Virtual service delivery platform

• US 8,583,767 B2
• Filed: 08/24/2011
• Issued: 11/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CSC Holdings LLC (Altice USA, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CSC Holdings LLC (Altice USA, Inc.)
• Inventors: Neill, Richard, Khisti, Pradip
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Philip B
• Application Number:
  US13/216,891
• Publication Number:
  US 20130054703A1
• Time in Patent Office: 811 Days
• Field of Search: 709206-207, 709217-219, 709/220, 709/223
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5055 considering software capabilities, i.e. software resources associated or available to the machine
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/082 the condition being updates or upgrades of network functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2668 Creating a channel for a dedicated end-user group, e.g. insertion of targeted commercials based on end-user profiles information retrieval from the Internet by querying with filtering and personalisation G06F16/9535; arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast H04H20/10; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; adaptation of message content in packet-switching networks H04L51/063
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/443 OS processes, e.g. booting an STB, implementing a Java virtual machine in an STB or power management in an STB
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4516 involving client characteristics, e.g. Set-Top-Box type, software version or amount of memory available
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8173 End-user applications, e.g. Web browser, game

Abstract

A system, computer-implemented method and a computer-readable medium for accessing content on a plurality of computing devices from a plurality of independent frameworks. The system includes a virtual backend service (VBS) platform. A plurality of independent frameworks hosted on the VBS platform, where each independent framework is configured to provide access to an independent set of applications that provide a service over a network. The system also includes a configuration module for configuring each computing device in the plurality of computing devices to access the set of applications particular to the independent framework, wherein the configuring dynamically switches access of each computing device between the independent frameworks, and access the service from each framework by the configured computing device.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for accessing content on a plurality of computing devices from a plurality of independent frameworks, comprising:

providing a virtual backend service (VBS) platform;

hosting the plurality of independent frameworks on the VBS platform wherein each independent framework provides access to an independent set of applications, wherein the set of applications provides a service over a network;

configuring each computing device in the plurality of computing devices to access the set of applications particular to the independent framework, wherein the configuring dynamically switches access of each computing device between the independent frameworks; and

accessing the service from each framework by the configured computing device.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the service includes content.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the service includes at least one application executable by the computing device.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the service includes media content.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein the media content is a streaming content.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the computing device is a set-top box (STB).

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the at least one framework provides the service to a head-end.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the at least one framework provides a publishing service.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the at least one framework provides a messaging service.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the at least one framework accesses a database for determining at least one business rule for providing the service to each computing device.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

performing a compatibility check within each independent framework, wherein the compatibility check verifies that each computing device can process the provided service; and

if the compatibility check fails, using the VBS to upgrade the failed component on each failed computing device.

12. A system for accessing content on a plurality of computing devices from a plurality of independent frameworks, comprising:

a processor;

a memory coupled to the processor;

a virtual backend service (VBS) platform stored in memory and executing on the processor;

the plurality of independent frameworks hosted on the VBS platform, wherein each independent framework is configured to provide access to an independent set of applications, wherein the set of applications provide a service; and

a configuration module configured to;

configure each computing device in the plurality of computing devices to access the set of applications particular to the independent framework, wherein the configuring dynamically switches access of each computing device between the independent frameworks; and

access the service from each framework by the configured computing device.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the service includes content.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the service includes at least one application executable by the computing device.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the service includes media content.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the media content is a streaming content.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the computing device is a set-top box (STB).

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one framework provides the service to a head-end.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one framework provides a publishing service.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one framework provides a messaging service.

21. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one framework accesses a database for determining at least one business rule for providing a service to the computing device.

22. The system of claim 12, wherein the configuration module is further configured to:

perform a compatibility check within each independent framework, wherein the compatibility check verifies that each computing device can process the provided service; and

if the compatibility check fails, use the VBS to upgrade the failed component on each failed computing device.

23. A computer-implemented method for accessing a service from a virtual backend service (VBS) platform, comprising:

accessing, using a computing device the VBS platform, the VBS platform hosting a plurality of independent frameworks, wherein each independent framework provides access to an independent set of applications, the set of applications providing a service over a network;

receiving a message for configuring the computing device for access to the set of applications particular to an independent framework within the plurality of independent networks, wherein the configuring dynamically switches access of the computing device between the independent frameworks in the VBS; and

accessing the service from the configured framework by the computing device.