| Class / Patent application number | Description | Number of patent applications / Date published |
|---|
| 725092000 | Mass storage | 71 |
| 20080216134 | Multimedia Presentation Resumption within an Environment of Multiple Presentation Systems - With at least one implementation described herein, one or more viewers are able to watch the same source multimedia content at multiple locations within an environment (e.g., a household). With at least one implementation described herein, a viewer is able to resume watching such content at a new location (or “locus”) from the point that she bookmarked the content at an original location. This abstract itself is not intended to limit the scope of this patent. The scope of the present invention is pointed out in the appending claims. | 09-04-2008 |
| 20080229373 | DIGITAL VIDEO RECORDER, DIGITAL VIDEO SYSTEM, AND VIDEO PLAYBACK METHOD THEREOF - Disclosed is a digital recording apparatus, which includes: a storage device; a processing circuit, coupled to the storage device, for receiving a video signal and storing the video signal to the storage device in the form of a plurality of video files, and for generating an index data structure comprising a plurality of entries corresponding to the video files respectively; and a displaying device, coupled to the processing circuit, for displaying a video concept of the video files; wherein the processing circuit searches and compares the index data structure according to a time counting value when displaying the video concept to determine a first video file to be read of the video files and a first location of the first video file. | 09-18-2008 |
| 20080263607 | Downloading and Transfer of Audio or Video Data from Video Broadcasts - A method for purchasing, downloading, and transferring audio and/or video data files through video broadcasts is disclosed. The user signals the set-top box of his video viewing system that he is interested in downloading the audio/video data file being offered. The box records the time, the channel being viewed, and, where applicable, the user ID. The box then sends this information to the controlling server when it next reports in. The server transmits the requested data, either over the Internet or by broadcasting it back to the set-top box, where it can be downloaded to a desired format. | 10-23-2008 |
| 20080282298 | Method and apparatus for supporting file sharing in a distributed network - To facilitate instant playback of an ordered title (e.g., a movie), a file pertaining to the title is fragmented into a header and segments. The header is seeded in all boxes in service and none, one or more segments are distributed to the network of boxes. When the title is ordered, the header is instantly played back while the segments, if not locally available, are streamed in respectively from the boxes having the segments to enable continuous playback of the ordered title. Should one of the boxes fails to deliver the segment according to a certain requirement (e.g., a lower transmission rate), the box gets immediately replaced by a substitute machine that continues to supply the segment from where it was stopped. | 11-13-2008 |
| 20080288989 | System, Methods and Apparatus for Video Communications - A computer software product, methods and apparatus for improved video communications are provided. In one embodiment, an apparatus is provided that is configured to send v-mail messages. The v-mail messages contain a video stream that is stored on a second device on a network. In one embodiment, the second device is configured to associate multiple video streams to a thread and allow users access to stored video content and associated files. This Abstract is provided for the sole purpose of complying with the Abstract requirement rules that allow a reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the disclosure contained herein. This Abstract is submitted with the explicit understanding that it will not be used to interpret or to limit the scope or the meaning of the claims. | 11-20-2008 |
| 20080301740 | STORED PROGRAM CONTROLLING APPARATUS AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING STORED PROGRAM - According to one embodiment, a stored program controlling apparatus includes: a program transmitting unit that transmits a program file stored in a first memory to a second memory; and an attribute granting unit that grants a deletion prohibiting attribute to the program file transmitted to the second memory. | 12-04-2008 |
| 20090019499 | Methods and Apparatus for Improved Program Acquisition for Use with MPEG-2 Based Systems - Methods and apparatus for improved program acquisition for use with MPEG-2 based systems. In an aspect, a method includes receiving a program association table (PAT) associated with an MPEG-2 transport stream, and identifying program map tables (PMTs) included in the PAT. The method also includes caching the PMTs, receiving a request to present a program, determining if a PMT associated with the program has been cached, and acquiring the selected program using information from the cached PMT. An apparatus includes means for receiving a PAT associated with an MPEG-2 transport stream and means for identifying PMTs included in the PAT. The apparatus also includes means for caching the PMTs, means for receiving a request to present a program, means for determining if a PMT associated with the program has been cached, and means for acquiring the selected program using information from the cached PMT. | 01-15-2009 |
| 20090025048 | Method and apparatus for sharing media files among network nodes - Techniques for sharing data among a plurality of networked devices, also referred to network nodes, are discussed. To best use an available uploading bandwidth of a device sharing data with a receiving device, a portion of the data is uploaded within the available uploading bandwidth, and another portion of the data is uploaded from another device locally caching the same data. To satisfy the minimum transmission rate of the data to the receiving device, both portions of the data are concurrently uploaded from the two devices to the receiving device. In reference to a predetermined minimum uploading bandwidth and the available uploading bandwidth, the two portions of data are interleaved and must be reassembled to recover the data for consumption in the receiving device. A size of the first portion of the data is determined by a server in view of the available uploading bandwidth a designated supplying box has. | 01-22-2009 |
