Content storage and delivery system and associated method and device
First Claim
1. A content storage and delivery system comprising:
- a plurality of set-top boxes configured to receive and store content and to interface with a communications network configured to operate according to a peer to peer file distribution protocol;
a first router in communication with a main content source;
at least one second router in communication with at least one of the set-top boxes; and
at least one intermediate router in communication with the first router and the at least one second router, each intermediate router defining a hub to service a subset of the set-top boxes, each set-top box in the subset of set-top boxes configured to access at least one other set-top box within the subset of the set-top boxes serviced by the hub and independent of communication with the first router,wherein each set-top box in the plurality of set-top boxes includes a partitioned storage area with at least one partition accessible by a content provider, and wherein the routers communicate in accordance with the peer to peer file distribution protocol to provide content to the plurality of set-top boxes via the communications network,wherein the at least one second router, the at least one intermediate router, the first router, and the main content source are arranged in a hierarchical network topology such that at least one upstream network communication pathway is formed from the at least one secondary router to the at least one intermediate router to the first router to the main content source,wherein at least one of the set-top boxes in the plurality of set-top boxes is configured to query, in response to a user request for content, a plurality of content sources for the requested content, andwherein querying the plurality of content sources in response to the user request for content comprises issuing a query to a first subset of content sources for the requested content and transmitting the query to a next available upstream router to query a larger subset of content sources serviced by the upstream router if the requested content is not available from the first subset.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system is provided for the storage of content on a network and the delivery of content to subscriber locations. The system includes routers and subscriber set-top boxes in communication with each other and a main content source. Content is delivered over a packet-switching network according to a peer to peer file distribution protocol and is stored in a storage area of the subscriber set-top box, such that each subscriber set-top box is configured to transmit and receive content to and from the main content source and other set-top boxes connected to the network. The set-top boxes may identify a preferred source of content based on various factors, such as geographic distance, Internet Protocol (IP) distance, available bandwidth, integrity of the content, etc. An associated method for accessing content and a set-top box for facilitating the storage and delivery of content are also provided.
28 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A content storage and delivery system comprising:
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a plurality of set-top boxes configured to receive and store content and to interface with a communications network configured to operate according to a peer to peer file distribution protocol; a first router in communication with a main content source; at least one second router in communication with at least one of the set-top boxes; and at least one intermediate router in communication with the first router and the at least one second router, each intermediate router defining a hub to service a subset of the set-top boxes, each set-top box in the subset of set-top boxes configured to access at least one other set-top box within the subset of the set-top boxes serviced by the hub and independent of communication with the first router, wherein each set-top box in the plurality of set-top boxes includes a partitioned storage area with at least one partition accessible by a content provider, and wherein the routers communicate in accordance with the peer to peer file distribution protocol to provide content to the plurality of set-top boxes via the communications network, wherein the at least one second router, the at least one intermediate router, the first router, and the main content source are arranged in a hierarchical network topology such that at least one upstream network communication pathway is formed from the at least one secondary router to the at least one intermediate router to the first router to the main content source, wherein at least one of the set-top boxes in the plurality of set-top boxes is configured to query, in response to a user request for content, a plurality of content sources for the requested content, and wherein querying the plurality of content sources in response to the user request for content comprises issuing a query to a first subset of content sources for the requested content and transmitting the query to a next available upstream router to query a larger subset of content sources serviced by the upstream router if the requested content is not available from the first subset. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of accessing content comprising:
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querying, in response to a user request for content, a plurality of content sources connected to a communications network for the requested content, the plurality of content sources being configured in at least one first subset and a larger subset, each first subset defining a network between one hub and a set of content sources, the larger subset defining a larger network between one or more first subsets, the query being initially confined to content sources within the first subset where the query was initiated, wherein a plurality of hierarchically configured routers connected to the communication network enforce policy to determine to which of the subsets of the content sources to route the query; determining a preferred source of the requested content at a subscriber location from among the content sources; obtaining a copy of the requested content at the subscriber location from the preferred source; storing the requested content in a storage area at the subscriber location; and allowing a plurality of remote subscribers to access content stored in the storage area at the subscriber location, wherein querying the plurality of content sources in response to the user request for content comprises issuing a query to the first subset of content sources for the requested content and transmitting the query to a next available upstream router to query the larger subset of content sources serviced by the upstream router if the requested content is not available from the first subset. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A set-top box comprising:
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an interface configured to communicate with a network, the interface configured to transmit a query for content to a hub configured to service a set of set-top boxes, and, when the queried content is not available in the set of set-top boxes serviced by the hub, the interface is configured to communicate with an upstream hub configured to service a larger set of set-top boxes to locate the queried content, the hub and the upstream hub comprising hierarchically configured routers that enforce policy to determine to which of the sets of set-top boxes to route the query; a storage area partitioned into at least two partitions with at least one partition accessible by a content provider; and a receiver and decoder configured to receive digital content through the interface, store the digital content in the at least one partition of the storage area accessible by the content provider, and convert the digital content for display on the subscriber television, wherein the storage area is configured to allow at least one remote set-top box to access the at least one partition of the storage area and to copy digital content to the at least one remote set-top box. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
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Specification