APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR NETWORK VIDEO RECORDING

• US 20100242079A1
• Filed: 03/18/2009
• Published: 09/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Inventors: Mahonchak, Craig, Santangelo, Bryan, Hasek, Charles, Riedl, Steven
• Granted Patent: US 9,277,266 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/115
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2225 Local VOD servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/274 Storing end-user multimedia data in response to end-user request , e.g. network recorder
• 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 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• 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 21/47217 for controlling playback functions for recorded or on-demand content, e.g. using progress bars, mode or play-point indicators or bookmarks specific graphical features in visual interfaces H04N21/4312
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Apparatus and methods for the capture and delivery of content over a network. In one embodiment, the network comprises a cable television network, and the apparatus comprises a local server which stores, processes and assembles content prior to its delivery to a VOD server, thus obviating the need for superfluous VOD storage. This approach also facilitates various pre-streaming processing in a video recording (e.g., nPVR) system, and gives a network operator dynamic control over local playlists. In another embodiment, the local server of the improved system obviates the need for a VOD server in the nPVR system. One or more content libraries adapted to facilitate nPVR content access across one or more regions of a broadcast network are also disclosed. Secondary content (e.g., promotions, advertisements, etc.) can also be selectively inserted into nPVR content. Various access, business or operational rules and methods implementing the foregoing are also described.

Claims

1. A method for the delivery of content via a network personal video recorder in a content based network, the method comprising:

ingesting said content;

processing said content, said processing comprising at least one step for segmenting said content into a plurality of elements;

storing said segmented content elements;

receiving a request for at least a portion of said content;

generating a content stream using at least a portion of said content elements; and

sending said content stream to one or more users.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said act of segmenting comprising cutting said content stream at one or more I-frame boundaries.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said act of generating a content stream comprises at least assembling said segmented content elements with one or more advertisement segments.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said act of generating a content stream further comprises transcoding said assembled content elements and advertisement segments.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein said method further comprises generating metadata regarding said stored content elements;

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said one or more advertisement segments are selected based at least in part on a comparison of metadata associated with said advertisement segments and said metadata regarding said stored content elements.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said act of sending said content stream to one or more users comprises sending said content stream to an on-demand server.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said act of sending said content stream to one or more users comprises sending said content stream to a content library.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said act of ingesting said content is performed substantially in response to the receipt of at least one user request.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said act of ingesting said content is performed based at least in part on the receipt of at least a cable network provider request.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said act of storing comprises storing said segmented content elements on a commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) storage device.

12. A system for the acquisition and distribution of content in a content based network, the system comprising:

at least one processing entity, said processing entity adapted to;

acquire content; and

segment the acquired content;

at least one storage entity, said storage entity adapted to store said segmented content;

at least one local server entity, said server entity adapted to;

generate a content stream using at least portions of the stored content; and

distribute said content stream via the network.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said system further comprises one or more on-demand servers, said on-demand servers adapted to receive and transmit said content stream to at least one CPE associated with said network.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein said system further comprises at least one content library, said content library adapted to:

receive a request for content from at least one CPE associated with said network; and

establish a mechanism for the delivery of said requested content to said at least one CPE.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein said mechanism for the delivery of said requested content comprises said content library requesting said requested content from said at least one local server entity, and delivering said requested content to said at least one CPE.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein said mechanism for the delivery of said requested content comprises said content library forwarding said request to at least one local server entity, and enabling said at least one local server entity to communicate with said at least one CPE.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein said act of segmenting comprising dividing said content stream at one or more I-frame boundaries.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein said act of generating a content stream comprises at least assembling said segmented content with one or more advertisement segments.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein said act of generating a content stream further comprises transcoding said assembled content and advertisement segments.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein said at least one local server entity is further adapted to generate metadata regarding said stored content.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein said one or more advertisement segments are selected based at least in part on a comparison of metadata associated with said advertisement segments and said metadata regarding said stored content.

22. The system of claim 12, wherein said act of distributing said content stream comprises sending said content stream to an on-demand server.

23. The system of claim 12, wherein said act of distributing said content stream comprises sending said content stream directly to at least one CPE associated with said network.

24. An apparatus for the storage and distribution of content in an nPVR system of a content based network, said apparatus comprising:

an interface, said interface adapted to enable said apparatus to receive and distribute said content;

a storage entity, said storage entity adapted to store said content; and

a processing entity, said processing entity adapted to run at least one computer program thereon, said computer program adapted to enable said apparatus to generate a content stream based at least in part on said content.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein said storage entity comprises one or more commodity-based storage entities.

26. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein said one or more commodity-based storage entities comprise hardware-assisted Flash memory-based storage devices.

27. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein said content comprises content segments which have been cut at I-frame boundaries.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein said act of generating said content stream comprises joining said content segments to advertisement segments.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein said processing entity is further adapted to run at least one software application configured to transcode said joined content segments and advertisement segments.

30. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein:

said processing entity is further adapted to run at least one software application configured to generate metadata regarding said stored content; and

said one or more advertisement segments are selected based at least in part on a comparison of metadata associated with said advertisement segments and metadata regarding said stored content.

31. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein said act of distributing said content comprises sending said content to an on-demand server.

32. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein said act of distributing said content comprises sending said content to another apparatus for the storage and distribution of content.

33. Computer readable apparatus comprising media adapted to contain a computer program having a plurality of instructions, said plurality of instructions which, when executed:

provide for ingestion a plurality of content;

process said content, said processing comprising at least one step for segmenting said content;

store said segmented content;

receive a request for said stored content from a requesting entity;

generate a content stream based at least in part on said segmented content; and

send said content stream said requesting entity.

34. The computer readable apparatus of claim 33, wherein:

said act of segmenting comprising cutting said content stream at one or more I-frame boundaries;

said act of generating a content stream comprises at least assembling said segmented content with one or more advertisement segments;

said act of generating a content stream further comprises transcoding said assembled content and advertisement segments; and

said method further comprises generating metadata regarding said stored content.

35. A method for processing content,

acquiring the content from a segmentation process directly to a file storage device, said storage device further comprising an file server configured to export files from said storage device to a distribution server;

processing said content to correct one or more deficiencies therein, said processing creating corrected content segment files; and

exporting at least a portion of said corrected content storage files to said distribution server.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein said acquiring to a file storage device comprises acquiring the content to a single server with a plurality of storage elements, said storage elements comprising at least one of:

(i) FLASH memory; and

(ii) DRAM.

37. The method of claim 35, wherein said acquiring to a file storage device comprises acquiring the content to a Storage Area Network (SAN).

38. The method of claim 35, wherein said exporting comprises use of a common Internet file system (CIFS) protocol.

39. The method of claim 35, wherein said processing to correct one or more deficiencies comprises processing to correct imprecise frame boundary segmentation performed by said segmentation process.

40. A method of generating content for distribution within a content-based network, the method comprising:

acquiring a single network content stream for service of multiple advertising zones within said network;

storing content acquired via said single content stream;

marking said stored content with at least one pointer; and

creating a new file that has descriptors that identify;

(i) content elements within said stored content; and

(ii) one or more advertisement files.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein said descriptors comprise pointers to content storage elements provided from a supplier of said content.

42. The method of claim 40, wherein said one or more advertisement files comprise:

(i) linear broadcast for a designated advertising zone, or (ii) a set of targeted advertisements.

43. A method of doing business within a content based network, the method comprising selectively using local commodity-based mass storage for the storage of network PVR content, said local storage allowing for both customizations of content streams delivered to users of said network, and reduction of cost of delivery of said content streams.