| 20090037963 | SYSTEM FOR ELECTRONIC RETAIL SALES OF MULTI-MEDIA ASSETS - The system for electronic retail sales of multi-media assets operates as an overlay application on existing multi-media communication networks to receive individual consumer purchase requests for a selected multi-media asset and deliver a copy of that multi-media asset to the consumer's designated online personal storage space, which represents a network-based consumer multi-media library. In addition, the network-based consumer multi-media library enables the consumer to store consumer generated multi-media assets. The consumer can then access the contents of their network-based consumer multi-media library at any desired time and place, with the consumer selected multi-media asset being delivered to the requesting consumer in a mode appropriate for the consumer's communication device over the multi-media communication network that serves the consumer's presently active communication device. | 02-05-2009 |
| 20090037964 | SYSTEM FOR ALLOCATING MASS STORAGE FOR VIDEO-ON-DEMAND ASSETS - The Video-on-Demand Asset Mass Storage System provides the capability to determine the current Asset Multiplicity of each Distinct Asset, including identical Distinct Asset copies, and provides the capability to determine the current Asset Multiplicity of each Alias. The implementation maintains Asset Multiplicity measures as the system operates over time, i.e., as the system and its consumers or the operator create and delete Multi-Media Assets or reorganize Video on Demand Library inventories. | 02-05-2009 |
| 20090070835 | Method and System for Retrieving a Media File - A method and apparatus for retrieving media files from a customer premise device are disclosed. For example, the method receives a request from a subscriber to access a media file, and verifies the media file is stored on a customer premise device. The method provides the media file via a communication network to the subscriber if the media file is verified as being stored in the customer premise device. | 03-12-2009 |
| 20090083810 | VIDEO SERVER AND VIDEO DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM USING THE SAME - There is provided a stream transmitter for generating and transmitting a digest stream that is a single stream into which digests, each having a predetermined time length, cut out from the respective plurality of video contents stored in a contents storage are combined. This configuration allows a user to view the digest stream, which collects the digests of the respective contents, and select a desirable program by viewing each digest. | 03-26-2009 |
| 20090094650 | MASSIVELY PARALLEL COMPUTER NETWORK UTILIZING MULTIPOINT PARALLEL SERVER (MPAS) WITH ENHANCED PERSONAL STORAGE DEVICE (E-PSD) - A system for enhanced network communications is provided. The system includes a data management section configured for connection to and to receive data packets from a CATV content provider, a telephony service provider, a telephony subscriber, an Internet, a WAN, a MAN or a LAN, and configured for connection to a network transmission equipment or a broadcast equipment of a service provider. The data management section includes a hardware broadcast routing device. The broadcast routing device includes a plurality of ports, and the broadcast routing device is configured to route the data packets in parallel over the plurality of ports to the network transmission equipment or the broadcast equipment of the service provider. A computer readable storage medium tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by a data management section and a method for enhanced network communications are also provided. | 04-09-2009 |
| 20090125952 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DELIVERING CONTENT BASED ON RECEIVERS CHARACTERISTICS - Media distribution systems may include methods and apparatus to perform memory management on a wireless devices configured to receive non-real time portions of media services. Such methods and apparatus may be based upon an allowable capacity of presentations storable in device memory, as well as on a required memory associated with each presentation in a media service. Such methods and apparatus allow a device to subscribe to a media service based upon sufficient available memory in the device to support the service. | 05-14-2009 |
| 20090144782 | SYSTEMS, METHODS, AND COMPUTER PRODUCTS FOR STORAGE OF VIDEO VIA IPTV - Systems, methods, and computer products for storage of video via Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) are disclosed herein. Exemplary embodiments include a network-based method for video storage. The method includes receiving a request to store at least one video, retrieving the at least one video through an Internet Protocol television (IPTV) network, and storing the at least one video in a video repository in communication with the IPTV network. | 06-04-2009 |
| 20090193477 | Data providing system - A data providing system in which program deliverers store programs and deliver the stored programs to requesting subscriber terminals has a program allocation control unit that allocates new programs or qualified programs to multiple program deliverers, then selectively deletes the programs from the program deliverers. This allocation scheme assures that even newly added programs can be transmitted efficiently to the subscriber terminals. | 07-30-2009 |
| 20090210915 | Time-Based Digital Content Authorization - Methods and apparatuses for time-based access to digital content are provided. Access to a set of digital content is provided for a predetermined period of time. During the predetermined period of time, a user can access (e.g., download, play) any digital content in the set of digital content. At the end of the predetermined period of time, the user is denied access to the digital content regardless of where the content is stored (e.g., in a digital content library, on a computer system controlled by the user, on a playback device controlled by the user). Simplified access and control of digital content is thereby provided in the form of time-based access. | 08-20-2009 |
| 20090254952 | IPTV Network with D-Server Controller, VoD-Server Controller and Policy Server that Implement Diagnostic Tools - A D-server controller, a VoD-server controller and a policy server are described herein which implement diagnostic tools that proactively detect and prevent potential problems with different components and services in an Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) network. | 10-08-2009 |
