ABR live to VOD system and method

• US 8,949,912 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2013
• Issued: 02/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Casey, Steven, Castro, Felipe, McBride, Kevin, Dhaliwal, Ronnie
• Primary Examiner(s): MENGESHA, MULUGETA A
• Application Number:
  US13/795,562
• Publication Number:
  US 20140282765A1
• Time in Patent Office: 693 Days
• Field of Search: 725/87, 725 93- 95, 725115-116
• US Class Current: 725/87
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2225 Local VOD servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23439 for generating different versions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2393 involving handling client requests scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/266 Channel or content management, e.g. generation and management of keys and entitlement messages in a conditional access system, merging a VOD unicast channel into a multicast channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2662 Controlling the complexity of the video stream, e.g. by scaling the resolution or bitrate of the video stream based on the client capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/274 Storing end-user multimedia data in response to end-user request , e.g. network recorder
• 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 21/8456 by decomposing the content in the time domain, e.g. in time segments
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8549 Creating video summaries, e.g. movie trailer retrieval in video databases by using presentations in form of a video summary G06F16/739

Abstract

The disclosed embodiments include a method, apparatus, and computer program product for simplifying the process of creating a video-on-demand system. For example, in one embodiment, a method for creating a video-on-demand (VOD) system is disclosed that includes dynamically capturing segments of an adaptive bit rate (ABR) live stream of the program at time of broadcasting and storing the captured segments of the ABR live stream of the program as a VOD file. The method also includes creating a manifest file comprising information for playing back the VOD file. The method further includes playing back, using the manifest, the VOD file by transmitting the captured ABR segments to a client device in response to receiving a subscriber request for the program.

Claims

1. A method for creating a video-on-demand (VOD) system, the method comprising:

receiving a request to record a program for including the program in the VOD system;

determining when the program is to be broadcast;

dynamically capturing segments of an adaptive bit rate (ABR) live stream of the program at a time of broadcasting;

storing the captured segments of the ABR live stream of the program as a VOD file;

creating a manifest file comprising information for playing back the VOD file;

extracting metadata information associated with the desired broadcast;

associating the extracted metadata information with the VOD file;

updating a video-on-demand playlist with information corresponding to the VOD file; and

playing back, using the manifest, the VOD file by transmitting the captured ABR segments to a client device in response to receiving a subscriber request for the program.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising simultaneously capturing multiple live streams of a plurality of programs.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising simultaneously capturing multiple live streams comprising of different bit rates for the program.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising dynamically selecting a particular bit rate of the program for playback based on a requesting device type of the subscriber.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising creating a poster image for the program from data provided by a content provider.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising creating a poster image for the program by extracting the poster image from a frame from one of the segments of the VOD file.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising creating a trailer for the program from data provided by a content provider.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising creating a trailer for the program from segments of the VOD file.

9. A method for creating a video-on-demand (VOD) system, the method comprising:

receiving a request to record a program for including the program in the VOD system;

determining when the program is to be broadcast;

dynamically capturing segments of a fragmented-type encoding live stream of the program at a time of broadcasting;

storing the captured segments of the fragmented-type encoding live stream of the program as a VOD file;

creating a manifest file comprising information for playing back the VOD file;

extracting metadata information associated with the desired broadcast;

associating the extracted metadata information with the VOD file;

updating a video-on-demand playlist with information corresponding to the VOD file; and

playing back, using the manifest, the VOD file by transmitting the fragmented-type encoding segments to a client device in response to receiving a subscriber request for the program.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising simultaneously capturing multiple live streams of a plurality of programs.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising simultaneously capturing multiple live streams comprising of different bit rates for the program.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising dynamically selecting a particular bit rate of the program for playback based on available bandwidth associated with a requesting device of the subscriber.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising dynamically adjusting the particular bit rate of the program during playback based on a change in the available bandwidth associated with the requesting device.

14. A video-on-demand (VOD) system comprising:

memory for storing data and executable instructions;

a data storage unit for storing video-on-demand files;

a processor configured to execute the executable instructions to;

receive a request to record a program for including the program in the VOD system;

determining when the program is to be broadcast;

capture segments of an adaptive bit rate (ABR) live stream of the program at a time of broadcasting;

store the captured segments of the ABR live stream of the program as a VOD file;

create a manifest file comprising information for playing back the VOD file;

extract metadata information associated with the desired broadcast;

associate the extracted metadata information with the VOD file;

update a video-on-demand playlist with information corresponding to the VOD file; and

play back the VOD file using the manifest file in response to receiving a subscriber request for the program.

15. The video-on-demand system of claim 14, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the executable instructions to simultaneously capture multiple live streams of a plurality of programs.

16. The video-on-demand system of claim 14, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the executable instructions to simultaneously capture multiple live streams comprising of different bit rates for the program.

17. The video-on-demand system of claim 16, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the executable instructions to dynamically select a particular bit rate of the program for playback based on available bandwidth associated with a requesting device of the subscriber.

18. The video-on-demand system of claim 17, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the executable instructions to dynamically adjust the particular bit rate of the program during playback based on a change in the available bandwidth associated with the requesting device.

19. The video-on-demand system of claim 17, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the executable instructions to create a trailer for the program from segments of the VOD file.

20. The video-on-demand system of claim 17, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the executable instructions to create a poster image for the program by extracting the poster image from a frame from one of the segments of the VOD file.