Apparatus and methods for network video recording

• US 9,277,266 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2009
• Issued: 03/01/2016
• 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: Riedl, Steven, Santangelo, Bryan, Hasek, Charles, Mahonchak, Craig
• Primary Examiner(s): DUFFIELD, JEREMY S
• Application Number:
  US12/406,881
• Publication Number:
  US 20100242079A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,540 Days
• Field of Search: 725 32- 36, 725/86, 725/87, 725 91- 93, 725/105, 725114-117, 725/96
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 delivery of content via a network personal video recorder in a content delivery network, said method comprising:

ingesting said content via a network-initiated determination, in real-time;

processing said content, said processing comprising;

segmenting said content into a plurality of elements, each of said segmented plurality of elements comprising at least one splice point;

creating a virtual file comprising a plurality of pointers, each associated to a physical location of a storage block for storing respective ones of said plurality of elements of said content, said virtual file stored with said content; and

removing one or more discontinuity artifacts between one or more of said segmented plurality of elements in real-time by transcoding only data near said at least one splice point in said segmented 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;

sending said content stream to one or more users;

during said act of sending said content stream to said one or more users, monitoring a transmission rate of said act of sending and a number of retransmission requests by said one or more users;

determining a transmission efficiency based, at least in part, on said transmission rate and said number of retransmission requests by said one or more users; and

adjusting said transmission rate when said determined transmission efficiency is less than a threshold level.

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

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said act of generating said 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 said content stream further comprises transcoding said assembled content elements and said one or more advertisement segments.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising 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 said 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 said 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 at least in part in response to 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 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 acquisition and distribution of content in a content delivery network, said system comprising:

at least one staging processor adapted to;

acquire first content;

identify a plurality of I-frames within said acquired first content;

generate a plurality of segments of said acquired first content by a division of said acquired first content at one or more of said plurality of identified I-frames; and

insert additional content between individual ones of said plurality of segments to generate second content;

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

at least one local video on demand (VOD) server entity, said VOD server entity adapted to;

upon request for said first content from a requesting device, request and receive said second content from said storage entity;

generate a content stream via at least portions of said second content;

distribute said content stream via said network to said requesting device

monitor a transmission rate of said distribution of said content stream;

evaluate a number of retransmission requests by said requesting device;

determine a transmission efficiency based, at least in part, on said transmission rate and said number of retransmission requests; and

adjust said transmission rate based on said determined transmission efficiency.

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 delivery of said requested content to said at least one CPE.

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

16. The system of claim 14, wherein said mechanism for said delivery of said requested content comprises receipt at least one local server entity of said request forwarded from said content library, and said at least one local server entity enabled to communicate with said at least one CPE via said forwarded request.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein said generation of said content stream comprises at least assembly of said segmented content with onr or more advertisement segments.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein said generation of said content stream further comprises generation of a transcoded version of said assembled content and advertisement segments.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein said at least one local server entity is further adapted to generate metadata regarding said stored content.

20. The system of claim 19, 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.

21. The system of claim 12, wherein distribution of said content stream comprises delivery of said content stream to an on-demand server.

22. The system of claim 12;

Wherein said distribution of said content stream comprises delivery of said content stream directly to at least one CPE associated with said network.

23. A method for delivery of content via a network personal video recorder in a content distribution network, said method comprising:

receiving a request for content specific to a geographic region to which a first apparatus is associated from a centralized content library on behalf of a second apparatus not associated with said specific geographic region;

ingesting said content based on said request;

processing said content, said processing comprising segmenting said content into a plurality of elements, and creating a virtual file comprising at least one pointer associated with a physical location of a chapter storage block of said content;

storing said segmented content elements and said virtual file;

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

despite said second apparatus not being associated to said specific region, sending said content stream to said centralized content library, said centralized content library configured to provide said content to said second apparatus;

monitoring, during said act of sending said content stream, a transmission rate thereof;

determining a number of retransmission requests by said centralized content library; and

adjusting said transmission rate based on a transmission efficiency, said transmission efficiency being based at least in part on said transmission rate and said number of retransmission requests.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein said act of segmenting comprises cutting said content stream at one or more boundaries.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein said act of generating said content stream comprises at least assembling said segmented content elements with one or more advertisement segments.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein said act of generating said content stream further comprises transcoding said assembled content elements and said one or more advertisement segments.

27. The method of claim 25, further comprising generating metadata regarding said stored content elements.

28. The method of claim 27, 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.

29. The method of claim 23, wherein said act of sending said content stream to said one or more users comprises sending said content stream to an on-demand server.

30. The method of claim 23, wherein said act of sending said content stream to said one or more users comprises sending said content stream to a content library.

31. An apparatus for storage and distribution of content in a network personal video recorder (nPVR) system of a content delivery 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 comprising a plurality of instructions which are adapted to, when executed, enable said apparatus to;

receive a request for content specific to a geographic region to which said apparatus is associated from a centralized content library on behalf of a second apparatus not associated to said specific geographic region;

ingest said content based on said request;

process said content via segmentation of said content into a plurality of elements, and creation of a virtual file comprising at least one pointer associated with a physical location of a chapter storage block of said content;

store said segmented content elements and said virtual file;

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

despite a determination that said second apparatus is not associated to said specific region, provide said content stream to said centralized content library, said centralized content library configured to communicate said content stream to said second apparatus;

monitor a transmission rate of said provision of said content stream and a number of retransmission requests by said centralized library; and

adjust said transmission rate based on a transmission efficiency, said transmission efficiency being based at least in part on said transmission rate and said number of retransmission requests.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein said storage entity comprises one or more commodity-based storage entities.

33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein said one or more commodity-based storage entities each comprise hardware-assisted flash memory-based storage devices.

34. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein said content comprises content segments which have been cut at I-frame boundaries.

35. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein said generation of said content stream comprises assembly of said content segments and one or more advertisement segments to form a single content segment.

36. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein said plurality of instructions are further adapted to enable said apparatus to transcode said assembled content segments and said one or more advertisement segments.

37. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein;

said plurality of instructions are further adapted to enable said apparatus to generate metadata regarding said stored content; and

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

38. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein communication of said content comprises communication of said content to an on-demand server.

39. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein communication of said content comprises communication of said content to another apparatus for storage and distribution of content.