| 20100100911 | System and Method for Delivery of Video-on-Demand - A method of providing video-on-demand content includes receiving a request from a set-top box, and determining the video-on-demand content is not stored locally. The request includes a content identifier for the video-on-demand content. The method further includes identifying a peer likely to have the video-on-demand content, receiving at least a first portion of the video-on-demand content from the peer, and providing the video-on-demand content to the set-top box. | 04-22-2010 |
| 20100125883 | CREATING CHANNEL SEQUENCE SEGMENTS FOR FAST CHANNEL CHANGE IN IPTV - Embodiments of the present invention are methods for selecting, out of a lineup of IPTV channels, a subset of channels for caching. The methods take into account viewers' tendency to walk through the channels that lie between their current channel and their desired channel if that walking distance is short, and, alternatively, viewers' tendency to jump to a distant channel. Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention include any channel selection method which selects for caching any number of channels less than the entire lineup, and where at least two of those channels form a segment of adjacent channels. Other embodiments include methods which rely upon specific extrinsic data, e.g., IGMP and EPG information, for selecting a subset of channels to be cached. | 05-20-2010 |
| 20100269144 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR INCORPORATING USER GENERATED CONTENT WITHIN A VOD ENVIRONMENT - In one embodiment, a computer system hosts a web site allowing users via the Internet to post video clips, view video clips, or provide feedback regarding a viewed video clip, wherein the computer system selects the most popular video clips based on certain criteria to make available to a video service provider. In one embodiment, the computer system transcodes the video clip received at the web site into a format compatible with a VOD system associated with a cable service provider, and generates the appropriate metadata based on input from the user posting the video clip based in part on values determined by the computer system and based in part on default values determined by an administrator. Subscribers to a cable service provider can then select and view the video clips in the VOD system by invoking a VOD service offered by the cable service provider. | 10-21-2010 |
| 20100313226 | MEDIA BRIDGE APPARATUS AND METHODS - Methods and apparatus for content, media and data delivery and access between devices of a premises and one or more portable media devices. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a media bridge between a portable media device (PMD) and a user's home network and/or home devices (e.g., set-top boxes, DVRs, etc.)). The apparatus is adapted to convert content stored on a PMD to a format capable of being rendered on a home device which may then store or playback the content. Control of the presentation is also provided by the bridging apparatus. The apparatus may also be adapted to transfer content from the home device to the PMD for storage or playback. In another embodiment, the apparatus may function within a home network having a trusted domain to provide content between a plurality devices on the network (and in the domain) and the PMD. | 12-09-2010 |
| 20100325674 | Method of Reducing the Number of Real-Time Video Transcodings with Adaptive Sourcing - An apparatus comprising a video transcoding engine (VTE), a video source storage (VSS) coupled to the VTE, a network engine (NE) coupled to the VTE and in communications with a plurality of user devices, and a media management system (MMS) coupled to the VTE, the VSS, and the NE, and in communications with the user devices, wherein the VSS comprises an original video source (OVS) and an adaptive video source (AVS) that corresponds to the same video content, and wherein the AVS comprises a content format that is more frequently delivered to the user devices than a plurality of other delivered content formats of the video content other than the OVS. | 12-23-2010 |
| 20110093905 | ADAPTIVE MEDIA CACHING FOR VIDEO ON DEMAND - A method and on-demand computing system for hierarchical caching of content in an on-demand computing device. The method receives, at the on-demand computing device, a request to send media content to a playback device, where the media content is stored in a media library of a content server. The method retrieves the media content from a hierarchical cache for the on-demand computing device, and sends the media content to the playback device. The hierarchical cache includes a first cache, a second cache, and the content library, where the first cache has a length based on an age of the second cache. | 04-21-2011 |
| 20110209184 | CONTENT DISTRIBUTION METHOD, SYSTEM, DEVICE AND MEDIA SERVER - A content distribution network (CDN) system is disclosed, where the system includes a content distribution device and at least one media server. Storage media with different characteristics are mounted on the media server or storage media with different characteristics are mounted on media servers. The content distribution device is configured to select a storage medium for content according to a mapping relationship between the attributes of the content and the characteristics of the storage medium, and distribute the content to the storage medium through the media server on which the storage medium is mounted. A content distribution method and a content distribution device are also provided. Because the content of different types is distributed to storage media with different characteristics, the cost of the storage medium in the CDN system is reduced, and the storage utilization ratio is increased. | 08-25-2011 |
| 20110219410 | Method and System of Queued Management of Multimedia Storage - A queue management module receives a message to queue location information for multimedia content. The queue management module stores the location information in a queue corresponding to a subscriber. The queue management module receives a message for location information from a video distribution module. The queue management module transmits a message for retrieval of multimedia content to the video distribution module. In other examples, a queue agent module transmits a message for location information for multimedia content to a queue management module. The queue agent module receives a message for retrieval of content from the queue management module. The queue agent module retrieves the multimedia content from the remote content server using the location information received in the message for retrieval of content. A data storage module identifies available storage in limited storage provided for the subscriber and stores the retrieved multimedia content in the limited storage for the subscriber. | 09-08-2011 |
