Remote storage digital video recorder for multiple bitrate digital media content

• US 8,925,023 B2
• Filed: 12/06/2012
• Issued: 12/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dish Technologies LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Echostar Technologies LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Inventors: Major, Robert Drew, Major, Darren
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN BA, HOANG VU A
• Application Number:
  US13/706,983
• Publication Number:
  US 20130145410A1
• Time in Patent Office: 754 Days
• Field of Search: 725/92, 725/93, 725/116, 725/146, 726/4, 726/28, 386/295, 386/324, 707/783, 707/784, 707/785
• US Class Current: 725/93
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2181 comprising remotely distributed storage units, e.g. when movies are replicated over a plurality of video servers distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS], H04L67/1097
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2183 Cache memory caches in web servers or browsers G06F16/9574; intermediate storage and caching in data networks H04L67/568
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23103 using load balancing strategies, e.g. by placing or distributing content on different disks, different memories or different servers storage management G06F3/0604; allocation of resources considering the load in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/505; techniques for rebalancing the load in a distributed system G06F9/5083; access to distributed or replicated servers, e.g. load balancing, in data networks H04L67/1001
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2312 Data placement on disk arrays data placement in general G06F3/0604
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2323 using file mapping
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234363 by altering the spatial resolution, e.g. for clients with a lower screen resolution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23439 for generating different versions
• 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 21/4135 external recorder interface circuits between an apparatus for recording television signals and a television receiver H04N5/775
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/462 Content or additional data management, e.g. creating a master electronic program guide from data received from the Internet and a Head-end, controlling the complexity of a video stream by scaling the resolution or bit-rate based on the client capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4627 Rights management associated to the content security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47217 for controlling playback functions for recorded or on-demand content, e.g. using progress bars, mode or play-point indicators or bookmarks specific graphical features in visual interfaces H04N21/4312
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/61 Network physical structure; Signal processing H04B takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6371 directed to network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6373 for rate control , e.g. request to the server to modify its transmission rate flow control in packet networks H04L47/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6379 directed to encoder , e.g. for requesting a lower encoding rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64769 for rate control flow control in packet networks H04L47/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6587 Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8456 : by decomposing the content in the time domain, e.g. in time segments
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 : Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 : on tape
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/85 : on discs or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/91 : Television signal processing therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/165 : Centralised control of user terminal subsequent to an upstream request signal H04N7/17345; Registering at central by two-way working H04N7/17309
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17336 : Handling of requests in head-ends
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/80 : Transformation of the television signal for recording, e.g. modulation, frequency changing; Inverse transformation for playback

Abstract

A remote storage digital video recorder (RS-DVR) system is disclosed. The RS-DVR system includes a network interface to communicate data between the RS-DVR system and a subscriber system via a network, a file system module coupled to the network interface, an ingest agent coupled to the file system module to receive encoded media segments that represent media content files encoded at a plurality of different bitrates, and a storage architecture coupled to the file system to store the encoded media segments, resulting in stored media segments. The RS-DVR carries out a number of functions and operations to service multiple subscribers and associated subscriber systems, such as various storage device management operations, file structure techniques, assignment of recorded media to subscribers, file system indexing, and supporting shared and per-subscriber content rights.

Claims

1. A remote storage digital video recorder (RS-DVR) system comprising:

a network interface to communicate data between the RS-DVR system and a subscriber system via a network;

a file system module coupled to the network interface;

an ingest agent coupled to the file system module to receive encoded media segments that represent a media content file encoded at a plurality of different bitrates; and

a storage architecture coupled to the file system to store the encoded media segments as a single logical file on behalf of a subscriber and only accessible by the subscriber, resulting in the single logical file comprising stored media segments that represent recorded versions of the media content file at the plurality of different bitrates;

wherein the network interface, the file system module, and the storage architecture cooperate to;

provide, in response to a request for playback of the media content file from the subscriber originating at the subscriber system, one or more of the stored media segments of the single logical file that correspond to the media content file at a requested bitrate of the plurality of different bitrates to the subscriber system for presentation; and

provide one or more of the stored media segments of the single logical file that correspond to the requested media content file at a second bitrate of the plurality of different bitrates to the subscriber system for presentation when the requested bitrate is unavailable at the RS-DVR system, wherein the second bitrate is different than the requested bitrate.

2. The RS-DVR system of claim 1, wherein the network interface comprises a web server.

3. The RS-DVR system of claim 2, wherein the web server generates an HTTP status code to indicate when the requested bitrate for the requested media content file is unavailable at the RS-DVR system.

4. The RS-DVR system of claim 3, wherein, when the requested bitrate for the requested media content file is unavailable, the web server generates a message that identifies available bitrates for the requested media content file.

