadcast content in the personal video recorder storage unit associated with the one user, incrementing a general recording count for the broadcast content to indicate number of users recording the broadcast content.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the storing step is stopped as follows:

determining, after an end time has been reached for recording the broadcast content for the one user, if a general recording count is at one indicating that the one user is the only user that was recording the broadcast content;

if a result of the determining operation is yes, stopping the storing of the remaining sets of segmented files in the general storage unit;

after the stopping of the storing of the remaining sets of segmented files in the general storage unit or if a result of the determining operation is no, stopping the storing of the one of the sets of segmented files in the personal video recorder storage unit associated with the one user; and

after the stopping of the storing of the one of the sets of segmented files in the personal video recorder storage unit associated with the one user, stopping the generation of the unique manifest for the one user, and decrementing the general recording count by one for the broadcast content.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising a step of deleting the stored broadcast content by:

receiving a delete message from the end-user device associated with the one user, wherein the delete message contains a request to delete the recorded broadcast content associated with the one user;

deleting the unique manifest of the one user;

deleting the one set of segmented files stored in the personal video recorder storage unit associated with the one user;

determining if the one user has permission for stored segmented files in the general storage unit that none of the remaining users can access;

if a result of the determining step is yes, then delete the stored segmented files in the general storage unit that none of the remaining users can access; and

if a result of the determining step is no, then do not delete the stored segmented files in the general storage unit that none of the remaining users can access.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein:

the storage unit is a general storage unit; and

before receiving the record message, storing at least the remaining sets of segmented files in the general storage unit and then after receiving the record message starting to store the one of the sets of segmented files in the personal video recorder storage unit associated with the one user.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein:

the storage unit is one of the personal video recorder storage units which is not associated with the one user;

the storing operation includes storing the plurality of sets of segmented files in the personal video recorder storage unit associated with the one user and in one or more of the personal video recorder storage units associated with one or more other users that also requested to record the broadcast content;

once recording sessions stop for the one user and the one or more other users that requested to record the broadcast content then;

identifying common segmented files that have been stored in the personal video recorder storage unit associated with the one user and in the one or more of the personal video recorder storage units associated with one or more other users;

determining which of the one user or the one or more other users that has longest recording session for the broadcast content;

deleting all of the identified common segmented files except for the one of the sets of segmented files which are stored in the personal video recorder storage units associated with the one user or the one or more other uses that did not have the longest recording session for the broadcast content; and

the generating operation includes re-writing the unique manifest associated with the one user if the one user is not the user that has the longest recording session for the broadcast content such that the re-written unique manifest has references to segmented files associated with the one set of segmented files which are stored in the personal video recorder storage unit associated with the one user, and such that the re-written unique manifest has references to at least a portion of the identified common segmented files which are stored in the personal video recorder storage unit associated with the user that has the longest recording session, wherein the at least a portion of the identified common segmented files do not include the one set of segmented files which are stored in the personal video recorder storage unit associated with the one user.