| 20110252452 | ADAPTIVE TIMESHIFT SERVICE - In embodiments of an adaptive timeshift service, a live content server distributes live television content to television client devices. The live television content from the live content server can be recorded into a buffer of a timeshift server as the live television content is being distributed. Both the live television content from the live content server and recorded television content can be simultaneously recorded into the buffer of the timeshift server. | 10-13-2011 |
| 20120030722 | METHOD OF AND A SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING BUFFER MANAGEMENT MECHANISM - The present invention provides a method of and a system for providing buffer management mechanism in an on-Demand environment to keep the popular content sections in server memory so as to reduce the repeatable disk I/O and improve the server performance. The method comprises: setting the state of a buffer to be ACTIVE when a file section stored in the buffer is requested by any users; setting the state of the buffer to be INACTIVE when users no longer request the file section stored in the buffer, the buffer in INACTIVE state having a lifetime; changing the state of the buffer from INACTIVE to FREE when the lifetime decreases to zero. The system comprises at least one detector for detecting the number of the users requesting a file section stored in the buffer and providing the detection results for a processor, one processor for determining the state of the buffer according to the detection results and providing instructions for at least one state setting unit, and at least one state setting unit for setting the state of the buffer based on instructions from the processor. | 02-02-2012 |
| 20120079543 | METHODS FOR REPLICATING MEDIA CONTENTS AND P2P VOD SYSTEMS - There is disclosed a method for replicating media contents in a P2P VoD system comprising a plurality of peers. The method may comprise: determining that a candidate media unit shall be replicated into a local storage of one of the peers; checking whether said local storage has enough space to store the candidate media unit; if not, selecting one media unit previously stored in said local storage to be replaced; and replacing the selected media unit by the candidate media unit. | 03-29-2012 |
| 20120144437 | PROVIDING REMOTE ACCESS TO SEGMENTS OF A TRANSMITTED PROGRAM - A method for providing remote access to segments of a transmitted program is presented. The program is recorded, and then stored at a communication server. Information specifying a segment of the stored program is transferred from a communication device to the communication server. Also, a request for access to the specified segment of the stored program is transferred from another communication device to the communication server. In response to the request, the specified segment of the program is transferred from the communication server to the requesting communication device. | 06-07-2012 |
| 20120254925 | COMPUTER SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR VIDEO CAPTURING, MANAGING, AND/OR SHARING - Examples are described for capturing, managing, and/or sharing videos. The videos may be captured such that they are limited in time, such as 30 seconds or less in some examples. Enterprises may establish campaigns and capture videos associated with the campaigns. Captured videos may be displayed to users in an order selected based on the number of hits or conversions the video had previously generated. A host video system may provide embedded code for video capture and playback on an enterprise site. | 10-04-2012 |
| 20120284759 | EDGE CONTENT DELIVERY DEVICE AND CONTENT DELIVERY NETWORK FOR AN IPTV SYSTEM - An edge content delivery device for an Internet Protocol TV (IPTV) system and corresponding content delivery system are disclosed. The edge content delivery device comprises: a requesting apparatus for requesting media contents from other edge content delivery devices; a receiving apparatus for receiving media contents distributed by a central content delivery device, for receiving media contents from the other edge content delivery devices, and for receiving media contents ingested directly from a content source of a content provider; a storage apparatus for storing the received media contents; a controlling apparatus for managing the stored media contents based on a predetermined content management policy; a deleting apparatus for deleting the media contents from the storage apparatus according to an instruction from the controlling apparatus; and a streaming apparatus for streaming the requested media contents to an end user according to an instruction from the controlling apparatus, and in response to a request from another edge content delivery device, delivering the requested media contents to the requesting edge content delivery device. | 11-08-2012 |
| 20120297431 | NETWORK-WIDE STORING AND SCHEDULING METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR INTERNET PROTOCOL TELEVISION - This disclosure discloses a network-wide storing and scheduling method for IPTV, comprising steps of: adding, by live broadcast media code stream sending node of CDN, an identifier and a storage identifier into the media code stream data packet; transmitting, by the live broadcast media code stream sending node, the media code stream data packet to recording node; and according to the identifier and the storage identifier, storing, by the recording node, the media code stream data as a recording file. The method and system ensure aligned storage of media data of various recording nodes, optimizes the node service capability of CDN, and rationally utilizes network resources and node storage. This disclosure can provide better service quality of time-shifting TV and improve the watching experience of user. | 11-22-2012 |
