System and method for recording and time-shifting programming in a television distribution system with limited content retention

• US 8,087,059 B2
• Filed: 09/09/2010
• Issued: 12/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chen, Zesen, Chou, Peter, Chen, Sean, Gonsalves, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid, Lester
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gu, Andy
• Application Number:
  US12/878,052
• Publication Number:
  US 20100333161A1
• Time in Patent Office: 474 Days
• Field of Search: 725/134
• US Class Current: 725/134
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/10 File systems; File servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/231 Content storage operation, e.g. caching movies for short term storage, replicating data over plural servers, prioritizing data for deletion
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23106 involving caching operations prefetching while addressing of a memory level in which the access to the desired data or data block requires associative addressing means within memory systems or architectures G06F12/0862; caching at an intermediate stage in a data network H04L67/568
• 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 21/26275 for distributing content or additional data in a staggered manner, e.g. repeating movies on different channels in a time-staggered manner in a near video on demand system
• 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 21/4333 Processing operations in response to a pause request
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4335 Housekeeping operations, e.g. prioritizing content for deletion because of storage space restrictions storage management, e.g. defragmentation G06F3/0604; unloading stored programs G06F9/445; storage management in file systems G06F16/10; buffering arrangements in a network node or in an end terminal in packet networks H04L49/90
• 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 21/4728 for selecting a Region Of Interest [ROI], e.g. for requesting a higher resolution version of a selected region
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Various embodiments of the disclosed subject matter provide methods and systems to record broadcast programming for at least one television channel for a period of time, wherein the recording is performed upstream from subscribers in a television distribution system, and further including after the period of time, keeping recorded programming by request from at least one subscriber. And further wherein the request is for at least one television program contained in the recorded programming or for a time window for a particular channel. According to another embodiment a subscriber requests that broadcast programming be saved for the subscriber upstream from the subscriber in a television distribution system, and wherein the subscriber may request the programming be saved for later viewing by the subscriber between the time the programming was broadcast and a later point in time.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

recording and storing broadcast programming for at least one television channel for a first period of time, wherein the recording and storing are performed remotely from a plurality of subscriber devices in a television distribution system;

after the first period of time, storing remotely the recorded broadcast programming for rebroadcast for a second period of time responsive to one or more rebroadcast requests from one or more subscriber devices of the plurality of subscriber devices, wherein the one or more rebroadcast requests occur prior to the end of the second period of time; and

after the second period of time, deleting the recorded broadcast programming unless the recorded broadcast programming has yet to be viewed on any one of the one or more subscriber devices associated with the one or more rebroadcast requests wherein the second period of time is extended by an adjustable delay period (T) based on a total number (N) of the one or more rebroadcast requests from the one or more subscriber devices, wherein T=C*log(N), and wherein C is a constant that is determined based on subscriber feedback and an amount of storage available.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more rebroadcast requests are for at least one television program contained in the recorded broadcast programming.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more rebroadcast requests are for a time window for a particular channel.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more rebroadcast requests occur prior to the regularly scheduled broadcast of the programming.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the one of more rebroadcast requests occur after the regularly scheduled broadcast of the programming.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the recorded broadcast programming is stored on at least one mass storage device.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying a list of content that may be saved upon request.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a request from a subscriber device of the plurality of subscriber devices for saved content to be delivered for display on a television viewing device.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, comprising computer instructions for:

recording and storing broadcast programming for at least one television channel for a first period of time, wherein the recording and storing are performed remotely from a plurality of subscriber devices in a television distribution system;

after the first period of time, storing the recorded programming for rebroadcast for a second period of time responsive to one or more rebroadcast requests from one or more subscriber devices of the plurality of subscriber devices wherein the one or more rebroadcast requests occur prior to the second period of time, wherein the second period of time is based in part on requests made by other subscriber devices of the plurality of subscriber devices; and

deleting the stored recorded programming after a deletion time period unless the recorded programming has yet to be viewed on any one of the one or more subscriber devices associated with the one or more rebroadcast requests, wherein the deletion time period is extended by an adjustable delay time (T) based on a total number (N) of the one or more rebroadcast requests, wherein T=C*log(N), and wherein C is a constant that is determined based on subscriber feedback and an amount of storage available.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the one or more rebroadcast requests are for at least one television program contained in the recorded broadcast programming.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the one or more rebroadcast requests are for a time window for a particular channel.

12. A network element comprising a memory communicatively coupled to a controller, wherein the controller is adapted to:

record and store programming for at least one television channel for a first period of time and at a location that is remote from a plurality of subscriber devices;

after the first period of time, storing the recorded programming for rebroadcast for a second period of time responsive to one or more rebroadcast requests from one or more of the subscriber devices of the plurality of subscriber devices, wherein the one or more rebroadcast requests occur prior to the end of the second period of time; and

after the second period of time, deleting the recorded programming unless the recorded programming has yet to be viewed on any one of the one or more subscriber devices associated with the one or more rebroadcast requests wherein the second period of time is extended by an adjustable delay period (t) based on a total number (N) of the one or more rebroadcast requests from the one or more subscriber devices, wherein T=C*log(N), and wherein C is a constant that is determined based on an amount of storage available.

13. The network element of claim 12, wherein C is determined based on subscriber feedback.

14. The network element of claim 12, wherein the one or more rebroadcast requests are for at least one television program contained in the recorded programming.

15. The network element of claim 12, wherein the one or more rebroadcast requests are for a time window for a particular channel.

16. The network element of claim 12, wherein the one or more rebroadcast requests occur prior to a regularly scheduled broadcast of the recorded programming.