Content Storage and Identification

• US 20130073673A1
• Filed: 09/19/2011
• Published: 03/21/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: McMahon, Michael D., Holden, Danial E.
• Granted Patent: US 9,386,063 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/762 at the source reformatting of additional data in video distribution servers H04N21/2355
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4333 Processing operations in response to a pause request
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6587 Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection

Abstract

Content intended for delivery to one or more consuming users may be recorded by a content distribution system. The recording or archival of the content may allow users to retrieve the content at a later time without providing specific instructions to record the content. Storage of the content may include retrieving programming information describing the content and storing the information in association with the content. In one or more arrangements, descriptive data for content may be generated based on user feedback. Additionally or alternatively, content storage may include fragmentation of the content into a number of segments or segments of a specified size. Content may further be paused and resumed between multiple devices, taking into account the capabilities and compatibilities of the devices and a network through which the content is to be delivered.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

delivering, by a computing system, content to one or more of a plurality of user devices connected to a network; and

storing, while delivering the content, a copy of the content to a storage device, wherein the storage device and the computing system are located remotely from the user device, wherein the storing is performed irrespective of any interaction or input received from any of the plurality of user devices, and wherein the storing includes;

fragmenting the content into a plurality of segments, each segment being of a predefined size; and

storing each of the plurality of segments as a separate content segment file.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein recording the content to the storage device includes:

retrieving supplemental information comprising content attribute information; and

storing the content attribute information in association with the content.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the content is received from a content source and wherein the method further comprises:

receiving, by the computing system, a request for the recorded content;

identifying the recorded content in the storage device based on the content attribute information retrieved from the electronic programming guide; and

delivering the recorded content to a requesting device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein storing the copy of the content to the storage device further includes storing each of the plurality of segments as individually retrievable content items in the storage device.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

receiving, by the computing system, user identification of a start time and an end time of an event in the content;

receiving, by the computing system, information describing the event;

identifying one or more of the plurality of segments corresponding to the start time and the end time; and

storing the information describing the event in association with the identified one or more plurality of segments.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying, from one or more external content repositories, at least a portion of the content using one or more time codes specified in a content segment file.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising scheduling an availability of the stored copy of the content to one or more users for a future date and time.

8. A method comprising:

receiving, by a computing system, a request for stored content from a first device;

transmitting a first version of the requested content to the first device;

receiving a command to pause the requested content during at least one of;

transmission and rendering of a portion of the first version of the requested content;

receiving a request to resume delivery of the requested content from a second device;

selecting, by the computing system, a second version of the stored content based on capabilities of the second device; and

delivering the selected second version of the content to the second device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein delivering the selected second version of the content to the second device further comprises:

identifying a portion of the selected second version of the content corresponding to the portion of the first version of the requested content; and

initiating delivery of the selected second version of the content beginning with the identified portion of the selected second version.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein identifying the portion of the selected second version of the content corresponding to the portion of the first version of the requested content includes comparing a relative position of the portion of the first version of the content among a plurality of portions making up the first version of the content to a relative position of the portion of the second version of the content among a plurality of portions making up the second version of the content.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein identifying the portion of the selected second version of the content corresponding to the portion of the first version of the requested content includes comparing a runtime associated with the portion of the first version with a runtime associated with the portion of the second version.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein delivering the selected second version of the content to the second device further comprises:

determining a type of network through which the selected second version of the content is to be delivered to the second device; and

formatting the selected second version of the content in accordance with a transmission protocol compatible with the determined type of network.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising transmitting an instruction to pause rendering of the first version of the requested content in response to receiving the pause command.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising pausing transmission of the first version of the requested content in response to receiving the pause command.

15. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

memory coupled to the at least one processor and storing computer readable instructions that, when executed, cause the apparatus to;

deliver content to one or more of a plurality of user devices connected to a network; and

store a copy of the content to a storage device, wherein the storage device and the computing system are located remotely from the user device, wherein the storing is performed irrespective of any interaction or input received from any of the plurality of user devices, and wherein the storing includes;

fragment the content into a plurality of segments, each of the segments being of a predefined size; and

store each of the plurality of segments as a separate content segment file.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein storing the content to the storage device includes:

retrieving content attribute information; and

storing the content attribute information in association with the content.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving a request for the stored content;

identifying the stored content in the storage device based on the content attribute information; and

delivering the stored content to a requesting device.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein storing the copy of the content to the storage device further includes storing each of the plurality of segments as individually retrievable content items in the storage device.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the computer readable instructions, when executed, further cause the apparatus to:

receive user identification of a start time and an end time of an event in the received content;

receive information describing the event;

identify one or more of the plurality of segments corresponding to the start time and the end time; and

store the information describing the event in association with the identified one or more plurality of segments.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein receiving the information describing the event includes receiving user specified data.