| 20130145408 | FILE SYSTEM INDEX TABLE FOR A REMOTE STORAGE DIGITAL VIDEO RECORDER THAT HANDLES MULTIPLE BITRATE CONTENT - A remote storage digital video recorder (RS-DVR) system is disclosed. The RS-DVR system includes a network interface to communicate data between the RS-DVR system and a subscriber system via a network, a file system module coupled to the network interface, an ingest agent coupled to the file system module to receive encoded media segments that represent media content files encoded at a plurality of different bitrates; and a storage architecture coupled to the file system to store the encoded media segments, resulting in stored media segments. The RS-DVR carries out a number of functions and operations to service multiple subscribers and associated subscriber systems, such as various storage device management operations, file structure techniques, assignment of recorded media to subscribers, file system indexing, and supporting shared and per-subscriber content rights. | 06-06-2013 |
| 20130227621 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DOWNLOADING ANCILLARY PROGRAM DATA TO A DVR - A method and apparatus for downloading ancillary program data to a DVR. An embodiment allows multimedia device users to select programs to record or download movie or music over a network, such as the Internet, from a content provider. The system automatically downloads and stores ancillary program data that is directly related to, and associated with, a program that has been selected for recording or content requested for download. When a user selects a program to view the user is offered the opportunity to browse ancillary program data associated with the program and view an ancillary program data. The service can charge the content provider or an advertiser for each time their ancillary program data is viewed by a user. The ancillary programming is deleted when the associated recorded program is deleted. | 08-29-2013 |
| 20130263194 | COOPERATIVE CACHING METHOD AND APPARATUS - Embodiments of the present invention disclose a cooperative caching method and apparatus, relating to the field of network technologies, to improve the local hit ratio without increasing the local server costs. The technical solution provided in the present invention includes: obtaining, according to cache information, end-to-end delay between a local server and a neighbor server, and popularity in a cache list, a consolidated gain value of a cached video segment and a consolidated gain value of a candidate video segment in the local server; and replacing the cached video segment with the candidate video segment when the consolidated gain value of the cached video segment and the consolidated gain value of the candidate video segment in the local server meet a replacement condition. | 10-03-2013 |
| 20130276039 | CHARACTERISTIC KARAOKE VOD SYSTEM AND OPERATING PROCESS THEREOF - A characteristic karaoke video-on-demand (VOD) system with a reference index database is provided. According to the reference index database as well as a song request signal inputted by a user, the characteristic karaoke VOD system is able to recommend at least one artist or at least one song to the user to enhance convenience and functionality offered by the characteristic karaoke VOD system. | 10-17-2013 |
| 20130283326 | MEDIA DISTRIBUTION TO A PLURALITY OF DEVICES UTILIZING BUFFERED DISPERSED STORAGE - A method begins by a processing module receiving a plurality of playback requests for a stored program, wherein the stored program is stored in a dispersed storage network (DSN) memory as sets of encoded data slices. In response to the playback requests, the method continues with the processing module entering a loop that begins with retrieving a group of sets of encoded data slices, generating copies therefrom, and storing the copies. The loop continues with the processing module sending a unique copy of the copies to a requesting device. The method continues with the processing module existing the loop when the last group of the request has been retrieved and repeating the loop when it has not. | 10-24-2013 |
| 20140007169 | INTERACTIVE DVR SYSTEM | 01-02-2014 |
| 20140059625 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING VIDEO ON DEMAND IN AN INTELLIGENT TELEVISION - An intelligent television can provide various interfaces for providing video-on-demand (VOD). The user interfaces include unique visual representations and organizations that allow the user to utilize the intelligent television more easily and more effectively. Particularly, the user interfaces pertain to the display of VOD content and better organizations thereof. Further, the user interfaces provide unique process of transitioning between the VOD content. | 02-27-2014 |
| 20140059626 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING VIDEO ON DEMAND IN AN INTELLIGENT TELEVISION - An intelligent television can provide various interfaces for providing video-on-demand (VOD). The user interfaces include unique visual representations and organizations that allow the user to utilize the intelligent television more easily and more effectively. Particularly, the user interfaces pertain to the display of VOD content and better organizations thereof. Further, the user interfaces provide unique process of transitioning between the VOD content. | 02-27-2014 |
| 20140075487 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING VIDEO ON DEMAND IN AN INTELLIGENT TELEVISION - An intelligent television can provide various interfaces for providing video-on-demand (VOD). The user interfaces include unique visual representations and organizations that allow the user to utilize the intelligent television more easily and more effectively. Particularly, the user interfaces pertain to the display of VOD content and better organizations thereof. Further, the user interfaces provide unique process of transitioning between the VOD content. | 03-13-2014 |
| 20140082678 | VIDEO SERVER AND METHOD FOR RESTARTING REBUILDING - According to one embodiment, a video server includes an ingesting device, a storage controller, storage devices and a control processor. The control processor controls the ingesting device and the storage controller to store the video signal. When one of the storage devices is replaced, the storage controller restores redundant or divisional data and reconstructs data stored in the original storage devices. When the control processor receives a request for ingesting a video signal and sufficient resources for ingesting do not remain while the control processor causes the storage controller to reconstruct the data, the control processor causes the storage controller to suspend reconstruction, and controls the ingesting device and the storage controller to perform the ingesting. | 03-20-2014 |
