Intelligent scheduling of DVR commands and DVR client status updates

• US 9,807,447 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2015
• Issued: 10/31/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Webster, Christopher, Habliston, Christopher H., Narayanan, Srividhya
• Primary Examiner(s): IDOWU, OLUGBENGA O
• Application Number:
  US14/841,101
• Publication Number:
  US 20170064378A1
• Time in Patent Office: 792 Days
• 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 21/2668 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 21/4135 external recorder interface circuits between an apparatus for recording television signals and a television receiver H04N5/775
• 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 21/4334 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 21/4583 Automatically resolving scheduling conflicts, e.g. when a recording by reservation has been programmed for two programs in the same time slot
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8456 by decomposing the content in the time domain, e.g. in time segments
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/7605 on discs or drums H04N5/781, H04N5/805, H04N5/83, H04N5/85 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 between a recording apparatus and a television receiver

Abstract

A computer device may include logic configured to detect a change in a digital video recorder (DVR) recording list associated with a customer and generate an updated DVR recording list based on the detected change. The logic may be further configured to generate a schedule for an update notification for a DVR device associated with the customer and send an update notification to the DVR device associated with the customer based on the generated schedule.

Claims

1. A method, performed by a computer device, the method comprising:

detecting, by the computer device, a change in a digital video recorder (DVR) recording list associated with a customer;

generating, by the computer device, an updated DVR recording list based on the detected change;

generating, by the computer device, a schedule for an update notification for the DVR recording list to a DVR device associated with the customer based on a broadcast schedule for a broadcast content associated with the updated DVR recording list;

determining, by the computer device, that the broadcast content is available at a later broadcast time from a previously scheduled broadcast time;

delaying, by the computer device, the update notification for the DVR recording list to the DVR device based on determining that the broadcast content is available at a later broadcast time; and

sending, by the computer device via a network connection between a video serving office and a customer premises, the delayed update notification for the DVR recording list to the DVR device associated with the customer based on the generated schedule.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the customer is one of a number of customers that have requested to record the broadcast content, wherein the number is greater than a threshold;

generating an update notification schedule for the customers, wherein a particular subset of the customers is assigned to a particular segment of a time period, and wherein the particular subset includes the customer; and

and wherein generating the schedule for the update notification for the DVR device associated with the customer includes;

scheduling the update notification to be sent within the particular segment of the time period.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the schedule for the update notification is further based on an estimated network load for a connection between the computer device and the DVR device during an upcoming time period.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

determining that the broadcast content, associated with the updated DVR recording list, has a scheduled broadcast time that is later than a first time period with a first estimated network load that is higher than a second estimated network load during a second time period, wherein the second time period is between the first time period and the scheduled broadcast time; and

scheduling the update notification to the DVR device to be sent during the second time period.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the first time period includes at least one of:

a particular time of day associated with a higher broadcast content viewing rate than a broadcast content viewing rate associated with the second time period;

a time period associated with a number of recording requests that is higher than a recording request threshold;

or

a time period associated with a scheduled broadcast content with an estimated viewership number that is higher than a viewership threshold.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the schedule for the update notification is further based on a capacity of the DVR device.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

determining that the broadcast content, associated with the updated DVR recording list, has a scheduled broadcast time that is later than a first time period with a first DVR device capacity that is lower than a second DVR device capacity during a second time period, wherein the second time period is between the first time period and the scheduled broadcast time; and

scheduling the update notification to the DVR device to be sent during the second time period.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the schedule for the update notification is further based on a viewing history associated with the customer.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

determining that the broadcast content, associated with the updated DVR recording list, has a first scheduled broadcast time and a second scheduled broadcast time that is later than the first scheduled broadcast time;

determining, based on the viewing history associated with the customer, that the customer is estimated to watch the broadcast content after the second scheduled broadcast time; and

scheduling the update notification to the DVR device to be sent during a time period between the first schedule broadcast time and the second scheduled broadcast time.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

instructing the DVR device to not send a status report for the broadcast content associated with the updated DVR recording list unless an error is detected during a recording of the broadcast content.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

determining that a plurality of customers have requested to record the broadcast content;

generating an error reporting schedule for the plurality of customers, wherein a particular subset of the plurality of customers is assigned to a particular segment of a time period; and

instructing DVR devices associated with the particular subset of the plurality of customers to report any errors associated with recording of the broadcast content during the particular segment of the time period.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

determining that the broadcast content is associated with a number of recording requests that is higher than a recording request threshold; and

instructing the DVR device to delay sending any error messages detected during the recording of the broadcast content until a particular time period has elapsed.

