Methods, apparatus, and systems for providing media content over a communications network

• US 8,904,456 B2
• Filed: 02/09/2007
• Issued: 12/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TVU Networks Corporation
• Original Assignee: TVU Networks Corporation
• Inventors: Shen, Paul, Shen, Jay
• Primary Examiner(s): Bruckart, Benjamin R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Malangone, Carmine
• Application Number:
  US11/704,701
• Publication Number:
  US 20070204321A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,853 Days
• Field of Search: 725/120, 725/135, 725/93, 725/115, 725/116
• US Class Current: 725/92
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2225 Local VOD servers
• 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 21/23109 by placing content in organized collections, e.g. EPG data repository details of retrieval of video data and associated meta data in video databases G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23424 involving splicing one content stream with another content stream, e.g. for inserting or substituting an advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2393 involving handling client requests scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2407 Monitoring of transmitted content, e.g. distribution time, number of downloads arrangements for monitoring programmes for broadcast or for distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2665 Gathering content from different sources, e.g. Internet and satellite
• 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 21/4331 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 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/632 using a connection between clients on a wide area network, e.g. setting up a peer-to-peer communication via Internet for retrieving video segments from the hard-disk of other client devices broadcast-related systems characterised by transmission among terminal devices H04H60/80; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6581 Reference data, e.g. a movie identifier for ordering a movie or a product identifier in a home shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 999/99 dummy group

Abstract

The present invention relates to broadcasting/multicasting of media content over a communication network using shared bandwidth available from peer-to-peer networking. The system of the present invention includes a plurality of broadcast devices, a plurality of receiving devices, a plurality of databases, and a control center. The control center is the central nerve of the network, and provides a number of services, including but not limited to channel control, ad insertion, conditional access, program guide services, and the like. The broadcast device converts media content, which can be television, radio, and other data, received from various content providers, into digital data packets, having a suitable format for transmission over the Internet. Each receiving device will request the relevant packets, decode the received packets, and display or present the media content contained in the packets via an associated device. Packets may be received directly from the broadcast devices or from peers (other receiving devices) on the network.

Claims

1. A system for delivering real-time media content over a communications network, comprising:

one or more dedicated servers for temporarily caching data packets of real-time media content for one or more media content programs and for providing tracking information for said data packets;

a control center for storing identification information for said one or more dedicated servers; and

a plurality of receiving devices each adapted to;

(i) receive said tracking information from said one or more dedicated servers and other of said plurality of receiving devices;

(ii) push without request said tracking information to said other of said plurality of receiving devices; and

(iii) request and download said cached data packets over the communications network for a requested media content program from (a) said one or more dedicated servers, and (b) at least one other of said plurality of receiving devices, based on at least two of;

said identification information obtained from said control center;

said tracking information obtained from said one or more dedicated servers; and

said tracking information obtained from said other of said plurality of receiving devices;

wherein;

at least a portion of said receiving devices are configured to share resources via the communications network, enabling a download of said data packets by one receiving device from another receiving device;

a first receiving device is downloading data packets for a first media content program; and

said first receiving device is enabled to switch to a second media content

program by requesting and downloading data packets for said second media content program from at least one other of said receiving devices currently downloading or caching data packets for said second media content program.

2. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

the real-time media content is reconstructed at the receiving device in real time with data packets from at least one of;

(a) one of said dedicated servers;

(b) one or more peer receiving devices on the communications network; and

(c) local memory.

3. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

said first receiving device is further enabled to switch to the second media content program by also requesting and downloading the data packets for said second media content program from said one or more dedicated servers.

4. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

said data packets initially downloaded for said second media content program comprise one or more anchor frames for said second media content program.

5. A system in accordance with claim 4, wherein:

said one or more anchor frames are downloaded for said second media content program until said first receiving device has sufficient bandwidth to download data packets containing additional anchor frames and other types of frames.

6. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

said data packets initially downloaded for said second media content program comprise one or more anchor frames and corresponding audio data for said second media content program.

7. A system in accordance with claim 6, wherein:

said one or more anchor frames are downloaded for said second media content program until said first receiving device has sufficient bandwidth to download data packets containing additional anchor frames and other types of frames.

8. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

said one or more dedicated servers comprise at least one of;

(a) one or more dedicated broadcasting devices; and

(b) one or more of said receiving devices.

9. A system in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

a peer service associated with said control center for defining a subset of said receiving devices that comprise peers on the communications network;

wherein said download of said data packets is enabled from one peer to another peer.

10. A system in accordance with claim 9, wherein:

said first receiving device processes a program switch from said first media content program to the second media content program prior to downloading the data packets for the second media content program.

11. A system in accordance with claim 10, wherein:

a request for said program switch is communicated from said first receiving device to said peer service; and

said peer service provides to said first receiving device a list of available peers on the communications network currently downloading or caching said data packets for said second media content program.

12. A system in accordance with claim 11, wherein:

said first receiving device communicates a request for said data packets for said second media content program to one or more of said available peers from said list.

13. A system in accordance with claim 12, wherein:

said request for data packets comprises a request for anchor frames from said second media content program.

14. A system in accordance with claim 13, wherein:

a number of anchor frames are stored at each receiving device for enabling said program switch.

15. A system in accordance with claim 13, wherein:

said request includes a request for an initial anchor frame closest to a display time of said receiving device.

16. A system in accordance with claim 15, wherein:

said initial anchor frame is an anchor frame with a time-stamp closest to a time t plus a current time;

said time t comprises one of a positive number, a negative number, and zero.

17. A system in accordance with claim 15, wherein:

said initial anchor frame is downloaded, decoded, and displayed regardless of a time stamp for the initial anchor frame;

said first receiving device begins downloading additional anchor frames after said initial anchor frame is downloaded; and

said additional anchor frames are downloaded from said one or more of said peers until said first receiving device has sufficient bandwidth to download data packets containing additional anchor frames and other types of frames.

18. A system in accordance with claim 10, wherein:

said first receiving device communicates a stop command to the one or more dedicated servers providing said data packets for said first media content program after said program switch is processed.

19. A system in accordance with claim 10, wherein:

said one or more dedicated servers segregates said real-time media content into groups of data packets according to priority, including at least a high priority group of data packets and a low priority group of data packets.

20. A system in accordance with claim 19, wherein:

said high priority group of data packets for said second media content program are downloaded by said first receiving device to enable said program switch.

21. A system in accordance with claim 20, wherein:

said high priority group of data packets comprise anchor frames and associated audio packets; and

said lower priority group of data packets comprise non-anchor frames and associated audio packets.

22. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

said real-time media content comprises at least one of television programs, news programs, movies, concerts, sports programs, radio programs, advertising content, television commercials, and radio commercials.

23. A method for delivering real-time media content over a communications network, comprising:

temporarily caching data packets of real-time media content by one or more dedicated servers for one or more media content programs;

providing tracking information by said one or more dedicated servers for said data packets;

storing at a control center identification information for said one or more dedicated servers;

receiving said tracking information at a plurality of receiving devices from said one or more dedicated servers and other of said plurality of receiving devices;

pushing without request said tracking information to said other of said plurality of receiving devices; and

requesting and downloading said cached data packets over the communications network for a requested media content program at each of the plurality of receiving devices from (a) said one or more dedicated servers and (b) at least one other of said plurality of receiving devices, based on at least two of;

said identification information obtained from said control center;

said tracking information obtained from said one or more dedicated servers; and

said tracking information obtained from said other of said plurality of receiving devices;

wherein;

at least a portion of said receiving devices are configured to share resources via the communications network, enabling a download of said data packets by one receiving device from another receiving device;

a first receiving device is downloading data packets for a first media content program; and

said first receiving device is enabled to switch to a second media content program by requesting and downloading data packets for said second media content program from at least one other of said receiving devices currently downloading or caching data packets for said second media content program.

