Content storage method and system

• US 9,888,267 B2
• Filed: 01/28/2014
• Issued: 02/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Compton, Charles L.
• Primary Examiner(s): MENDOZA, JUNIOR O
• Application Number:
  US14/166,426
• Publication Number:
  US 20140143816A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,470 Days
• Field of Search: 725 88, 426 88
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/23 using cryptography, e.g. encryption, authentication, key distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/27 Arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/39 for identifying broadcast space-time use of Electronic Programme Guides H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23106 involving caching operations prefetching while addressing of a memory level in which the access to the desired data or data block requires associative addressing means within memory systems or architectures G06F12/0862; caching at an intermediate stage in a data network H04L67/568
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2408 Monitoring of the upstream path of the transmission network, e.g. client requests monitoring data switching networks utilization H04L43/0876; scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25866 Management of end-user data customer care in data networks H04L41/5077
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25875 involving end-user authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; arrangements for secret or secure communication including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• 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 21/47214 for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6581 Reference data, e.g. a movie identifier for ordering a movie or a product identifier in a home shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6587 Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17309 Transmission or handling of upstream communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17336 Handling of requests in head-ends

Abstract

A content storage method and system for use in a content distribution network are provided. A personal file locker is established on the network for a user. A content-storage-request database is established. The database tracks requests by the user for placing video programs into the user'"'"'s file locker for personal use by the user. Upon the broadcasting of a video program for which there exists a request by the user to place the video program into the user'"'"'s file locker, the requested video program is stored in the user'"'"'s file locker. The stored video program is then made available to the user for viewing. Alternative approaches to content storage methods and systems are also described, including the use of a buffer enhancement to enable the performance of operations on “live” television.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

establishing a pause buffer for future recording of live programming;

establishing a scheduled recording buffer for future scheduled recording of programming for a first user;

providing the first user, at a first user premises, a control for allocating buffer space to the pause buffer and the scheduled recording buffer, wherein the pause buffer and the scheduled recording buffer comprise storage provided by a network computing device that is remote from the first user premises;

recording a live programming of a first program as it is consumed by the first user by storing in the pause buffer a first copy of a portion of the first program;

expanding the pause buffer to accommodate recording of the live programming of the first program as it is consumed by the first user, wherein the expanding the pause buffer comprises increasing storage provided to the first user;

receiving an indication that the first user has stopped consuming the live programming of the first program;

automatically retaining contents of the pause buffer after the first user has stopped consuming the live programming of the first program;

storing a second copy of the portion of the first program in a second buffer for a second user;

restricting access so that the contents of the pause buffer can only be accessed from the first user premises and the contents of the second buffer can only be accessed from a second user premises, wherein the first user premises are different from the second user premises; and

further restricting access to the contents of the pause buffer based on determining that the first user has viewed the contents of the pause buffer a maximum threshold number of times.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the first user the control further comprises providing an option to enable the pause buffer for subsequent recording of live programming as it is consumed.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising using the network computing device to maintain a plurality of pause buffers for a plurality of users, and using the plurality of pause buffers to allow the plurality of users to pause live programming as they are consuming the live programming, and to resume consumption.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the first user the control further comprises providing the first user with an option to deactivate the pause buffer.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising reserving a predetermined amount of a network storage space for each of a plurality of users, and allowing each of the plurality of users to indicate how much of their reserved space will be used as a corresponding pause buffer, and how much will be used as a corresponding scheduled recording buffer.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising removing content stored in the predetermined amount of the network storage space reserved for each of the plurality of users based on an expiration date.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising storing duplicate copies of a first program in the network storage space for two or more of the plurality of users.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

tracking an amount of storage space allocated as a result of the expanding of the pause buffer assigned to the first user; and

generating billing information based on the amount of storage space allocated.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the live programming, when viewed by the first user, passes through the pause buffer.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the restricting access so that the contents of the pause buffer can only be accessed from the first user premises further comprises restricting access so that the contents of the pause buffer can only be accessed from the first user premises by the first user.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the restricting access so that the contents of the pause buffer can only be accessed from the first user premises further comprises restricting access so that the contents of the pause buffer can be accessed from one or more devices at the first user premises.

12. A method comprising:

assigning, by a computing device, a predetermined amount of a storage space to each of a plurality of remote users;

offering each of the plurality of remote users an option to dynamically allocate a first portion of their assigned storage space to function as a pause buffer for future recording of live programming, and a second portion of their assigned storage space to serve as a scheduled recording buffer for future scheduled recording of programs;

expanding a first pause buffer assigned to a first remote user of the plurality of remote users to accommodate recording of a live programming as it is consumed by the first remote user by increasing the storage space assigned to the first remote user, wherein the first remote user is associated with a first remote user premises;

receiving an indication that the first remote user has stopped consuming the live programming;

automatically retaining contents of the first pause buffer after the first remote user has stopped consuming the live programming;

recording in a second pause buffer assigned to a second remote user of the plurality of remote users the live programming as it is consumed by the second remote user, wherein the second remote user is associated with a second remote user premises different from the first remote user premises;

restricting access so that the contents of the first pause buffer can only be accessed from the first remote user premises and the contents of the second pause buffer can only be accessed from the second remote user premises; and

further restricting access to the contents of the pause buffer based on determining that the first user has viewed the contents of the pause buffer a maximum threshold number of times.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

maintaining a plurality of network pause buffers for the plurality of remote users, each network pause buffer recording the live programming as it is remotely consumed by a corresponding one of the plurality of remote users.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving a request from the first remote user to deactivate the first pause buffer; and

stopping the first pause buffer from operating.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising removing content stored in the predetermined amount of the storage space assigned to each of the plurality of remote users based on an expiration date.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the restricting access so that the contents of the first pause buffer can only be accessed from the first remote user premises further comprises restricting access so that the contents of the first pause buffer can only be accessed from the first remote user premises by the first remote user.

17. A method comprising:

assigning, at a device, a predetermined amount of a storage space to each of a plurality of remote users;

offering, at the device, each of the plurality of remote users an option to allocate a first portion of their assigned storage space to function as a pause buffer for future recording of live programming, and a second portion of their assigned storage space to serve as a scheduled recording buffer for future scheduled recording of programs;

expanding a first pause buffer assigned to a first remote user of the plurality of remote users to accommodate recording of a live programming as it is consumed by the first remote user by increasing the storage space assigned to the first remote user, wherein the first remote user is associated with a first remote user premises;

recording in a second pause buffer assigned to a second remote user of the plurality of remote users the live programming as it is consumed by the second remote user, wherein the second remote user is associated with a second remote user premises different from the first remote user premises;

restricting access so that contents of the first pause buffer can only be accessed from the first remote user premises and the contents of the second pause buffer can only be accessed from the second remote user premises; and

further restricting access to the contents of the pause buffer based on determining that the first user has viewed the contents of the pause buffer a maximum threshold number of times.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the live programming passes through the first pause buffer assigned to the first remote user as it is consumed by the first remote user.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the restricting access so that the contents of the first pause buffer can only be accessed from the first remote user premises further comprises restricting access so that the contents of the first pause buffer can only be accessed from the first remote user premises by the first remote user.