System and method for utilizing a secured service provider memory

• US 9,307,205 B2
• Filed: 06/18/2009
• Issued: 04/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Smoyer, Clinton J., Cook, Andrew V., Kerr, Jade D., Morrissey, Michael P., McBride, Kevin M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chokshi, Pinkal R
• Application Number:
  US12/487,163
• Publication Number:
  US 20100325675A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,483 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2402 Monitoring of the downstream path of the transmission network, e.g. bandwidth available traffic monitoring in data switching networks H04L43/00; monitoring data switching networks utilization H04L43/0876
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26275 for distributing content or additional data in a staggered manner, e.g. repeating movies on different channels in a time-staggered manner in a near video on demand system
• 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 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4335 Housekeeping operations, e.g. prioritizing content for deletion because of storage space restrictions storage management, e.g. defragmentation G06F3/0604; unloading stored programs G06F9/445; storage management in file systems G06F16/10; buffering arrangements in a network node or in an end terminal in packet networks H04L49/90
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/437 Interfacing the upstream path of the transmission network, e.g. for transmitting client requests to a VOD server flow control in data networks H04L47/10; streaming protocols, e.g. RTP or RTCP, H04L65/65; scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests in data packet switching networks H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44222 Analytics of user selections, e.g. selection of programs or purchase activity monitoring of user selections in data processing systems G06F11/34; arrangements for monitoring the user's behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4667 Processing of monitored end-user data, e.g. trend analysis based on the log file of viewer selections
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6405 Multicasting data broadcast and multicast in packet switching networks H04L12/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6543 for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording remote booting in general G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A system and method for utilizing a secured service provider memory are disclosed. An electronic device is associated with a subscriber and is in communication with a data distribution network configured to deliver data by a service provider to the subscriber. The data distribution network comprises a server in communication with the data distribution network and the server configured to deliver a stream of data over the data distribution network. The electronic device comprises a first memory communicatively connected to the server. The first memory is configured to receive and store data from the server and it is accessible by the subscriber. A second memory is also communicatively connected to the server. The second memory is configured to receive and store data from the server, though the second memory is accessible only by the service provider.

Claims

1. A system for delivering data to a subscriber, the system comprising:

a network server in communication with a data distribution network, the network server configured to;

store data associated with viewing habits of a subscriber;

receive a request for a first video content from a different second subscriber;

determining, based on the viewing habits, to push the first video content to the subscriber;

deliver a plurality of staggered streams of the first video content over the data distribution network, each of the staggered streams having a first length;

a trickle server in communication with the data distribution network, the trickle server configured to push a segment of the first video content over the data distribution network, the pushed segment having a second length which is less than the first length; and

an electronic device in communication with the data distribution network and associated with the subscriber, the electronic device comprising a first memory and a second memory, said second memory comprising a reserved storage space accessible only by a service provider and configured to receive the pushed segment, wherein storing and managing of content in the reserved storage space is performed only by the service provider so that the service provider can control available memory on the second memory, the electronic device configured to;

receive a first request for the first video content;

make available for immediate viewing the pushed segment of the first video content on the second memory;

retrieve the pushed segment of the requested first video content from the second memory and display the pushed segment content to the subscriber;

locate at least one of the staggered stream of the first video content delivered over the data distribution network; and

record at least one of the staggered stream of the first video content from the network server at the first memory.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said data is video content, and said network server is configured to deliver a plurality of streams of video content over said video distribution network.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said network server is configured to deliver a first stream of said plurality of streams over said network on a first channel, said first stream begins being delivered at a first time, said network server is configured to deliver a second stream of said plurality of staggered streams over said network on a second channel, said second stream begins being delivered at a second time, and said network server is further configured to deliver information, said information comprises a stagger interval of time defined by the difference between said first time and said second time.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a processor configured to determine parameters for pushing a data file to said second memory of said electronic device, wherein said parameters include a time required to push said data file onto said second memory.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a processor configured to determine parameters for pushing a data file to said second memory of said electronic device, wherein said parameters include an amount of memory on said second memory required to store said data file.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said electronic device is a set top box.

7. A method of delivering video content over a network in communication with a subscriber, said method comprising the steps of:

providing an electronic device associated with said subscriber, said electronic device having a first memory and a second memory, said electronic device configured to deny said subscriber access to said second memory, said second memory comprising a reserved storage space accessible only by a service provider, wherein storing and managing of content in the reserved storage space is performed only by the service provider so that the service provider can control available memory on the second memory;

storing, at a network server, data associated with viewing habits of the subscriber;

receiving, at the network server, a request for a first video content from a different second subscriber;

determining, at the network server, based on the viewing habits, to push the first video content to the subscriber;

delivering, via the network server, a plurality of staggered streams of the first video content over said network, each of said streams having a first length;

pushing, via the network server, a segment of said first video content onto the reserved storage space of said second memory of said electronic device, said pushed segment having a second length which is less than said first length;

receiving, at the electronic device, a first request for said first video content at said electronic device;

making available for immediate viewing, at the electronic device, the pushed segment of the first video content on the second memory;

retrieving said pushed segment from said second memory of said electronic device and displaying said pushed segment content to said subscriber;

locating one of said staggered streams delivered over said network; and

recording said one of said staggered streams on said first memory of said electronic device.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of displaying said recorded staggered stream to said subscriber when said pushed segment ends.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising the steps of providing a first server and a second server, said first server communicatively connected to said first memory of said electronic device, said second server communicatively connected to said second memory, wherein said plurality of staggered streams are delivered by said first server, and said pushed segment is pushed by said second server.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein said plurality of staggered streams are delivered over said network at a first rate, said pushed segment is pushed to said second memory of said electronic device at a second rate, and first rate is faster than said second rate.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising the steps of:

delivering a first stream of said plurality of staggered streams over said network on a channel; and

delivering a second stream of said plurality of staggered streams over said network on said channel, wherein said first stream stops being delivered at a first time, said second stream begins being delivered at a second time, and said pushed segment is pushed to said second memory of said electronic device between said first time and said second time.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said first stream and said second stream are delivered over said network at a first rate, said pushed segment is pushed to said second memory of said electronic device at a second rate, and said first rate is faster than said second rate.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein said electronic device is a set top box.

14. The method of claim 7, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a second request for a second video content at said electronic device; and

determining the available bandwidth capacity of the network lines associated with said electronic device.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said electronic device continues to record said one of said staggered streams delivered over said network on said second memory of said electronic device after said second request for said second video content is received.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said electronic device records a remainder of said one of said staggered streams to said second memory.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein said electronic device records a portion of said one of said staggered streams to said second memory, said portion has a third length defined by the difference in delivery start times between a first stream and a second stream of said plurality of staggered streams.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein said electronic device is a set top box.