| 20140082679 | LINEAR PROGRAMMING BASED DISTRIBUTED MULTIMEDIA STORAGE AND RETRIEVAL - Video on demand is orchestrated between systems by linear program (LP) based multimedia storage and retrieval. An LP based storage and retrieval system can partition multimedia data into an integral number of segments. Further, the LP based storage and retrieval system can store a first amount of the integral number of segments in a storage device of storage devices of a storage network in response to a determination that a storage size of the storage device satisfies a first condition with respect to the first amount of the integral number of segments. Furthermore, such system can store a segment of a second amount of the integral number of segments in a remote storage device of the remote storage devices in response to a determination that the segment satisfies a second condition with respect to a defined number of remote storage devices of the storage devices that have stored the segment. | 03-20-2014 |
| 20140089997 | DATA SYNCHRONIZATION FOR CONTENT ON DEMAND ASSET INSERTION DECISIONS - Systems and methods presented herein provide for maintaining data pertaining to asset insertions into COD content. In one embodiment, a system includes a database that maintains campaign data of a plurality of assets, and a processor that monitors insertions of at least a portion of the assets in a first COD content to record campaign data of the inserted assets. A storage module stores the recorded campaign data of the inserted assets in a list. The processor is also operable to detect a request for asset insertions in a second COD content, to determine that the database of campaign data is unavailable for the asset insertion request of the second COD content, to retrieve the list of campaign data from the storage module, and, in response to determining the unavailability of the database, to direct asset insertions in the second COD content based on the list of campaign data. | 03-27-2014 |
| 20140165119 | OFFLINE DOWNLOAD METHOD, MULTIMEDIA FILE DOWNLOAD METHOD AND SYSTEM THEREOF - An offline download method and a system thereof, and a multimedia file download method and a system thereof. The offline download system includes: at least two download servers, each of which is configured to feed back load information to a distribution server according to its own load and obtain data information from the Internet according to an offline task; the distribution server, configured to receive the load information, generate a scheduling rule, and distribute the offline task to the download servers according to the scheduling rule; and a storage server, communicatively connected with the download server cluster and configured to store the data information obtained by the download server cluster, and make the data information available for downloading. The offline download solution can schedule offline tasks according to the load of the download servers to improve utilization of the download servers. | 06-12-2014 |
| 20140189761 | ARCHIVING A LIVE MEDIA PRESENTATION - A computer-implemented method for archiving a live media presentation includes archiving the live media presentation as it is being streamed from a live server, wherein the archiving includes recording the live media presentation in fixed-length segments. A segment name is associated with each of the segments, wherein each of the segment names includes a time stamp. The fixed-length segments are stored on a video on-demand (VOD) server. A manifest is generated that describes at least a portion of the live media presentation and identifies a uniform resource locator (URL) to be used by a client device to access a first one of the segments, wherein the URL includes the segment name of the first segment. | 07-03-2014 |
| 20140215538 | Method and Apparatus for Hierarchial Distribution of Video Content for an Interactive Information Distribution System - A method and apparatus for storing and distributing video information in an interactive information distribution system by storing video information on either a centralized or de-centralized secondary storage partition in a network of provider and subscriber equipment, and therein distributing the video information to a subscriber having made a request for such video information. | 07-31-2014 |
| 20140237525 | STORAGE OPTIMIZATION IN A CLOUD-ENABLED NETWORK-BASED DIGITAL VIDEO RECORDER - This disclosure describes systems and methods related to cloud-enabled network-based digital video recording. In some embodiments, a request to copy a file to a plurality of target file locations may be received. A file may be retrieved and processed. The processing may include apportioning the file into a plurality of data blocks. At least one of the plurality of data blocks may be stored. A plurality of references pointers associated with each of the plurality of data blocks may be generated. The plurality of reference pointers may be stored to each of the plurality of file locations. | 08-21-2014 |
| 20140282761 | System and Method for Optimizing Storage and Transcoding Costs in Network DVR - A method includes: storing, via a network storage device, information related to the playback history of a content playing device; receiving, via a network digital video recorder scheduler, a request to record requested content; receiving, via a network digital video recorder, the requested content in a first format and the requested content in a second format; and storing, via the network digital video recorder, only one of the requested content in the first format or the requested content in a second format based on the information related to the playback history. | 09-18-2014 |
| 20140282762 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR OPTIMIZING STORAGE AND TRANSCODING COSTS IN NETWORK DVR - A method includes: storing, via a network storage device, information related to the playback history of a content playing device; receiving, via a network digital video recorder scheduler, a request to record requested content; receiving, via a network digital video recorder, the requested content in a first format and the requested content in a second format; and storing, via the network digital video recorder, only one of the requested content in the first format or the requested content in a second format based on the information related to the playback history. | 09-18-2014 |
| 20140282763 | DISTRIBUTION OF UNIQUE COPIES OF BROADCAST DATA UTILIZING FAULT-TOLERANT RETRIEVAL FROM DISPERSED STORAGE - A broadcast of data is stored as a plurality of sets of encoded data slices stored using an error coding dispersal storage function. In response to receiving a playback request, a centralized digital video recorder (DVR) identifies a first unique combination of encoded data slices, and determines whether that combination of data slices is available for retrieval. If the data slices are available, they are retrieved. If the data slices are not available, another unique combination of encoded data slices of the plurality of sets of encoded data slices is identified and retrieved, instead. Both combinations of data slices can be used to recreate a unique copy of broadcast data. | 09-18-2014 |
