Method and system for keeping a library of titles updated

• US 7,627,888 B2
• Filed: 03/09/2005
• Issued: 12/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NBC Universal Media LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Vudu Incorporated (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Ganesan, Prasanna, Rossmann, Alain, Miranz, Tony, Matloub, Shahriyar
• Primary Examiner(s): Kelley; Christopher
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hicks; Charles N
• Application Number:
  US11/076,334
• Publication Number:
  US 20060218219A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,728 Days
• Field of Search: 725/50, 725/92, 725/96
• US Class Current: 725/92
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/93 Document management systems
• 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 21/26291 for providing content or additional data updates, e.g. updating software modules, stored at the client deployment, distribution, installation, update of software G06F8/65; error detection or correction during software upgrading G06F11/1433; arrangements for updating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/25
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/632 using a connection between clients on a wide area network, e.g. setting up a peer-to-peer communication via Internet for retrieving video segments from the hard-disk of other client devices broadcast-related systems characterised by transmission among terminal devices H04H60/80; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8456 by decomposing the content in the time domain, e.g. in time segments
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Techniques for updating a library with a significant number of titles are disclosed. A library in each of the boxes in service is updated synchronously or asynchronously. Any release to update the library is performed by propagating data chunks by a gossip protocol to all boxes in service. A proper release package is then recovered in each box from the received data chunk to update the library. According to one aspect of the techniques, a small set of seeding boxes is designated to propagate at least some or all of respective received data chunks to a set of the boxes. Each of the set of the boxes is caused to recursively propagate its received data chunks to other boxes chosen to continue spreading, if necessary, some or all of the received data chunks among the boxes till each of the boxes in service has received a designated portion of the data chunks.

Claims

1. A method for dynamically updating a database of media content in a plurality of devices coupled to a network, the method being implemented by one or more processors and comprising:

generating a data package pertaining to a first media content, wherein the data package includes (i) a header segment corresponding to a beginning portion of the first media content, and (ii) a plurality of tail segments corresponding to the remaining portion of the first media content;

transmitting the data package to a first set of devices, of the plurality of devices, such that the header segment is transmitted to each device in the first set of devices and each of the plurality of tail segments is transmitted to at least one device in the first set of devices; and

enabling the first set of devices to distribute at least a portion of the received data package, including at least the header segment, to the remainder of the plurality of devices, to enable any of the plurality of devices to initiate instant playback of the first media content using;

(i) the header segment, and (ii) each of the plurality of tail segments as provided, at least in part, by other devices in the plurality of devices.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of devices is configured to locally store at least the header segment pertaining to the first media content.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein duration of playback using the header segment is long enough to ensure reception of at least some of the tail segments to enable continuous playback of the first media content.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein enabling the first set of devices to distribute at least a portion of the received data package to the remainder of the plurality of devices comprises collectively configuring the first set of devices to distribute at least the portion of the data package to the remainder of the plurality of devices.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein a first device, of the plurality of devices, is configured to stop receiving data pertaining the first media content upon receiving an input from a user of the first device, the input including a request for playback of a second media content, wherein at least a header segment pertaining the second media content is stored locally on the first device.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising enabling one or more devices, in the first set of devices, to distribute at least the portion of the data package to other devices, in the first set of devices, which have not successfully received at least the header segment pertaining to the first media content.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein enabling the first set of devices to distribute at least a portion of the received data package to the remainder of the plurality of devices comprises configuring the first set of devices to transmit at least the portion of the data segment, via the network, to the remainder of the plurality of devices during an interval in which data traffic over the network is relatively low.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein enabling the first set of devices to distribute at least a portion of the received data package to the remainder of the plurality of devices comprises configuring the first set of devices to selectively transmit copies of one or more of the plurality of tail segments to the remainder of the plurality of devices in accordance with a release instruction, the release instruction identifying which of the remaining devices are to receive at least one of the copied tail segments.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein enabling the first set of devices to distribute at least a portion of the received data package to the remainder of the plurality of devices comprises, in response to receiving a request from a second device of the remainder of the plurality of devices, configuring the first set of devices to transmit a copy of one or more of the plurality tail segments to the second device, wherein the request indicates the one or more of the plurality of tail segments to be transmitted to the second device.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein a gossip protocol is used to enable the first set of devices to distribute at least the portion of the data package to each of the remainder of the plurality of devices.

11. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein upon receiving at least the portion of the data package, each of the plurality of devices is configured to update the database of media content to include the first media content.

12. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein one or more of the plurality of devices are configured to update the database of media content by replacing a third media content in the database with the first media content, in accordance with a release instruction, by discarding at least a header segment pertaining to the third media content.

13. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein each device in the first set of devices is configured to selectively transmit at least the portion of the data package to one or more of the remainder of the plurality of devices based on at least one of a geographic location, a time zone, or an internet service provider associated with the one or more remaining devices.

27. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein enabling the first set of devices to distribute at least the header segment to the remainder of the plurality of devices comprises individually configuring each of one or more devices, in the first set of devices, to distribute at least the portion of the data package to one or more of the plurality of devices.

14. A system for dynamically a database of media content in a network, the system comprising:

a first device, coupled to the network, and configured to generate a data package pertaining to a first media content, wherein the data package includes (i) a header segment corresponding to a beginning portion of the first media content, and (ii) a plurality of tail segments corresponding to the remaining portion of the first media content;

a plurality of devices, coupled to the network, each of the plurality of devices being configured to receive a portion of the data package from at least one of the first device or others of the plurality of devices;

wherein the first device is further configured to transmit the data package to a first set of devices, of the plurality of devices, such that the header segment is transmitted to each device in the first set of devices and each of the plurality of tail segments is transmitted to at least one device in the first set of devices; and

wherein the first set of devices are configured to distribute at least a portion of the received data package, including at least the header segment, to the remainder of the plurality of devices, to enable any of the plurality of devices to initiate instant playback of the first media content using;

(i) the header segment, and (ii) each of the plurality of tail segments as provided, at least in part, by other devices in the plurality of devices.

15. The system as recited in claim 14, wherein each of the plurality of devices is configured to locally store at least the header segment pertaining to the first media content.

16. The system as recited in claim 14 wherein a duration of playback using the header segment is long enough to ensure reception of at least some of the tail segments to enable continuous playback of the first media content.

17. The system as recited in claim 14, wherein the first set of devices are collectively configured to distribute at least the portion of the data package to the remainder of the plurality of devices.

18. The system as recited in claim 14, wherein a first device, of the plurality of devices, is further configured to stop receiving data pertaining to the first media content upon receiving an input from a user of the first device, the input including a request for playback of a second media content, wherein at least a header segment pertaining to the second media content is stored locally on the first device.

19. The system as recited in claim 17, wherein one or more devices in the first set of devices are further configured to distribute at least the portion of the received data package to other devices, in the first set of devices, which have not successfully received at least the header segment pertaining to the first media content.

20. The system as recited in claim 14, wherein the first device is configured to distribute the received data package to the first set of devices during an interval in which data traffic over the network is relatively low.

21. The system as recited in claim 14, wherein the first set of devices are configured to selectively transmit copies of one or more of the plurality of tail segments to the remainder of the plurality of devices in accordance with a release instruction, the release instruction identifying which of the remaining devices are to receive at least one of the copied tail segments.

22. The system as recited in claim 14, wherein, in response to receiving a request from a second device, of the remainder of the plurality of devices, the first set of devices are configured to transmit a copy of one or more of the plurality of tail segments to the second device, wherein the request indicates the one or more of the plurality of tail segments to be transmitted to the second device.

23. The system as recited in claim 14, wherein a gossip protocol is used to enable the first set of devices to distribute at least the portion of the data package to each of the remainder of the plurality of devices.

24. The system as recited in claim 14, wherein upon receiving at least the portion of the data package, each of the plurality of devices is configured to update the database of media content to include the first media content.

25. The system as recited in claim 24, wherein one or more of the plurality of devices are configured to update the database of media content by replacing a third media content in the database with the first media content, in accordance with a release instruction, by discarding at least a header segment pertaining to the third media content.

26. The system as recited in claim 14, wherein each device in the first set of devices is configured to transmit at least the portion of the data package to one or more of the remainder of the plurality of devices based on at least one of a geographic location, a time zone or an internet service provider associated with the one or more remaining devices.

28. The system as recited in claim 14, wherein each of one or more devices, in the first set of devices, is individually configured to distribute at least the portion of the data package to the remainder of the plurality of devices.