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

• US 8,745,686 B2
• Filed: 05/24/2013
• Issued: 06/03/2014
• 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): MENDOZA, JUNIOR O
• Application Number:
  US13/902,072
• Publication Number:
  US 20130263196A1
• Time in Patent Office: 375 Days
• Field of Search: 725/89, 725/134, 725/142
• 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 digital video recording server, comprising:

a memory to store instructions; and

a processor coupled to the memory, wherein the processor, responsive to executing the instructions, performs operations comprising;

receiving a recording request from a set-top box to record a media program prior to a scheduled broadcast time for the media program, wherein the digital video recorder server and the set-top box are communicatively coupled via a communications network;

recording the media program according to the recording request to store a recorded version of the media program;

receiving a viewing request from the set-top box to rebroadcast the recorded version of the media program;

transmitting the recorded version of the media program to the set-top box according to an archival policy, comprising;

storing the recorded version of the media program for a first period of time, wherein the first period of time is based at least in part on a plurality of requests from a plurality of set-top boxes to save the media program; and

deleting the recorded version of the media program after a second period of time, wherein the second period of time is adjustable by a delay period (T) based on a total number (N) of the plurality of requests from the plurality of set-top boxes, wherein T=C*log(N), wherein C is a constant that is determined based on feedback of subscribers to the digital video recording server and based on an amount of storage available to the digital video recording server, and wherein N is greater than zero.

2. The digital video recording server of claim 1, wherein the recorded version of the media program that is received at the set-top box is subsequently stored at the set-top box.

3. The digital video recording server of claim 1, wherein the media program is a broadcast television program.

4. The digital video recording server of claim 1, wherein the viewing request comprises a time window for a particular channel associated with the scheduled broadcast time of the media program.

5. The digital video recording server of claim 1, wherein the set-top box receives at a user input a request to save the media program after the scheduled broadcast time.

6. The digital video recording server of claim 1, wherein the recorded version of the media program is stored by the digital video recording server on a mass storage device.

7. The digital video recording server of claim 1, wherein the processor further performs operations comprising transmitting a list of content to the set-top box that may be accessed from the digital video recording server.

8. The digital video recording server of claim 1, wherein the set-top box receives a request from a subscriber for the recorded version of the media program to be delivered for display on a television viewing device.

9. A computer-readable storage device, comprising instructions which when executed by a processor cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving at a user input of a set-top box a request to view a recorded version of a media program after a scheduled broadcast time for the media program;

responsive to receiving the request to view the recorded version of the media program after the scheduled broadcast time, transmitting to a network media server a request to rebroadcast the recorded version of the media program; and

receiving at the set-top box the recorded version of the media program that is rebroadcast from the network media server, wherein the recorded version of the media program is received according to an archival policy at the network media server and wherein the archival policy comprises;

storing the recorded version of the media program for a first period of time, wherein the first period of time is based on a plurality of requests from a plurality of set-top boxes to access a television channel associated with the media program; and

deleting the recorded version of the media program after a second period of time, wherein the second period of time is adjustable by a delay period (T) based on a total number (N) of the plurality of requests to access the television channel, wherein T=C*log(N), wherein C is a constant that is determined based on feedback of subscribers to the network media server and based on an amount of storage available to the network media server, and wherein N is greater than zero.

10. The computer-readable storage device of claim 9, wherein the recorded version of the media program corresponds to the television channel recorded for the first period of time, wherein the recording is performed remotely from set-top box in a television distribution system, and wherein the request to rebroadcast is transmitted prior to the second period of time based in part on requests made by other set-top boxes.

11. The computer-readable storage device of claim 9, wherein the recorded version of the media program that is requested comprises a television program contained in the recorded version of the media program.

12. The computer-readable storage device of claim 9, wherein the request to view the recorded version of the media program indicates a time window for the television channel associated with the recorded version of the media program.

13. The computer-readable storage device of claim 9, wherein the recorded version of the media program that is received at the set-top box is subsequently stored at the set-top box.

14. The computer-readable storage device of claim 9, wherein the recorded version of the media program is stored by the network media server on a mass storage device.

15. The computer-readable storage device of claim 9, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to perform operations comprising receiving a list of content that may be accessed from the network media server.

16. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a server comprising a processor, a recording request from a set-top box to record a media program prior to a scheduled broadcast time for the media program, wherein the server and the set-top box are communicatively coupled via a communications network;

recording, by the server, the media program according to the recording request to store a recorded version of the media program;

receiving, by the server, a viewing request from the set-top box to rebroadcast the recorded version of the media program;

transmitting, by the server, the recorded version of the media program to the set-top box according to an archival policy, comprising;

storing, by the server, the recorded version of the media program for a first period of time, wherein the first period of time is based at least in part on a plurality of requests from a plurality of set-top boxes to save the media program; and

deleting, by the server, the recorded version of the media program after a second period of time, wherein the second period of time is adjustable by a delay period (T) based on a total number (N) of the plurality of requests from the plurality of set-top boxes, wherein T=C*log(N), wherein C is a constant that is determined based on feedback of subscribers to the server and based on an amount of storage available to the server, and wherein N is greater than zero.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising transmitting, by the server, a list of content to the set-top box that may be accessed from the server.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the viewing request identifies a television program contained in the recorded version of the media program.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the viewing request indicates a time window for a particular channel associated with the media program.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the viewing request is transmitted prior to the scheduled broadcast time of the media program.