Sharing of subscriber-recorded digital video recorder content
First Claim
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1. A method comprising:
- delivering media content from a head end facility comprising a cable modem termination system to a plurality of user devices in a media distribution network;
receiving, at the head end facility, a notification from a first user device in the media distribution network, the notification including information indicating recording of a broadcast program included in the media content at the first user device;
receiving, at the head end facility, notifications from a plurality of user devices indicating that digital data for the recorded broadcast program is available for upload from each of the plurality of user devices;
determining, at the head end facility, that digital data for the recorded program has not already been uploaded to the head end facility;
dividing, at the head end facility, the recorded broadcast program into plurality of segments;
assigning, at the head end facility, a segment of the recorded broadcast program to each of the plurality of user devices for upload of the respective segment from the corresponding user device to the head end facility;
sending a notification from the head end facility to each of the plurality of user devices to schedule a time for uploading the respective segment of the recorded broadcast program from the corresponding user device, wherein each notification indicates parameters describing the segment to be uploaded by the corresponding user device;
receiving the digital data for the respective segments of the recorded program at the head end facility from the corresponding user devices at the scheduled times;
storing the digital data for the recorded program at the head end facility;
at the head end facility, decrypting, transcoding and re-encrypting the digital data received from the corresponding user devices for use by different types of user devices supported by the media distribution network to produce re-encrypted digital data; and
sending the re-encrypted digital data from the head end facility to the different types of user devices.
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Abstract
Digital data associated with recorded programs are uploaded to a Head End facility from user devices (e.g., set-top boxes) in a media distribution network. The Head End facility stores a library of the Digital Video Recording (DVR) assets for programs and makes them available, by streaming, to user devices, including user devices that do not have DVR capability. Techniques are also provided to efficiently upload a DVR asset simultaneously in segments or chunks from multiple user devices.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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delivering media content from a head end facility comprising a cable modem termination system to a plurality of user devices in a media distribution network; receiving, at the head end facility, a notification from a first user device in the media distribution network, the notification including information indicating recording of a broadcast program included in the media content at the first user device; receiving, at the head end facility, notifications from a plurality of user devices indicating that digital data for the recorded broadcast program is available for upload from each of the plurality of user devices; determining, at the head end facility, that digital data for the recorded program has not already been uploaded to the head end facility; dividing, at the head end facility, the recorded broadcast program into plurality of segments; assigning, at the head end facility, a segment of the recorded broadcast program to each of the plurality of user devices for upload of the respective segment from the corresponding user device to the head end facility; sending a notification from the head end facility to each of the plurality of user devices to schedule a time for uploading the respective segment of the recorded broadcast program from the corresponding user device, wherein each notification indicates parameters describing the segment to be uploaded by the corresponding user device; receiving the digital data for the respective segments of the recorded program at the head end facility from the corresponding user devices at the scheduled times; storing the digital data for the recorded program at the head end facility; at the head end facility, decrypting, transcoding and re-encrypting the digital data received from the corresponding user devices for use by different types of user devices supported by the media distribution network to produce re-encrypted digital data; and sending the re-encrypted digital data from the head end facility to the different types of user devices. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method comprising:
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at a first user device operable to receive broadcast programs from a head end facility in a media distribution network, sending from the first user device a notification to the head end facility associated with the media distribution network, wherein the notification includes information identifying a broadcast program that is to be or has been recorded at the first user device, and wherein the head end facility comprises a cable modem termination system for delivery of media content to a plurality of user devices in the media distribution network, the broadcast program being included in the media content; receiving from the head end facility a notification indicating that digital data for the recorded program has not already been uploaded and that the first user device should upload a selected segment of the recorded program to the head end facility, wherein the notification further indicates parameters describing the segment to be uploaded by the first user device and a scheduled time that the segment is to be uploaded to the head end facility; uploading digital data for the selected segment of the recorded program to the head end facility at the scheduled time; storing an identifier for the program in a list for a user at the first user device for subsequent use in requesting streaming of the digital data for the recorded program from the head end facility after it is determined that digital data for the recorded program has been uploaded to the head end facility; and receiving, at a second user device that is a different type of user device than the first user device, re-encrypted digital data from the head end facility, wherein the head end facility decrypts, transcodes, and re-encrypts the digital data for the recorded program for use by different types of user devices supported by the media distribution network. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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19. An apparatus comprising:
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a storage unit configured to store digital data; and a cable modem termination system for delivery of media content to a plurality of user devices a media distribution network; a controller unit configured to communicate with the plurality of user devices in the media distribution network, the controller unit configured to; deliver media content from the apparatus to the plurality of user devices in a media distribution network; receive a notification from a first user device in the media distribution network, the notification including information indicating recording of a broadcast program included in the media content at the first user device; receive notifications from a plurality of user devices indicating that digital data for the recorded broadcast program is available for upload from each of the plurality of user devices; determine that digital data for the recorded program has not already been uploaded to the apparatus; divide the recorded broadcast program into plurality of segments; assign a segment of the recorded broadcast program to each of the plurality of user devices for upload of the respective segment from the corresponding user device to the head end facility at selected times; send a notification to each of the plurality of user devices to schedule a time for uploading the respective segment of the recorded broadcast program from the corresponding user device, wherein each notification indicates parameters describing the segment to be uploaded by the corresponding user device; receive the digital data for the respective segments of the recorded program from the corresponding user devices at the scheduled times; store the digital data for the recorded program in the storage unit; decrypt, transcode, and re-encrypt the digital data received from the corresponding user devices for use by different types of user devices supported by the media distribution network; and send the re-encrypted digital data to the different types of user devices. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22)
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23. An apparatus comprising:
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a modem configured to receive signals including broadcast programs sent from a head end facility over a media distribution network, wherein the head end facility includes a cable modem termination system for delivery of media content to the modem; a data storage unit configured to store digital data; and a processor configured to; generate a notification to send to the head end facility associated with the media distribution network, the notification including information identifying a broadcast program that is to be or has been recorded, the broadcast program being included in the media content; receive from the head end facility a notification indicating that digital data for the recorded program has not already been uploaded and that the user device should upload a selected segment of the recorded program to head end facility, wherein the notification further indicates parameters describing the segment to be uploaded by the user device and a scheduled time that the segment is to be uploaded to the head end facility; cause the digital data for the selected segment of the recorded program to be uploaded to the head end facility at the scheduled time; and store an identifier for the program in a list for a user at the user device for subsequent use in requesting streaming of the digital data for the recorded program from the head end facility after it is determined that digital data for the recorded program has been uploaded to the head end facility, wherein the digital data for the recorded program is decrypted, transcoded, and re-encrypted at the head end facility so that the re-encrypted digital data may be requested from another user device that is a different type of user device than the user device. - View Dependent Claims (24)
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Specification