APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR RECORDING, ACCESSING, AND DELIVERING PACKETIZED CONTENT

• US 20170230702A1
• Filed: 04/10/2017
• Published: 08/10/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Inventors: Miles, Wilfred Jaime, Sarosi, George, Cholas, Chris
• Granted Patent: US 10,148,992 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2187 Live feed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2353 specifically adapted to content descriptors, e.g. coding, compressing or processing of metadata
• 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 21/251 Learning process for intelligent management, e.g. learning user preferences for recommending movies details of learning user preferences for the retrieval of video data in a video database G06F16/739; computer systems using learning methods G06N3/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/254 Management at additional data server, e.g. shopping server, rights management server arrangements for maintenance or administration in data networks H04L41/00; network services using third party service providers H04L67/53
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/258 Client or end-user data management, e.g. managing client capabilities, user preferences or demographics, processing of multiple end-users preferences to derive collaborative data arrangements for services using the result on the distributing side of broadcast systems H04H60/66; profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25875 involving end-user authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; arrangements for secret or secure communication including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/274 Storing end-user multimedia data in response to end-user request , e.g. network recorder
• 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 21/41 Structure of client; Structure of client peripherals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4135 external recorder interface circuits between an apparatus for recording television signals and a television receiver H04N5/775
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/433 Content storage operation, e.g. storage operation in response to a pause request, caching operations
• 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 21/436 Interfacing a local distribution network, e.g. communicating with another STB or one or more peripheral devices inside the home
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/45 Management operations performed by the client for facilitating the reception of or the interaction with the content or administrating data related to the end-user or to the client device itself, e.g. learning user preferences for recommending movies, resolving scheduling conflicts
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/458 Scheduling content for creating a personalised stream, e.g. by combining a locally stored advertisement with an incoming stream; Updating operations, e.g. for OS modules ; time-related management operations arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast or during the distribution H04H20/10
• 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 21/6587 Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection

Abstract

Apparatus and methods to manage recording of streaming packetized content (such as for example live IP packetized content) for access, retrieval and delivering thereof to one or more users. In one embodiment, the foregoing is accomplished via communication between a recording manager and a receiver/decoder device. The recording manager manages and schedules recording of content on behalf of the receiver/decoder device (and/or mobile devices) disposed at a user'"'"'s premises. The recording manager runs one or more computer programs designed to receive requests to record packetized content from one or more consumer devices, and use metadata contained within the requests to cause a cloud storage entity or premises storage device to record the content at its scheduled date/time (either via the receiver/decoder device itself, or another network entity). In this manner, the recording manager provides digital video recording (DVR) functionality to devices that would be otherwise incapable of scheduling a recording and/or recording such content.

Claims

1-10. -10. (canceled)

11. A computerized method of providing streaming content to a user of a managed network, the method comprising:

receiving data relating to a request to record a digital content element, the request originating from the user associated with a computerized client device, the data relating to the request comprising metadata;

based at least in part on the metadata, causing storage of the digital content element at a storage location accessible to at least the user via at least the computerized client device; and

subsequent to the storage of the digital content element, causing availability of the stored content for delivery over the managed network to at least the computerized client device.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising storing the metadata at a database, the metadata identifying at least the digital content element, and the causing storage comprises utilizing at least a portion of the metadata to identify the digital content element.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

utilizing the metadata to determine whether the user is a registered subscriber of the managed network; and

when the user is validated as the registered subscriber of the managed network, establish a data communications session between the client device and a computerized process of the managed network;

wherein the metadata comprises data identifying the user and/or the computerized client device

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the data comprises a GUID and/or log-in information.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising utilizing the metadata to determine whether the computerized client device is within or associated to a premises serviced by the managed network, the determination comprising associating the computerized client device with an authorized network access point.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising utilizing the metadata to authorize access to the digital content element based on a subscription level of the user.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

utilizing the metadata to determine the type of the computerized client device, the determination comprising determining whether the computerized client device is a legacy device; and

based on determining that the computerized client device is a legacy device, delivering the stored content to a non-legacy, IP-enabled computerized client device associated with the user, as part of the causing availability.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the database comprises information linking metadata regarding the user and/or the computerized client device to the digital content element and to the storage location, the storage location comprising a location of a multi-user partitioned cloud-based storage accessible to the user.