5. The RS-DVR system of claim 3, wherein, when the requested bitrate for the requested media content file is unavailable, the web server generates a message that instructs the subscriber system to select another bitrate.

6. The RS-DVR system of claim 2, wherein:

the web server receives HTTP GET requests from the subscriber system;

each of the HTTP GET requests identifies the requested media content file and the requested bitrate for the requested media content file; and

in response to the HTTP GET requests, the web server provides the first set of one or more of stored media segments that correspond to the requested media content file and the requested bitrate if the requested bitrate is available.

7. The RS-DVR system of claim 6, wherein the web server automatically provides the second set of one or more of the stored media segments in response to the HTTP GET requests when the requested bitrate is unavailable at the RS-DVR system.

8. The RS-DVR system of claim 1, wherein:

the storage architecture comprises a plurality of memory storage devices; and

each of the plurality of memory storage devices maintains stored media segments for a plurality of different subscribers.

9. The RS-DVR system of claim 1, wherein:

the storage architecture comprises a plurality of memory storage devices; and

stored media segments for any given media content file that have a common time index are stored on different memory storage devices of the plurality of memory storage devices in a distributed manner.

10. A method of operating a remote storage digital video recorder (RS-DVR) system that supports a subscriber system via data communication over a network, the method comprising:

receiving, at the RS-DVR system, encoded media segments that represent a media content file encoded at a plurality of different bitrates;

receiving, at the RS-DVR system, an instruction to record the media content file on behalf of a subscriber; and

in response to receiving the instruction, storing the encoded media segments in a storage architecture of the RS-DVR system as a single logical file on behalf of the subscriber and only accessible by the subscriber, resulting in the single logical file comprising stored media segments that represent recorded versions of the media content files at the plurality of different bitrates;

receiving, at the RS-DVR system, a request for playback of the media content file from the subscriber, the request originating at the subscriber system;

in response to the request, providing a first set of one or more of the stored media segments of the single logical file that correspond to the media content file at a requested bitrate of the plurality of different bitrates to the subscriber system via the network; and

providing a second set of one or more of the stored media segments of the single logical file that correspond to the media content file at a second bitrate of the plurality of different bitrates to the subscriber system via the network when the requested bitrate is unavailable at the RS-DVR system, wherein the second bitrate is different than the requested bitrate.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the encoded media segments include a different set of encoded media segments corresponding to each of the plurality of different bitrates.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein:

the storage architecture comprises a plurality of memory storage devices; and

stored media segments for any given media content file are stored in the plurality of memory storage devices in a distributed manner.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the request comprises an HTTP GET request that identifies the media content file and the requested bitrate for the media content file.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

generating, at the RS-DVR system, an HTTP status code to indicate when the requested bitrate for the media content file is unavailable at the RS-DVR system.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

when the requested bitrate for the media content file is unavailable at the RS-DVR system, generating, at the RS-DVR system, a message that identifies available bitrates for the media content file.

16. A method of operating a remote storage digital video recorder (RS-DVR) system that supports subscriber systems via data communication over a network, the subscriber systems providing media content to a plurality of subscribers, the method comprising:

receiving, at the RS-DVR system, encoded media segments that represent a media content file encoded at a plurality of different bitrates, wherein the encoded media segments include a respective set of encoded media segments corresponding to each of the plurality of different bitrates;

receiving, at the RS-DVR system, a first instruction to record the media content file on behalf of a first subscriber;

in response to receiving the first instruction, storing a first instantiation of the encoded media segments in a storage architecture of the RS-DVR system as a first logical file that is only accessible by the first subscriber, the first logical file comprising a first group of stored media segments that represent recorded versions of the media content file at the plurality of different bitrates;

receiving, at the RS-DVR system, a second instruction to record the media content file on behalf of a second subscriber; and

in response to receiving the second instruction, storing a second instantiation of the encoded media segments in a storage architecture of the RS-DVR system as a second logical file that is only accessible by the second subscriber, the second logical file comprising a second group of stored media segments that represent the recorded versions of the media content file at the plurality of different bitrates.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein:

the storage architecture comprises a plurality of hard disk drives; and

the first group of stored media segments and the second group of stored media segments are stored across the plurality of hard disk drives.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving, at the RS-DVR system, a request for playback of the media content file, wherein the request indicates the media content file, a requested bitrate for the media content file, and a subscriber identifier for the first subscriber; and

in response to the request, providing media segments from the first group of stored media segments, via the network.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

generating, at the RS-DVR system, an HTTP status code to indicate when the requested bitrate for the media content file is unavailable at the RS-DVR system.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

when the requested bitrate for the media content file is unavailable at the RS-DVR system, generating, at the RS-DVR system, a message that identifies available bitrates for the media content file.