Networked content storage

• US 20070124781A1
• Filed: 11/30/2005
• Published: 05/31/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Qwest Communications International Incorporated (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Qwest Communications International Incorporated (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cook, Charles, Casey, Steven, Goeringer, Steve, Selvadurai, Gnanasegeran, Sprenger, Michael
• Application Number:
  US11/291,806
• Publication Number:
  US 20070124781A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/94
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2181 comprising remotely distributed storage units, e.g. when movies are replicated over a plurality of video servers distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS], H04L67/1097
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2182 involving memory arrays, e.g. RAID disk arrays RAID arrays per se G06F3/0689; use of parity to protect data in RAID systems G06F11/1008
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23103 using load balancing strategies, e.g. by placing or distributing content on different disks, different memories or different servers storage management G06F3/0604; allocation of resources considering the load in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/505; techniques for rebalancing the load in a distributed system G06F9/5083; access to distributed or replicated servers, e.g. load balancing, in data networks H04L67/1001
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23113 involving housekeeping operations for stored content, e.g. prioritizing content for deletion because of storage space restrictions storage management, e.g. defragmentation G06F3/0604; snloading stored programs G06F9/445; housekeeping operations in file systems, e.g. deletion policies G06F16/10; buffering arrangements in a network node or in an end terminal in packet networks H04L49/90
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23116 involving data replication, e.g. over plural servers synchronization of replicated data G06F11/1658; error detection or correction by means of data replication G06F11/2053; replication in distributed file systems G06F16/10; replication in distributed file systems G06F16/27; replication or mirroring of data in data networks H04L67/1095
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2312 Data placement on disk arrays data placement in general G06F3/0604
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25841 involving the geographical location of the client retrieval from the Internet by querying based on geographical locations G06F16/9537; arrangements for identifying locations of receiving stations in broadcast systems H04H60/51; location of the user terminal in data switching networks H04L67/52; services making use of the location of users or terminals in wireless networks H04W4/02; locating users or terminals in wireless networks H04W64/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2665 Gathering content from different sources, e.g. Internet and satellite
• 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 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6175 involving transmission via Internet broadcast-related systems characterised by the transmission system being the Internet H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention provide networked storage of content, which can be used to allow the enhanced provision of real-time and/or on-demand content (such as video content, audio content, etc.) to a subscriber. Merely by way of example, in an aspect of some embodiments, a hierarchical storage structure may be used to cache content for provision to a plurality of subscribers. This can be used to balance competing concerns of efficiently using network and/or storage resources and providing expedient responses to subscribers'"'"' requests for content.

Claims

1. In video-on-demand environment, a system for providing networked storage for content, the system comprising:

a networked content storage system comprising;

a plurality of intermediate storage devices, each of the plurality of intermediate storage devices comprising a computer readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of video files; and

a centralized storage facility comprising a computer readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of video files; and

a networked personal video recorder in communication with a subscriber connectivity device, the networked personal video recorder being configured to receive a request for a video file from the subscriber connectivity device and to determine whether the requested video file is stored on a storage device local to the networked personal video recorder;

wherein, if the networked personal video recorder determines that the requested video file is not stored on the storage device local to the networked personal video recorder;

the networked personal video recorder requests the requested video file from the networked content storage system;

the networked content storage system determines a location of the requested video file within the networked content storage system; and

the networked content storage system provides the requested video file to the networked personal video recorder.

2. A system for providing networked storage of on-demand content, the system comprising:

a networked content distribution device in communication with a subscriber connectivity device, the networked content distribution device being configured to provide, at the request of a subscriber, a requested set of content to the subscriber, the networked content distribution device having associated therewith a first storage device comprising a first computer readable storage medium on which a first plurality of sets of content are stored; and

a networked content storage system comprising a plurality of storage devices configured to store content for access by the networked content distribution device, the plurality of storage devices comprising;

a second storage device comprising a second computer readable storage medium on which a second plurality of sets of content are stored; and

a centralized storage facility comprising a third computer readable storage medium on which a third plurality of sets of content are stored;

wherein the networked content distribution device is further configured to determine whether first plurality of sets of content comprises the requested set of content, such that if the first plurality of sets of content comprises the requested set of content, the networked content distribution device obtains the requested set of content from the first storage device, and if the first plurality of sets of content does not comprise the requested set of content, the networked content distribution device is configured to request the requested set of content from the networked content storage system, the networked content storage system being configured to, upon a request from the networked content distribution device, determine a location of the requested set of content and provide the requested set of content to the networked content distribution device.

