Scalable networked digital video recordings via shard-based architecture

• US 9,229,944 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2013
• Issued: 01/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TiVo Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: MobiTV Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Barnes, Fritz, Karlsson, Kent, Long, Ren
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Leslie
• Application Number:
  US13/752,540
• Publication Number:
  US 20140214906A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,071 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/13 File access structures, e.g. distributed indices arrangements of input from, or output to, record carriers G06F3/06
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/412 Distributed storage methods, i.e. the system may autonomously determine for a storage device that provides enough storage capacity for recording
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2541 Rights Management protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10; security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• 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 21/43622 Interfacing an external recording device

Abstract

Techniques and mechanisms described herein facilitate the storage of digital media recordings. According to various embodiments, a system may include a plurality of shards. Each shard may include a storage system operable to store a plurality of digital media recordings. Each shard may also include one or more recording writers. Each recording server may be operable to store digital media recordings stored in the storage system. According to various embodiments, the system may also include a recording manager. The recording manager may be operable to select one of the plurality of shards for storing a designated digital media recording. The recording manager may also be operable to transmit an instruction to the selected shard to store the designated digital media recording.

Claims

1. A networked digital video recording system comprising:

a plurality of shards, each shard comprising;

a storage system configured to store a plurality of digital media recordings,

one or more recording writers, each recording writer being configured to store digital media recordings to the storage system, each recording writer being further configured to link a respective digital media recording with metadata identifying a user account associated with the respective digital media recording, and

one or more on-demand recording servers, each recording server being configured to receive a request from a client device to provide a digital media recording as an on-demand media stream, to retrieve the requested digital media recording from the storage system, and to transmit the requested digital media recording as an on-demand media stream to the client device via a network; and

a recording manager configured to;

receive a request to store a plurality of copies of a designated digital media recording,

select, for each of the plurality of copies of the designated digital media recording, one of the plurality of shards for storing the copy of the designated digital media recording, and

transmit an instruction to the selected shard to store the copy of the designated digital media recording.

2. The networked digital video recording system recited in claim 1, wherein the recording manager is further configured to:

determine designated metadata for the designated digital media recording, the designated metadata identifying digital media content corresponding with the digital media recording.

3. The networked digital video recording system recited in claim 2, wherein the designated metadata further comprises account identification information identifying a content management account associated with the digital media recording.

4. The networked digital video recording system recited in claim 2, wherein the recording manager is further configured to:

maintain a metadata directory that includes metadata information associated with the plurality of digital media recordings, the metadata information including the designated metadata.

5. The networked digital video recording system recited in claim 2, wherein the designated metadata comprises storage location identification information that identifies the selected shard and a location within the selected shard at which the designated digital media recording is stored.

6. The networked digital video recording system recited in claim 1, wherein each or selected ones of the plurality of digital media recordings correspond to live broadcasts of digital media content.

7. The networked digital video recording system recited in claim 1, the system further comprising:

a cache system comprising a storage device, the cache system configured to store selected ones of the plurality of digital media recordings for transmission to client machines.

8. A method comprising:

at a recording manager within a networked digital video recording system, receiving a request to store a plurality of copies of a designated digital media recording;

for each of the plurality of copies of the designated digital media recording, selecting via a processor at the recording manager one of a plurality of shards for storing the copy of the designated digital media recording, each shard comprising;

a storage system configured to store a plurality of digital media recordings,

one or more recording writers, each recording writer being configured to store digital media recordings to the storage system, each recording writer being further configured to link a respective digital media recording with metadata identifying a user account associated with the respective digital media recording, and

one or more on-demand recording servers, each recording server being configured to receive a request from a client device to provide a digital media recording as an on-demand media stream, to retrieve the requested digital media recording from the storage system, and to transmit the requested digital media recording as an on-demand media stream to the client device via a network; and

transmitting an instruction to the selected shard to store the copy of the designated digital media recording.

9. The method recited in claim 8, the method further comprising:

determining designated metadata for the designated digital media recording, the designated metadata identifying digital media content corresponding with the digital media recording.

10. The method recited in claim 9, wherein the designated metadata comprises account identification information identifying a content management account associated with the digital media recording.

11. The method recited in claim 9, the method further comprising:

maintaining a metadata directory that includes metadata information associated with the plurality of digital media recordings, the metadata information including the designated metadata.

12. The method recited in claim 8, wherein each or selected ones of the plurality of digital media recordings correspond to live broadcasts of digital media content.

13. One or more non-transitory computer readable media having instructions stored thereon for performing a method, the method comprising:

at a recording manager within a networked digital video recording system, receiving a request to store a plurality of copies of a designated digital media recording;

for each of the plurality of copies of the designated digital media recording, selecting via a processor at the recording manager one of a plurality of shards for storing the copy of the designated digital media recording, each shard comprising;

a storage system configured to store a plurality of digital media recordings,

one or more recording writers, each recording writer being configured to store digital media recordings to the storage system, each recording writer being further configured to link a respective digital media recording with metadata identifying a user account associated with the respective digital media recording, and

one or more on-demand recording servers, each recording server being configured to receive a request from a client device to provide a digital media recording as an on-demand media stream, to retrieve the requested digital media recording from the storage system, and to transmit the requested digital media recording as an on-demand media stream to the client device via a network; and

transmitting an instruction to the selected shard to store the copy of the designated digital media recording.

14. The one or more non-transitory computer readable media recited in claim 13, wherein the designated metadata comprises account identification information identifying a content management account associated with the digital media recording.