19. The method of claim 11, further comprising forming a group comprising the user and one or more other users, the forming of the group based at least in part on one or more common characteristics, wherein:

the causing storage of the digital content element at a storage location accessible to at least the user comprises causing transmission of the digital content element to a location of a multi-user partitioned cloud-based storage accessible to the user; and

the causing availability of the stored content to at least the user comprises causing availability of the stored digital content element to only the group via delivery over the content delivery network.

20. An apparatus having a non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising at least one computer program, the at least one computer program comprising a plurality of instructions which are configured to, when executed on a computerized apparatus:

receive data relating to one or more requests for recording a digital content element, the data relating to one or more requests respectively originated from one or more users associated with one or more respective computerized client devices;

send messages to a network entity of a managed network, the network entity responsible for causing recording of the digital content element at a predetermined time based at least in part on metadata within the content, each of the messages comprising at least information identifying at least one content element;

receive information comprising at least a storage location where the digital content element is located; and

provide the storage location of the stored digital content element to the at least one of the one or more computerized client devices so as to allow at least one of the one or more users to access the recorded media for delivery over the managed network to the at least one of the one or more computerized client devices associated with the at least one of the one or more users.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the storage location comprises a cloud storage apparatus disposed at a local node physically proximate to a premises of the at least one of the one or more users, the disposition of the local node configured to distribute the load of the delivery of the digital content element to an edge of the managed network.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the plurality of instructions are further configured to, when executed:

form a trusted domain between the at least one of the one or more computerized client devices and one or more other computerized client devices;

wherein access to the stored digital content element occurs via the formation of the trusted domain, for delivery over the managed network to the at least one of the one or more computerized client devices and the one or more other computerized client devices.

23. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the plurality of instructions are further configured to, when executed, predict a popularity of the requested digital content element, the requested digital content element stored based at least in part on the prediction of the popularity thereof.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the prediction of the popularity of the digital content element comprises an evaluation of historical viewership data and/or a frequency of requests thereof.

25. Computerized network apparatus for providing streaming content to a user of a content delivery network, the computerized network apparatus comprising:

a processor apparatus;

a storage element in data communication with the processor apparatus, the storage element comprising at least one computer program, the at least one program comprising a plurality of instructions which are configured to, when executed by the processor apparatus;

receive data relating to a request to record digital content element, the data relating to a request originated from a computerized client device;

cause, based at least in part on the received data, the digital content to be stored at a data storage device; and

cause the stored digital content element to be made available for presentation to a user of the computerized client device via delivery of the digital content element over the content delivery network to the computerized client device as part of a virtual user-specific program channel accessible to the user, the virtual user-specific program channel comprising a plurality of other digital content elements specifically selected for the at least one user by an algorithmic network process.

26. The computerized network apparatus of claim 25, wherein the at least one computer program is further configured to:

receive a plurality of data relating to respective ones of a plurality of requests originated from respective ones of a plurality of different computerized client devices, and the causation of the digital content element to be stored at the data storage device occurs automatically when a number of the plurality of requests meets or exceeds a predetermined threshold value, and the plurality of instructions are further configured to, when executed by the processor apparatus; and

make the stored digital content element accessible to the respective ones of the different plurality of computerized user devices.

27. The computerized network apparatus of claim 25, wherein

the at least one computer program is further configured to, when executed, by the processor apparatus, discard duplicate ones of requests for recording issued from a plurality of computerized client devices.

28. The computerized network apparatus of claim 25, wherein the plurality of instructions are further configured to, when executed by the processor apparatus, enable trick mode functionality of the computerized client device, the enablement comprises receipt of data relating to a request for a playback modification.

29. The computerized network apparatus of claim 25, wherein the plurality of instructions are further configured to, when executed by the processor apparatus, algorithmically generate content recommendations based on data relating to previous activity of the user with respect to content selections made via the computerized client device, and present the content recommendations as part of the virtual user-specific program channel.