3. A system as recited in claim 2, wherein the networked content distribution device comprises a networked personal video recorder.

4. A system as recited in claim 2, wherein the subscriber connectivity device comprises a set-top box.

5. A system as recited in claim 2, wherein the subscriber connectivity device comprises a personal computer.

6. A system as recited in claim 2, wherein the requested set of content comprises a video file.

7. A system as recited in claim 2, wherein the requested set of content comprises an audio file.

8. A system as recited in claim 2, wherein the requested set of content comprises a set of content uploaded by another subscriber.

9. In a networked content storage system, a method of providing content to a subscriber, the method comprising:

receiving at a networked content distribution device a request from a subscriber connectivity device for a requested set of content, the networked content distribution device having associated therewith a first storage device comprising a first computer readable storage medium on which a first plurality of sets of content are stored;

determining whether the first plurality of sets of content comprise the requested set of content;

if the first plurality of sets of content do not comprise the requested set of content, the networked content distribution device requesting the requested set of content from a networked content storage system, the networked content storage system comprising a second storage device comprising a second computer readable storage medium on which a second plurality of sets of content are stored and a centralized storage facility comprising a third computer readable storage medium on which a third plurality of sets of content are stored;

based on the request from the networked content distribution device, determining a location of the requested set of content within the networked content storage system;

system providing the requested set of content to the networked content distribution device; and

the networked content distribution device providing the requested set of content to the subscriber connectivity device.

10. A method as recited by claim 9, wherein providing the requested content to the networked content distribution device comprises the networked content storage system transmitting to the networked content distribution device a copy of the requested set of content.

11. A method as recited by claim 9, wherein the subscriber connectivity device comprises a networked personal video recorder.

12. A method as recited by claim 9, wherein the networked content distribution device comprises a networked personal video recorder.

13. A method as recited by claim 9, wherein providing the requested content to the networked content distribution device comprises the networked content storage system transmitting to the networked content distribution device a reference to the location of the requested set of content, the method further comprising the networked content distribution device downloading a copy of the requested set of content from the location within the networked content storage system.

14. A method as recited by claim 9, wherein the centralized storage facility comprises a database of available content, and wherein determining the location of the requested set of content comprises searching the database for a record associated with the requested content.

15. A method as recited by claim 9, wherein requesting the requested set of content from the networked content storage system comprises the networked content distribution device requesting the requested set of content from the second storage device, and wherein determining a location of the requested set of content in the networked storage system comprises:

the second storage device determining whether the requested set of content is stored on the second storage device;

if the requested set of content is not stored on the second storage device, the second storage device requesting the content from the centralized storage facility; and

the centralized storage facility determining a location of the requested set of content within the networked storage system.

16. A method as recited by claim 14, wherein the centralized storage facility determining a location of the requested set of content comprises the centralized storage facility determining whether the requested set of content is stored at the centralized storage facility, and if the requested set of content is not stored at the centralized storage facility, the centralized storage facility determining whether the requested set of content is stored at an other storage device.

17. A method as recited by claim 16, wherein the other storage device is a second centralized storage facility.

18. A method as recited by claim 16, wherein the other storage device is a fourth storage device.

19. A method as recited by claim 18, wherein the fourth storage device is associated with a second networked content distribution device.

20. A method as recited by claim 9, further comprise:

billing the subscriber for the requested content.

21. A method as recited by claim 20, wherein billing the subscriber for the requested content comprises billing the subscriber based at least in part on a location of the requested content in the networked storage system.

22. A method as recited by claim 9, further comprising:

storing, for a first period of time after receiving the request from the subscriber connectivity device, the requested set of content at the first storage device associated with the networked content distribution device;

after an expiration of the first period of time, removing the requested set of content from the first storage device associated with the networked content distribution device.

23. A method as recited by claim 22, further comprising:

storing for a second period of time after receiving the request from the subscriber connectivity device, the requested set of content at the second storage device;

after an expiration of the second period of time, removing the requested set of content from the second storage device.

24. A method as recited by claim 9, further comprising:

the networked content distribution device maintaining a database, the database comprising information about a plurality of subscribers served by the networked content distribution device and a plurality of sets of content associated with one or more of the plurality of subscribers.

25. A method as recited by claim 24, further comprising:

the networked content distribution device populating an electronic program guide at a subscriber connectivity device associated with one of the plurality of subscribers with information from the database.