| 20140282764 | MEDIA DISTRIBUTION TO A PLURALITY OF DEVICES UTILIZING BUFFERED DISPERSED STORAGE - A method begins by a processing module receiving a plurality of playback requests for a stored program, wherein the stored program is stored in a dispersed storage network (DSN) memory as sets of encoded data slices. In response to the playback requests, the method continues with the processing module entering a loop that begins with retrieving a group of sets of encoded data slices, generating copies therefrom, and storing the copies. The loop continues with the processing module sending a representation of the copies to a requesting device. The method continues with the processing module exiting the loop when the last group of the request has been retrieved and repeating the loop when it has not. | 09-18-2014 |
| 20140310758 | VIDEO ON DEMAND SERVICE METHOD USING SOLID STATE DRIVE - Disclosed is a VOD service method using an SSD which can greatly reduce an occupancy rate of a CPU by loading packets to be transmitted on a plurality of packet arrays and allocating CPU sessions in the unit of loaded packet groups, and accordingly enable a VOD service to be performed at a high speed. According to the VOD service method using the SSD, it is possible to greatly reduce the occupancy rate of the CPU by loading packets to be transmitted on the plurality of packet arrays and allocating CPU sessions in the unit of loaded packet groups, and thus to provide the VOD service at a high speed. | 10-16-2014 |
| 20140331264 | CONTENT ANNOTATION TOOL - A content annotation tool is disclosed. In a configuration, a portion of a movie may be obtained from a database. Entities, such as an actor, background music, text, etc. may be automatically identified in the movie. A user, such as a content producer, may associate and/or provide supplemental content for an identified entity to the database. A selection of one or more automatically identified entities may be received. A database entry may be generated that links the identified entity with the supplemental content. The selected automatically identified one or more entities and//or supplemental content associated therewith may be presented to an end user. | 11-06-2014 |
| 20140337905 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DELIVERING EXTENDED MEDIA CONTENT - A system and method for identifying and delivering extended media content. An extended content system receives requests to record or play identified broadcast content. The extended content system automatically obtains or preserves extended media content related to the identified broadcast content. In some instances, the system informs a subscriber that extended media content is available. If requested by the subscriber, the extended content system obtains the identified broadcast content and extended media content and provides the same to the subscriber in either a Set-Top-Box format or an Over-The-Top format. | 11-13-2014 |
| 20140351870 | NUMERIC CHANNEL TUNER AND DIRECTORY SERVER FOR MEDIA AND SERVICES - Embodiments disclosed herein describe an apparatus, method and system for indexing online media content and services into numeric channel numbers and enabling a user device to access such content and services by entering the channel numbers. Embodiments may include a media and services tuner software module that resides on a user device and a directory server. The directory server may include a request module configured to receive a request including instructions to provide users access to content or services. Embodiments may also include a database module configured to determine a uniform resource locator for a server associated with the channel number within the received request. | 11-27-2014 |
| 20140373080 | Remote Storage Digital Video Recording Optimization Method and System - A remote storage digital video recording system ( | 12-18-2014 |
| 20150040171 | LIMITING RECORDING DEMANDS - A method and system of limiting recording demands on digital video recorders and other media records. The limiting being facilitated through analysis of programs and other media available from one or more network resources associated with and/or having capabilities to provide media to the recording element. The network resources may be associated with provider resources, customer resources, and/or any other resource in communication with the recording element. | 02-05-2015 |
| 20150089554 | RECORDING DEVICE AND METHOD FOR EFFICIENT NETWORK PERSONAL VIDEO RECORDER MANIPULATION THROUGH ADAPTIVE BIT RATE STREAMING - A recording device and a method are described herein that provide a network-based personal video recording service utilizing adaptive bit rate technology for a plurality of users. In operation, the recording device records at a minimum a single bit rate (one set of segmented files) of the broadcast content within each user's network personal video recorder storage unit. Plus, the recording device stores the other bit rates (remaining sets of segmented files) in a central storage location or some other storage location. | 03-26-2015 |
| 20150113575 | GENERATING MEDIA SIGNATURE FOR CONTENT DELIVERY - A system includes a content management database configured to access a plurality of media signatures corresponding to a respective plurality of media assets and a signature component configured to process a media request from a requestor to access a given media asset from a content provider via a network and to generate a signature to substantially uniquely identify the given media asset, the signature being derived from media content data corresponding to the given media asset in response to accessing the media content data via the network. The signature component can also be configured to provide to the requestor the given media asset retrieved via the network if the generated media signature does not match any of a plurality of media signatures and provide the given media asset from a content storage system if the generated media signature matches a respective one of the plurality of media signatures. | 04-23-2015 |
