System and method for recording and time-shifting programming in a television distribution system with limited content retention

• US 7,818,775 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2005
• Issued: 10/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chen, Zesen, Chou, Peter, Gonsalves, Brian, Chen, Sean
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid; Lester
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gu; Yu (Andy)
• Application Number:
  US11/316,537
• Publication Number:
  US 20070143809A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,763 Days
• Field of Search: 725/119, 725/118, 725/115, 725/120, 725/134
• US Class Current: 725/134
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/10 File systems; File servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/231 Content storage operation, e.g. caching movies for short term storage, replicating data over plural servers, prioritizing data for deletion
• 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 21/23113 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 21/26275 for distributing content or additional data in a staggered manner, e.g. repeating movies on different channels in a time-staggered manner in a near video on demand system
• 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 21/4333 Processing operations in response to a pause request
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4335 Housekeeping operations, e.g. prioritizing content for deletion because of storage space restrictions storage management, e.g. defragmentation G06F3/0604; unloading stored programs G06F9/445; storage management in file systems G06F16/10; buffering arrangements in a network node or in an end terminal in packet networks H04L49/90
• 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 21/4728 for selecting a Region Of Interest [ROI], e.g. for requesting a higher resolution version of a selected region
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Various embodiments of the disclosed subject matter provide methods and systems to record broadcast programming for at least one television channel for a period of time, wherein the recording is performed upstream from subscribers in a television distribution system, and further including after the period of time, keeping recorded programming by request from at least one subscriber. And further wherein the request is for at least one television program contained in the recorded programming or for a time window for a particular channel. According to another embodiment a subscriber requests that broadcast programming be saved for the subscriber upstream from the subscriber in a television distribution system, and wherein the subscriber may request the programming be saved for later viewing by the subscriber between the time the programming was broadcast and a later point in time.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

recording broadcast programming for at least one television channel for a period of time, wherein the recording is performed upstream from subscribers in a television distribution system;

after the period of time, keeping recorded programming for rebroadcast by request from at least one subscriber, wherein the request occurs prior to a second point in time based in part on requests made by other subscribers;

wherein the request is for at least one television program contained in the recorded programming or for a time window for a particular channel; and

further comprising deleting recorded content after a third period of time, wherein if more than N subscribers have requested the same content of the broadcast, deleting the content after a delay period T, wherein T=C*log(N), and further wherein C is a constant that may be changed to adjust the operation of the system based on subscriber feedback and system parameters including an amount of storage available.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the request occurs prior to the regularly scheduled broadcast of the programming.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the request occurs after the regularly scheduled broadcast of the programming.

4. A method according to claim 1, further wherein the broadcast programming is saved on one or more mass storage devices.

5. A method according to claim 1, further including displaying a list of content that may be saved upon request.

6. A method according to claim 1, further including a subscriber requesting saved content be delivered for display on a television viewing device.

7. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising computer instructions for causing a machine to:

record broadcast programming for at least one television channel for a period of time, wherein the recording is performed upstream from subscribers in a television distribution system;

after the period of time, keep recorded programming for rebroadcast by request from at least one subscriber, wherein the request occurs prior to a second point in time based in part on requests made by other subscribers;

wherein the request is for at least one television program contained in the recorded programming or for a time window for a particular channel; and

further comprising deleting recorded content after a third period of time, wherein if more than N subscribers have requested the same content of the broadcast, deleting the content after a delay period T, wherein T=C*log(N), and further wherein C is a constant that may be changed to adjust the operation of the system based on subscriber feedback and system parameters including an amount of storage available.

8. The storage medium of claim 7, wherein the request occurs prior to the regularly scheduled broadcast of the programming.

9. The storage medium of claim 7, wherein the request occurs after to the regularly scheduled broadcast of the programming.

10. The storage medium of claim 7, wherein the broadcast programming is saved on one or more mass storage devices.

11. The storage medium of claim 7, wherein a list of content is displayed that may be saved upon request.

12. The storage medium of claim 7, comprising computer instructions to cause the computer to deliver saved content for display on a television viewing device in response to a subscriber'"'"'s request.

13. A method comprising:

recording broadcast programming for at least one television channel for a period of time, wherein the recording is performed upstream from subscribers in a television distribution system;

after the period of time, keeping recorded programming for rebroadcast by request from at least one subscriber, wherein the request occurs prior to a second point in time based in part on requests made by other subscribers, and wherein the request is for at least one television program contained in the recorded programming or for a time window for a particular channel, wherein the broadcast programming is saved on one or more mass storage devices;

deleting recorded content after a third period of time, wherein if more than N subscribers have requested the same content of the broadcast, deleting the content after a delay period T, wherein T=C*log(N), wherein C is a constant that may be changed to adjust the operation of the system based on subscriber feedback and system parameters including an amount of storage available; and

delivering saved content for display on a television viewing device in response to a subscriber'"'"'s request.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the request occurs prior to the regularly scheduled broadcast of the programming.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the request occurs after to the regularly scheduled broadcast of the programming.

16. The method of claim 13, comprising providing information for displaying a list of content that may be saved upon request.