Updating content libraries by transmitting release data

• US 8,887,224 B2
• Filed: 03/09/2005
• Issued: 11/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NBC Universal Media LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Vudu Incorporated (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Ganesan, Prasanna, Matloub, Shahriyar, Miranz, Tony, Rossmann, Alain
• Primary Examiner(s): Kumar, Pankaj
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hicks, Charles N
• Application Number:
  US11/076,262
• Publication Number:
  US 20060218218A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,534 Days
• Field of Search: 725/32, 725 34- 35, 725/50, 725/78, 725/115, 725/132, 725/140, 725/152
• US Class Current: 725/115
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2225 Local VOD servers
• 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 21/4325 by playing back content from the storage medium reproduction of recorded television signals H04N5/76; reproduction of recorded television signals H04N9/79
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6543 for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording remote booting in general G06F9/4416

Abstract

There are many boxes (e.g., set-top boxes) in a system offering media services to users. Each of the boxes maintains a library with a significant number of titles. Techniques for updating the library in each of these boxes using a transmission infrastructure are described. According to one aspect of the techniques, a service provider is provided with a high bandwidth broadcasting or multicasting capability, a release fragmented into a header and several segments is transmitted to all boxes that are respectively configured to receive a proper release package to update the library. Alternatively, separate release packages may be transmitted via different channels to the boxes, wherein each of the boxes is tuned to a proper channel to receive a proper release package.

Claims

1. A method for enabling instant playback of media, the method being implemented by one or more processors and comprising:

generating a data package that corresponds to a first media content, the data package including (i) a header segment corresponding to a beginning portion of the first media content, and (ii) a plurality of tail segments corresponding to the remaining portion of the first media content;

transmitting at least portions of the data package to a plurality of devices, such that the header segment is transmitted to each of the devices and each of the plurality of tail segments is transmitted to at least one of the devices;

enabling any of the plurality of devices to initiate instant playback of the first media content in response to a user request for playback of the first media content, wherein enabling any of the plurality of devices includes enabling each device to;

(i) initiate playback of the first media content using the header segment, as previously received by that device, before or while receiving one or more tail segments from another device, and (ii) continue playback of the first media content using each of the plurality of tail segments, including the one or more tail segments received from another device in the plurality of devices.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of devices is configured to locally store at least the received header segment before instant playback of the first media content is initiated.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein generating a data package includes generating a plurality of release packages, each of the release packages including the header segment and a respective set of tail segments, wherein each set of tail segments includes none or at least one of the plurality of tail segments.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein transmitting the data package to the plurality of devices comprises:

allocating a transmission channel for each of the plurality of release packages; and

transmitting the plurality of release packages via the transmission channels, respectively, to the plurality of devices, wherein each of the plurality of devices is configured to receive at least one of the release packages from a corresponding channel.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein upon receiving the header segment pertaining to the first media content, each of the plurality of devices is configured to update the database of media content to include the first media content.

6. The method of claim 3, further comprising configuring at least one of the plurality of devices to transmit a corresponding release package to a first device coupled to the network that did not receive any of the release packages transmitted via at least one of the plurality of channels.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein upon initiating playback of the first media content on one of the plurality of devices, the one of the plurality of devices is configured to receive one or more of the plurality of tail segments, concurrently, from others of the plurality of devices.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the network includes one or more of a satellite network, a cable network, or a packet switched network with multicasting support.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the data package to the plurality of devices comprises at least one of broadcasting or multicasting the data package to the plurality of devices.

10. A method for enabling instant playback of media, the method being implemented by one or more processors and comprising:

generating a data package that corresponds to a first media content, the data package including (i) a header segment corresponding to a beginning portion of the first media content, and (ii) a plurality of tail segments corresponding to the remaining portion of the media content;

transmitting at least portions of the data package, at different intervals, to any devices coupled to the network, wherein the header segment is transmitted to each of the plurality of devices, and wherein each of the plurality of tail segments is transmitted to at least one of the plurality of devices; and

enabling the first device to initiate instant playback of the first media content, in response to a user request for playback of the first media content, wherein enabling the first device to initiate playback includes enabling the first device to;

(i) initiate playback of the first media content using the header segment as previously received by that device, before or while receiving one or more tail segments from other devices coupled to the network, and (ii) continue playback of the first media content using each of the plurality of tail segments as provided, at least in part, by one or more other devices coupled to the network.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising transmitting a set of information to the first device, wherein the set of information indicates one or more media content to be added to the database in the first device.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the network includes one or more of a satellite network, a cable network, or a packet switched network with multicasting support.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein transmitting the data package comprises at least one of broadcasting or multicasting the data package to any devices coupled to the network.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein upon receiving the header segment pertaining to the first media content, the first device is configured to update the database of media content to include the first media content.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the first device corresponds to at least one of (i) a device newly added to the network or (ii) a device that has been out of service for a period of time.