| 20150135241 | CONTENT MANAGEMENT IN A NETWORK ENVIRONMENT - An analyzer resource monitors content access information indicating availability of different types of content available to multiple subscribers over a shared communication link. To facilitate selection of content by respective subscribers, the analyzer resource sorts the available content into different classes (genres) based on a respective subject matter of the corresponding available content. The analyzer resource produces a listing of the different classes (genres) of available content. Subscribers select and/or customize genre-based feeds to store content in a repository for later retrieval. | 05-14-2015 |
| 20150296256 | PERSONAL CONTENT DISTRIBUTION NETWORK - Techniques for making content available to a DVR are described. Content encoded in any encoding format may be automatically transcoded, on a computer, into an encoding format that a DVR is configured to decode. The transcoded content is automatically sent over a LAN from the computer to the DVR. The DVR receives the transcoded content, stores the transcoded content, and indicates, through a user interface, that the content is available for viewing. A transcoding agent executing on the computer may automatically and periodically transcode, into an encoding format that the DVR is configured to decode, content that is contained in one folder, and move the transcoded content from that folder into another folder. The computer may send, to the DVR, instructions which cause the DVR to request transcoded content that is in the latter folder. The computer sends transcoded content to the DVR in response to such a request. | 10-15-2015 |
| 20150304689 | PUSHING VIDEO TO PANELS AND SENDING METADATA TAG TO CLOUD - Methods and systems are described for storing and accessing video content collected by a home automation system. According to at least one embodiment, an apparatus for accessing video content collected by a home automation system includes a processor, a memory in electronic communication with the processor, and instructions stored in the memory which are executable by a processor to receive metadata about a recorded event from a cloud storage, request video content of the recorded event based on the metadata, and receive at least some of the video content from a controller of the home automation system. | 10-22-2015 |
| 20150334340 | CONTENT RECORDING CONTROL METHOD FOR PEERS, AND A DEVICE THEREFOR - A method and apparatus for controlling content recording for a buddy of a management server are provided. The method includes: receiving a recording request message for the buddy according to an external input; determining whether a local recording apparatus of the buddy is in a recording state; and selectively sending a recording start message to a recording apparatus on a network, different from the local recording apparatus of the buddy, according to a result of the determining. | 11-19-2015 |
| 20150334430 | Media Asset Duplication - A content delivery system comprising: a receiving module for receiving a media asset in a received format; a transcoder configured to transcode the asset to provide a predetermined number of transcoded versions of the asset in at least one consumption format; a data store for storing the predetermined number of transcoded versions; a transmitting module coupled to said data store and configured to retrieve one of the predetermined number of transcoded versions from the data store and transmit the retrieved transcoded version to a media consuming device in response to detecting selection of the media asset by a content consumer associated with the device; a media asset duplication module configured, in response to detecting transmission of each transcoded version of the predetermined number of transcoded versions to respective one or more media consuming devices, to create a duplicate of the transcoded version and store the duplicate in the data store. | 11-19-2015 |
| 20150341707 | Methods and Systems for Managing Media Items - The various embodiments described herein include methods and systems for managing media items. In one aspect, a method is performed at a server system. The method includes: (1) receiving a creation request to create a media item, the request including information identifying one or more audio files and one or more visual media files; (2) in response to receiving the request, adding an entry to a media item database for the media item, the entry including metadata identifying the audio files and the visual media files and synchronization information for synchronizing the one or more audio files with the one or more visual media files; (3) receiving at least one of the one or more visual media files; and (4) storing the at least one visual media file at a first location, where the information identifying the one or more visual media files includes information identifying the first location. | 11-26-2015 |
| 20150350701 | Methods and Systems for Managing Storage of Media Program Copies Within a Network Digital Video Recording System - An exemplary method includes a network DVR system identifying a total number of requests provided by a plurality of users to record a media program during a presentation of the media program, determining, based on the total number of requests and on a predicted playback rate associated with the media program, a maximum number of temporally overlapping playback sessions of the media program that will potentially be initiated by the plurality of users subsequent to the presentation of the media program, and storing, in response to the requests and based on the determining, a plurality of unique copies of the media program. Corresponding systems and methods are also described. | 12-03-2015 |
| 20160014439 | Indexing of Video Assets | 01-14-2016 |
| 20160112739 | Network-Based Digital Video Recorder Playback Adapter - This disclosure describes systems and methods related to a network-based digital video recorder playback adapter. In some embodiments, a request for digital content may be received from a customer device. A plurality of segments associated with the digital content may be received. A content stream may be generated based at least in part on the plurality of segments associated with the digital content. The content stream may be transmitted. Additionally, load balancing may be implemented to optimally select a source of digital content. Additional load balancing may further be performed at a customer premises between multiple communicative connections to provide requested content to the client device. | 04-21-2016 |
| 20160182960 | APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR NETWORK VIDEO RECORDING | 06-23-2016 |
