Risk-time protection backup system

• US 7,099,661 B1
• Filed: 07/10/2002
• Issued: 08/29/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: DIRECTV, LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Longbottom, Jeff U., Kotaru, Chandra S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Urban, Edward F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, John J.
• Application Number:
  US10/192,963
• Time in Patent Office: 1,511 Days
• Field of Search: 455/428, 455/427, 455/423, 455/430, 455/433, 455/445, 455/12.1, 455/13.1, 455/414.1, 455/426.2, 455/446, 455/435.1, 455/435.2, 370/217, 370/222, 370/428, 370/250, 370/347, 714/4, 709/235, 709/231, 709/236
• US Class Current: 455/423
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1675 Temporal synchronisation or re-synchronisation of redundant processing components
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2023 Failover techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2025 using centralised failover control functionality
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2041 with more than one idle spare processing component
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2097 maintaining the standby controller/processing unit updated initialisation or re-synchronisation thereof G06F11/1658 and subgroups
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/12 Arrangements for observation, testing or troubleshooting
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/06 Arrangements for scheduling broadcast services or broadcast-related services

Abstract

A method of performing primary service backups for a direct broadcast system is provided. The method includes establishing play-out of a plurality of primary events via a plurality of primary devices and establishing play-out of a plurality of backup events via at least one backup device. A controller switches from a primary device of the plurality of primary devices to a backup device of the at least one backup device in response to a malfunction signal from one of the plurality of primary devices. A direct server-based broadcast system and a direct port-based broadcast system are also provided which implement the above-stated method.

Claims

1. A direct server-based broadcast backup system comprising:

a plurality of primary devices generating primary programming events for at least one customer;

a plurality of backup devices electronically coupled to said plurality of primary devices and generating backup programming events; and

a controller electronically coupled to said plurality of primary devices and said plurality of backup devices, selecting which of said primary programming events to backup, and switching and selecting at least one of said plurality of backup devices to operate in replacement of at least one of said plurality of primary devices in response to said selected primary programming events and a malfunction signal from one of said plurality of primary devices.

2. A system as in claim 1 wherein at least one primary device of said plurality of primary devices is associated with one backup device of said plurality of backup devices.

3. A system as in claim 1 wherein said plurality of primary devices form at least one cluster, and wherein each of said clusters is associated with at least one of said plurality of backup devices.

4. A system as in claim 1 wherein said plurality of backup devices is in parallel operation with said plurality of primary devices.

5. A system as in claim 1 wherein said malfunction signal is generated internal to or external of said controller.

6. A system as in claim 1 wherein said malfunction signal is generated from at least one of:

said plurality of primary devices, said at least one backup device, said controller, and a direct broadcast system fault detecting component.

7. A system as in claim 1 wherein said plurality of backup devices are associated with at least one of said plurality of primary devices.

8. A system as in claim 1 comprising a server comprising said plurality of backup devices.

9. A system as in claim 8 wherein said plurality of backup devices comprise a plurality of backup ports.

10. A system as in claim 1 wherein said controller purges state events and stale sub-events.

11. A direct port-based broadcast backup system comprising:

at least one dual purpose server providing programming to at least one customer and wherein at least one of said at least one dual purpose server comprising a plurality of programming ports, said programming ports comprising;

a plurality of primary ports supplying primary programming events; and

at least one backup port supplying backup programming events; and

a controller electronically coupled to said at least one dual-purpose server and switching between said plurality of primary ports and said at least one backup port in response to a malfunction signal.

12. A system as in claim 11 wherein said plurality of programming ports are capable of performing as a primary port or a backup port.

13. A system as in claim 11 wherein said controller in switching between said plurality of primary ports and said at least one backup port determines which of said plurality of programming ports are available.

14. A system as in claim 11 wherein said controller locates the appropriate programming material on a first programming server and transfers said appropriate programming material to a second programming server that comprises a backup port.

15. A system as in claim 11 wherein said controller continuously monitors status of said plurality of programming ports.

16. A method of performing primary service backups for a direct broadcast system comprising:

establishing play-out of a plurality of primary events via a plurality of primary devices;

establishing play-out of a plurality of backup events via at least one backup device;

switching from a primary device of said plurality of primary devices to a backup device of said at least one backup device in response to a malfunction signal;

detecting an error and generating a malfunction signal;

determining which backup devices of said at least one backup device are available;

determining appropriate programming material; and

assigning a backup device of said available backup devices to play-out said programming material.

17. A method as in claim 16 further comprising:

generating a sub-event of said programming material; and

establishing play-out of said sub-event via said assigned backup device.

18. A method as in claim 17, wherein assigning a backup device comprises searching for an alternative backup device to continue a primary event when said assigned backup device has concluded playing-out said sub-event.

19. A method as in claim 17 further comprising:

determining point of failure on a primary device event;

calculating restoration time;

determining mark-in point;

determining duration of said sub-event;

determining source device of said sub-event;

establishing play-out of said sub-event via said source device.

20. A method as in claim 19 further comprising:

transferring said sub-event from said source device to said assigned backup device;

setting a buffer time; and

establishing play-out of said sub-event via said assigned backup device at a current time plus said buffer time.

21. A method as in claim 17 further comprising:

identifying high-risk events;

identifying periods of high-risk for said high-risk events;

prioritizing said periods of high-risk;

generating a plurality of risk-time sub-events in response to said prioritization of said periods of high-risk;

scheduling said at least one backup device to play-out said plurality of risk-time sub-events; and

establishing play-out of said plurality of risk-time sub-events on said at least one backup device in tandem with play-out of said plurality of primary devices.

22. A method as in claim 21 further comprises:

generating a backup event comprising a series of said plurality of risk-time sub-events; and

establishing play-out of said backup event.

23. A method as in claim 21 wherein play-out duration of said plurality of risk-time sub-events is equal to duration of said periods of high-risk and not equal to play-out duration periods of corresponding primary events.