Methods and apparatus for packetized content delivery over a content delivery network

• US 9,531,760 B2
• Filed: 05/19/2010
• Issued: 12/27/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Inventors: Lajoie, Michael L., Williamson, Louis, Aissi, Wilfrid, Cholas, Chris, Gaedtke, Jason, Gould, Kenneth, Hardin, Glen, Hasek, Charles, Hegde, Vedavati, Markley, Jeffery P., Patel, Vipul, Pfeffer, Howard
• Primary Examiner(s): Nawaz, Asad
• Assistant Examiner(s): HARLEY, JASON A
• Application Number:
  US12/783,414
• Publication Number:
  US 20110107364A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,414 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1016 IP multimedia subsystem [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1023 Media gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/148 Migration or transfer of sessions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for delivery of packetized content (e.g., video, audio, data, etc.) over a content delivery network. In one embodiment, the content is packetized using an Internet Protocol (IP), and delivered by a service provider over both managed and unmanaged networks to subscribers of the provider, so as to provide delivery at any time, at any location, and via any designated user device. The delivered content may originate from the service provider, third-party content sources (e.g., networks or studios), the subscriber(s) themselves, or other sources including the Internet. Use of a common control and service functions within the network afford the ability to integrate or blend services together, thereby affording the service provider and subscriber new service and economic opportunities. Content delivery sessions may also be migrated from one device to another. A network-based user interface infrastructure, and gateway-based client-side architecture, are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method of providing Internet Protocol (IP) based services within a managed content distribution network, comprising:

broadcasting at least a first service via a multiplexed transport stream;

responsive to authenticating a registered IP-enabled client device based at least in part on a plurality of user profiles stored at a home subscriber server (HSS), establishing one or more IP sessions with said registered IP-enabled client device;

delivering at least a second service via said one or more established IP sessions, said second service specific to said registered IP-enabled client device;

delivering a third service via said one or more IP sessions;

wherein said second and third services comprise different user services;

blending at least said second and third services together at a headend of said managed network to provide a blended service to said registered IP-enabled client device such that said second and third services are combined into a common session; and

wherein said blending comprises integrating said second and third services in a unified control and device environment;

wherein said established one or more IP sessions manage delivery of said second service to said registered IP-enabled client device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said first service comprises delivery of video content via an MPEG-2 transport, and said second service comprises delivery of IP-encapsulated video content.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said IP-encapsulated video content comprises associated advertising targeted to a user associated with said registered IP-enabled client device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said third service comprises Voice-over-IP (VoIP) telephony, and said blended service comprises selective and automatic pausing or audio muting of said video content during playout when a VoIP telephony call is received.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said third service comprises Voice-over-IP (VoIP) telephony, and said blended service comprises selective and automatic:

(i) on-screen notification via said registered IP-enabled client device that a VoIP call is incoming; and

(ii) recording of said video content for at least a portion of a duration of said VoIP call.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said third service comprises text or Short Message Service (SMS), and said blended service comprises on-screen text capability via a remote control unit for said registered IP-enabled client device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said first service comprises first video content delivery, said first video content being protected according to a conditional access mechanism, and said second service comprises second video content delivery, said second video content being protected according to a digital rights management (DRM) mechanism.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said second service comprises video content delivery, mad said third service comprises Voice-over-IP (VoIP) telephony, and said blended service comprises selective and automatic:

(i) on-screen notification via said registered IP-enabled client device that a VoIP call is incoming; and

(ii) recording of said video content for at least a portion of a duration of said VolP call.