13. A computer device comprising:

logic configured to;

detect a change in a digital video recorder (DVR) recording list associated with a customer;

generate an updated DVR recording list based on the detected change;

generate a schedule for an update notification for the DVR recording list to a DVR device associated with the customer based on a broadcast schedule for a broadcast content associated with the updated DVR recording list;

determine that the broadcast content is available at a later broadcast time from a previously scheduled broadcast time;

delay the update notification for the DVR recording list to the DVR device based on determining that the broadcast content is available at a later broadcast time; and

send, via a network connection between a video serving office and a customer premises, the delayed update notification for the DVR recording list to the DVR device associated with the customer based on the generated schedule.

14. The computer device of claim 13, wherein the logic is further configured to:

determine that the broadcast content, associated with the updated DVR recording list, has a scheduled broadcast time that is later than a first time period with a first estimated network load that is higher than a second estimated network load during a second time period, wherein the second time period is between the first time period and the scheduled broadcast time; and

schedule the update notification to the DVR device to be sent during the second time period.

15. The computer device of claim 13, wherein the logic is further configured to:

determine that the broadcast content, associated with the updated DVR recording list, has a scheduled broadcast time that is later than a first time period with a first DVR device capacity that is lower than a second DVR device capacity during a second time period, wherein the second time period is between the first time period and the scheduled broadcast time; and

schedule the update notification to the DVR device to be sent during the second time period.

16. The computer device of claim 13, wherein the logic is further configured to:

instruct the DVR device to not send a status report for the broadcast content associated with the updated DVR recording list unless an error is detected during a recording of the broadcast content.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable memory device storing instructions executable by a processor, the non-transitory computer-readable memory device comprising:

one or more instructions to detect a change in a digital video recorder (DVR) recording list associated with a customer;

one or more instructions to generate an updated DVR recording list based on the detected change;

one or more instructions to generate a schedule for an update notification for the DVR recording list to a DVR device associated with the customer based on at least one of a broadcast schedule for broadcast content associated with the updated DVR recording list, an estimated network load for a connection between the computer device and the DVR device during an upcoming time period, a capacity of the DVR device, or a viewing history associated with the customer;

one or more instructions to determine that the broadcast content is available at a later broadcast time from a previously scheduled broadcast time;

one or more instructions to delay the update notification for the DVR recording list to the DVR device based on determining that the broadcast content is available at a later broadcast time;

one or more instructions to send, via a network connection between a video serving office and a customer premises, the delayed update notification to the DVR device associated with the customer based on the generated schedule; and

one or more instructions to instruct the DVR device to not send a status report for the broadcast content unless an error is detected during a recording of the broadcast content.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable memory device of claim 17, further comprising:

one or more instructions to determine that the broadcast content, associated with the updated DVR recording list, has a scheduled broadcast time that is later than a first time period with a first estimated network load that is higher than a second estimated network load during a second time period, wherein the second time period is between the first time period and the scheduled broadcast time; and

one or more instructions to schedule the update notification to the DVR device to be sent during the second time period.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable memory device of claim 17, further comprising:

one or more instructions to determine that the broadcast content, associated with the updated DVR recording list, has a scheduled broadcast time that is later than a first time period with a first DVR device capacity that is lower than a second DVR device capacity during a second time period, wherein the second time period is between the first time period and the scheduled broadcast time; and

one or more instructions to schedule the update notification to the DVR device to be sent during the second time period.