Content archive model

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11218762-B2
Application number	US-201514631106-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 25, 2015
Priority date	Feb 10, 2011
Publication date	Jan 4, 2022
Grant date	Jan 4, 2022

Abstract

An archive model can be used for managing networked storage of recorded content, such as network DVR (digital video recorder) content. Content may be initially recorded to an active storage device, with individual duplicate copies recorded for each requesting user, and subsequently archived to an archive storage device. For playback, the content can be reconstituted into the active storage device prior to delivery to the requesting user. Content can be predictively reconstituted in anticipation of user needs, and the reconstitution capacity of the system can be dynamically reallocated for load balancing.

First claim

We claim:

1. A method comprising:
receiving multiple versions of a content item corresponding to different users;
storing, in an archive storage, a common portion of each of the multiple versions of the content item;
storing, in different portions of the archive storage that are allocated to the different users, unique portions of the multiple versions of the content item;
determining that a unique portion of a version of the content item corresponding to a first user is unavailable;
reconstituting, based on determining that the unique portion of the version of the content item corresponding to the first user is unavailable, an alternative version of the content item by:
retrieving the common portion from the archive storage; and
retrieving, from a portion of the archive storage that is allocated to a second user, a unique portion of a version of the content item corresponding to the second user, wherein the unique portion of the version of the content item corresponding to the second user is different from the unique portion of the version of the content item corresponding to the first user; and

providing the reconstituted alternative version of the content item to the first user.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining the common portion and the unique portions based on comparing a hash value of a portion of a first version of the content item with hash values of different portions of a second version of the content item.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining a unique portion of a version of the content item corresponding to a third user, wherein the unique portion of the version of the content item corresponding to the third user is different from the unique portion of the version of the content item corresponding to the second user; and
providing the first user with an option to select, for reconstituting the alternative version of the content item, between the unique portion of the version of the content item corresponding to the second user and the unique portion of the version of the content item corresponding to the third user.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
beginning providing the reconstituted alternative version of the content item prior to completing reconstituting the alternative version of the content item.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the reconstituting the alternative version of the content item comprises:
determining that the content item sequentially follows content currently being viewed by the first user; and
selecting the content item for reconstitution prior to completion of providing the content currently being viewed by the first user.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
beginning reconstitution of the alternative version of the content item based on determining that the first user has viewed a minimum portion of content currently being viewed by the first user.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising reconstituting the alternative version of the content item based on a request from the first user to view the version of the content item corresponding to the first user.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
dynamically reallocating reconstitution capacity between different user allocations based on user consumption levels of content.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, from the first user, a request to delete the version of the content item corresponding to the first user;
deleting the version of the content item corresponding to the first user based on the request to delete the version of the content item corresponding to the first user;
receiving, from the first user, a request to undelete the version of the content item corresponding to the first user; and
storing, in a portion of an active storage allocated to the first user and based on the request to undelete the version of the content item corresponding to the first user, the reconstituted alternative version of the content item.

10. An apparatus comprising:
one or more processors; and
memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to:
receive multiple versions of a content item corresponding to different users;
store, in an archive storage, a common portion of each of the multiple versions of the content item;
store, in different portions of the archive storage that are allocated to the different users, unique portions of the multiple versions of the content item;
determine that a unique portion of a version of the content item corresponding to a first user is unavailable;
reconstitute, based on determining that the unique portion of the version of the content item corresponding to a first user is unavailable, an alternative version of the content item by
retrieving the common portion from the archive storage; and
retrieving, from a portion of the archive storage that is allocated to a second user, a unique portion of a version of the content item corresponding to the second user, wherein the unique portion of the version of the content item corresponding to the second user is different from the unique portion of the version of the content item corresponding to the first user; and

provide the reconstituted alternative version of the content item to the first user.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to:
determine the common portion and the unique portions based on comparing a hash value of a portion of a first version of the content item with hash values of different portions of a second version of the content item.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to:
determine a unique portion of a version of the content item corresponding to a third user, wherein the unique portion of the version of the content item corresponding to the third user is different from the unique portion of the version of the content item corresponding to the second user; and
provide the first user with an option to select, for reconstituting the alternative version of the content item, between the unique portion of the version of the content item corresponding to the second user and the unique portion of the version of the content item corresponding to the third user.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to:
begin providing the reconstituted alternative version of the content item prior to completing reconstitution of the alternative version of the content item.

14. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to:
determine that the content item comprises a next sequential program to a content currently being viewed by the first user; and
select the content item for reconstitution prior to completion of providing the content currently being viewed by the first user.

15. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to:
begin reconstitution of the alternative version of the content item based on determining that the first user has viewed a minimum portion of content currently being viewed by the first user.

16. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to:
dynamically reallocate reconstitution capacity between different user allocations based on user con

Assignees

• Comcast Cable Comm Llc

Inventors

• Walker Todd
• Bradley Bruce
• Day Thomas
• Gaydos Robert
• Leddy John
• Mao Weidong

Classifications

• H04N5/76

  Television signal recording · CPC title

• G06F16/70 Primary

  of video data · CPC title

• G06F11/1453

  using de-duplication of the data · CPC title

• G06F11/1448

  Management of the data involved in backup or backup restore · CPC title

• H04N21/23103

  using load balancing strategies, e.g. by placing or distributing content on different disks, different memories or different servers (storage management G06F3/0604; allocation of resources considering the load in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/505; techniques for rebalancing the load in a distributed system G06F9/5083; access to distributed or replicated servers, e.g. load balancing, in data networks H04L67/1001) · CPC title