9. A core entity apparatus configured to provide Internet Protocol (IP) based services in a managed content distribution network, comprising:

a first interface configured to cause a network apparatus to broadcast a first service via a multiplexed transport stream;

a database comprising information configured to identify a plurality of registered IP-enabled client devices;

a second interface configured to cause delivery of a second service; and

a processor configured to execute at least one computer program thereon, said computer program comprising a plurality of instructions which are configured to, when executed;

identify at least one IP-enabled client device;

when said at least one IP-enabled client device selects IP-services;

responsive to an authentication of said at least one IP-enabled client device at a home subscriber server (HSS), transmit authentication data of said at least one IP-enabled client device and preference data associated to a user of said IP-enabled client device to an advertisement server to facilitate advertising targeted to a user associated with said at least one IP-enabled client device;

establish one or more IP sessions with said at least one IP-enabled client device; and

cause delivery of said second service to said at least one IP-enabled client device via said one or more IP sessions, said second service specific to said at least one IP-enabled client device; and

wherein said second service specific to said at least one IP-enabled client device comprises delivery of advertising targeted to said user associated with said at least one IP-enabled client device; and

when said at least one IP-enabled client device does not select IP-services;

provision said first service via a multiplexed transport stream; and

wherein said first service and said second service are different user services.

10. The core entity apparatus of claim 9, wherein said first service comprises delivery of video content via an MPEG-2 transport, and said second service further comprises delivery of IP-encapsulated primary content.

11. The core entity apparatus of claim 9, wherein said network apparatus is configured to perform service control functions.

12. The core entity apparatus of claim 9, wherein said information configured to identify a plurality of registered IP-enabled client devices further comprises a plurality of user profiles.

13. The core entity apparatus of claim 12, wherein said advertising targeted to said user associated with said at least one IP-enabled client device is selected based at least in part on information in said plurality of user profiles.

14. A network apparatus configured to provide Internet Protocol (IP) based services in a managed content distribution network, comprising:

a first interface in data communication with a video content source and configured to obtain video content for distribution over said managed content distribution network;

a second interface configured to broadcast at least a first service via a multiplexed transport stream to a first registered IP-enabled client device or a second registered IP-enabled client device;

a processing apparatus in data communication with said second interface;

a third interface in data communication with said processing apparatus;

a fourth interface in data communication with a home subscriber server (HSS);

a non-transitory computer readable medium comprising one or more instructions which are configured to, when executed by said processing apparatus, cause said network apparatus to;

responsive to an identification and authentication of a registered IP-enabled client device at said HSS;

establish one or more IP sessions via said third interface with said first registered IP-enabled client device, said network apparatus being a logical endpoint of said one or more IP sessions;

deliver IP-encapsulated video and one or more IP-encapsulated voice or data services thereto via said one or more IP sessions, said video service comprising delivery of said video content to said first registered IP-enabled device; and

transfer said one or more IP sessions from said first registered IP-enabled device to said second registered IP-enabled device.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said managed content delivery network comprises a circuit-switched hybridized optical fiber and conductor network.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said one or more IP sessions comprise unicast sessions.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said third interface comprises a radio frequency interface, and said plurality of content is encapsulated in IP-packets that are transported via a transport stream carried by one or more first radio frequency channels.

18. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said apparatus provides common user authentication and identification mechanisms for each of said video, voice, and data services.

19. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising apparatus configured to deliver said video content to at least one second user not having an IP-enabled client device via a multiplexed MPEG transport stream and without said IP encapsulation.

20. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein each of said identification of said registered IP-enabled client device comprises identification thereof as having successfully registered with a registration entity of said managed content distribution network.

21. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein IP-encapsulated video service comprises MPEG-4/H.264 encoded video content.

22. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a service control function additionally comprises a monitoring apparatus configured to monitor content delivery for optimization.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein said service control function additionally comprises a session controller which controls media session delivery.

24. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein each of said sessions further comprises an identifier unique to an individual one of said ones of a plurality of users.

25. The content delivery apparatus of claim 22, wherein said first interface is configured to couple to a plurality of content sources, based at least in part on one or more requests received.

26. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising at least one computer program configured to provide Quality-of-Service (QoS) management functions for said video content.

27. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising at least one computer program configured to provide blending of at least two of said video, voice and data services.

28. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said transfer of said one or more IP sessions from said first registered IP-enabled device to said second registered IP-enabled device comprises a transfer without a requirement of a user of said first registered-IP enabled device to sign in to said second registered IP-enabled device prior to said transfer.