Adaptive timeshift service

• US 7,996,875 B2
• Filed: 05/20/2008
• Issued: 08/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Wan, Hui, Guo, Terry Q
• Primary Examiner(s): Beliveau; Scott
• Assistant Examiner(s): Stanley; Mark P
• Application Number:
  US12/124,134
• Publication Number:
  US 20090293092A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,176 Days
• Field of Search: 725/94
• US Class Current: 725/94
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2187 Live feed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/222 Secondary servers, e.g. proxy server, cable television Head-end provisioning of proxy services in data packet switching networks H04L67/56
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23406 involving management of server-side video buffer
• 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 21/6581 Reference data, e.g. a movie identifier for ordering a movie or a product identifier in a home shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6587 Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

An adaptive timeshift service is described. In embodiment(s), television content can be distributed from a live content server to television client devices, and the television content that is distributed from the live content server can be recorded at a timeshift server. Recorded television content can then be distributed from the timeshift server when requested by a television client device. An additional timeshift server can be allocated, and both the television content from the live content server and the recorded television content from the timeshift server can be written to a buffer of the additional timeshift server.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

distributing television content from a live content server to television client devices;

recording the television content at a timeshift server when said distributing the television content from the live content server;

distributing recorded television content from the timeshift server when requested by a television client device; and

writing both the television content from the live content server and the recorded television content from the timeshift server to a buffer of an additional timeshift server, wherein the buffer of the additional timeshift server has a timeshift duration, and wherein said writing to the buffer of the additional timeshift server includes writing the television content from the live content server forward in the timeshift duration and writing the recorded television content from the timeshift server backward in the timeshift duration.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

allocating the additional timeshift server; and

coordinating said writing both the television content from the live content server and the recorded television content from the timeshift server to the buffer of the additional timeshift server.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein writing the recorded television content includes writing the recorded television content from multiple timeshift servers to the buffer of the additional timeshift server.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said writing to the buffer of the additional timeshift server includes writing the television content forward in the timeshift duration and writing the recorded television content backward in the timeshift duration until the buffer is filled to encompass the timeshift duration.

5. A method as recited in claim 4, further comprising writing only the television content from the live content server forward in the buffer when the buffer is filled to write over the recorded television content that is earliest in the timeshift duration.

6. A content distributor, comprising:

a live content server configured to distribute television content to television client devices;

a timeshift server configured to record the television content as it is being distributed, the timeshift server further configured to distribute recorded television content when requested by a television client device; and

an additional timeshift server that includes a buffer configured to record both the television content from the live content server and the recorded television content from the timeshift server, wherein the buffer of the additional timeshift server has a timeshift duration, and wherein the buffer is further configured to record the television content from the live content server forward in the timeshift duration and record the recorded television content from the timeshift server backward in the timeshift duration.

7. A content distributor as recited in claim 6, further comprising multiple timeshift servers configured to record the television content as it is being distributed, and wherein the buffer of the additional timeshift server is further configured to record the recorded television content from the multiple timeshift servers.

8. A content distributor as recited in claim 6, further comprising an adaptive timeshift service configured to allocate the additional timeshift server and coordinate writing the television content from the live content server and the recorded television content from the timeshift server to the buffer of the additional timeshift server.

9. A content distributor as recited in claim 8, further comprising multiple timeshift servers configured to record the television content as it is being distributed, and wherein the adaptive timeshift service is further configured to coordinate writing the recorded television content from the multiple timeshift servers to the buffer of the additional timeshift server.

10. A content distributor as recited in claim 8, wherein the adaptive timeshift service is further configured to coordinate writing the television content from the live content server forward in the timeshift duration and the recorded television content from the timeshift server backward in the timeshift duration.

11. A content distributor as recited in claim 10, wherein the adaptive timeshift service is further configured to coordinate writing the television content forward in the timeshift duration and the recorded television content backward in the timeshift duration until the buffer is filled to encompass the timeshift duration.

12. A content distributor as recited in claim 11, wherein the buffer is a circular buffer, and wherein the adaptive timeshift service is further configured to coordinate writing only the television content from the live content server forward in the buffer when the buffer is filled to write over the recorded television content that is earliest in the timeshift duration.

13. One or more computer-readable storage media comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed, direct an adaptive timeshift service to coordinate writing both television content from a live content server and recorded television content from a timeshift server to a buffer of an additional timeshift server, the live content server distributing the television content to television client devices, and the timeshift server and the additional timeshift server each recording the television content when it is distributed, wherein the adaptive timeshift service is configured to coordinate writing the television content from the live content server forward in a timeshift duration of the buffer, and coordinate writing the recorded television content from the timeshift server backward in the timeshift duration of the buffer.

14. One or more computer-readable storage media as recited in claim 13, further comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed, direct the adaptive timeshift service to allocate the additional timeshift server to accommodate multiple requests for the recorded television content.

15. One or more computer-readable storage media as recited in claim 13, further comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed, direct the adaptive timeshift service to coordinate writing the television content forward in the time shift duration and the recorded television content backward in the timeshift duration until the buffer is filled to encompass the timeshift duration.

16. One or more computer-readable storage media as recited in claim 15, further comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed, direct the adaptive timeshift service to coordinate writing only the television content from the live content server forward in the buffer when the buffer is filled to write over the recorded television content that is earliest in the timeshift duration.