24. A method in accordance with claim 23, wherein:

the real-time media content is reconstructed at the receiving device in real time with data packets from at least one of;

(a) one of said dedicated servers;

(b) one or more peer receiving devices on the communications network; and

(c) local memory.

25. A method in accordance with claim 23, wherein:

said first receiving device is further enabled to switch to the second media content program by also requesting and downloading the data packets for said second media content program from said one or more dedicated servers.

26. A method in accordance with claim 23, wherein:

said data packets initially downloaded for said second media content program comprise one or more anchor frames for said second media content program.

27. A method in accordance with claim 26, wherein:

said one or more anchor frames are downloaded for said second media content program until said first receiving device has sufficient bandwidth to download data packets containing additional anchor frames and other types of frames.

28. A method in accordance with claim 23, wherein:

said data packets initially downloaded for said second media content program comprise one or more anchor frame and corresponding audio data for said second media content program.

29. A method in accordance with claim 28, wherein:

said one or more anchor frames are downloaded for said second media content program until said first receiving device has sufficient bandwidth to download data packets containing additional anchor frames and other types of frames.

30. A method in accordance with claim 23, wherein:

said one or more dedicated servers comprise at least one of;

(a) one or more dedicated broadcasting devices; and

(b) one or more of said receiving devices.

31. A method in accordance with claim 23, further comprising:

providing a peer service associated with said control center for defining a subset of said receiving devices that comprise peers on the communications network;

wherein said download of said data packets is enabled from one peer to another peer.

32. A method in accordance with claim 31, wherein:

said first receiving device processes a program switch from said first media content program to the second media content program prior to downloading the data packets for the second media content program.

33. A method in accordance with claim 32, wherein:

a request for said program switch is communicated from said first receiving device to said peer service; and

said peer service provides to said first communication device a list of available peers on the communications network currently downloading or caching said data packets for said second media content program.

34. A method in accordance with claim 33, wherein:

said first receiving device communicates a request for said data packets for said second media content program to one or more of said available peers from said list.

35. A method in accordance with claim 34, wherein:

said request for data packets comprises a request for anchor frames from said second media content program.

36. A method in accordance with claim 35, wherein:

a number of anchor frames are stored at each receiving device for enabling said program switch.

37. A method in accordance with claim 35, wherein:

said request includes a request for an initial anchor frame closest to a display time of said receiving device.

38. A method in accordance with claim 37, wherein:

said initial anchor frame is an anchor frame with a time-stamp closest to a time t plus a current time;

said time t comprises one of a positive number, a negative number, and zero.

39. A method in accordance with claim 37, wherein:

said initial anchor frame is downloaded, decoded, and displayed regardless of a time stamp for the initial anchor frame;

said first receiving device begins downloading additional anchor frames after said initial anchor frame is downloaded; and

said additional anchor frames are downloaded from said one or more of said peers until said first receiving device has sufficient bandwidth to download data packets containing additional anchor frames and other types of frames.

40. A method in accordance with claim 32, further comprising:

communicating a stop command from said first receiving device to the one or more dedicated servers providing said data packets for said first media content program after said program switch is requested.

41. A method in accordance with claim 32, wherein:

said one or more dedicated servers segregates said real-time media content into groups of data packets according to priority, including at least a high priority group of data packets and a low priority group of data packets.

42. A method in accordance with claim 41, wherein:

said high priority group of data packets for said second media content program are downloaded by said first receiving device to enable said program switch.

43. A method in accordance with claim 42, wherein:

said high priority group of data packets comprise anchor frames and associated audio packets; and

said lower priority group of data packets comprise non-anchor frames and associated audio packets.

44. A method in accordance with claim 23, wherein:

said real-time media content comprises at least one of television programs, news programs, movies, concerts, sports programs, radio programs, advertising content, television commercials, and radio commercials.