Apparatus and methods for monitoring and optimizing delivery of content in a network

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9519728-B2
Application number	US-63171309-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 4, 2009
Priority date	Dec 4, 2009
Publication date	Dec 13, 2016
Grant date	Dec 13, 2016

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for delivering content to a user so as to optimize and enhance the “experience” of the content. In one embodiment, an optimization and monitoring entity (OME) is used which determines, evaluates, and provides notification and/or recommendation of alternative content delivery platforms which are available to a user. The OME receives requests for content forwarded from a content server containing information identifying requesting devices and/or subscriber accounts. The OME examines the capabilities of the registered devices, and identifies/recommends alternative devices based on e.g., video/audio quality, picture size, bandwidth availability, and/or any other additional capabilities of the client devices. A notification is then sent to the client devices indicating which of the user's devices may receive the content alternatively, or in addition to, the requesting device. The notifications may be interactive, allowing the user to select one or more of the devices for delivery.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. In a content delivery network comprising at least one content server, a database, and a plurality of client devices, a method for providing content to one or more of said plurality of client devices, said method comprising:
receiving a request for content from one of said plurality of client devices;
evaluating whether a subscriber account to which said one client device issuing said request has been registered;
in response to said evaluation indicating that said one client device issuing said request is not registered to said subscriber account, automatically registering said one client device to said subscriber account;
identifying at least one other device in said database also registered to said subscriber account; and
based on said receipt of said request for content from said one of said plurality of client devices, causing generation of a notification for display on said one requesting client device, said notification showing or listing said at least one other device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said identifying at least one other device comprises identifying said at least one other device based on its ability to suitably render said requested content.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said identifying at least one other device comprises identifying said at least one other device based on its ability to suitably render said requested content better than said one client device.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said identifying at least one other device comprises identifying said at least one other device based on its current availability for display of said requested content.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein said identifying at least one other device comprises further identifying said at least one other device based on its ability to render said requested content better than said one client device.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said act of registering said client device to a subscriber account comprises:
receiving information identifying said client device and said subscriber account;
associating said client device to said subscriber account; and
storing said association in said database.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein said information identifying said client device comprises at least one of a MAC address and/or an IP address; and
wherein said information identifying said subscriber account comprises at least one of an account number and a login-password combination.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein said act of associating said client device to said subscriber account comprises generating at least one data file or record.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein said determining comprises utilizing a cryptographic hash of a piece of information uniquely identifying said one requesting client device, and matching this to a corresponding hash within said database.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein said notification is further configured to enable a user of said requesting client device to select one or more of said at least one other devices for delivery of content thereto.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
generating a graphical display having representations of at least said one client device and said at least one other device; and
allowing the user to select at least one of the devices via said display.

12. Apparatus for use in a content delivery network, said apparatus comprising:
a network interface configured to communicate with a plurality of network entities;
a storage apparatus; and
a digital processor, said processor in data communication with said interface and said storage apparatus and comprising at least one computer program configured to run thereon, said at least one computer program comprising a plurality of instructions which are configured to, when executed, cause the apparatus to:
monitor content requests from a plurality of user devices, each content request comprising identification information of an individual one of said plurality of user devices;
identify a subscriber account associated with said individual user device;
identify a plurality of additional user devices also associated with said identified subscriber account; and
generate a notification message to send to said individual user device, said notification message comprising a presentation to a user of said individual user device with one or more options for delivery of said requested content to said plurality of identified additional devices, wherein said plurality of identified additional devices are listed in said notification message according to a hierarchy, said hierarchy being determined based on one or more criteria, said criteria comprising at least one of: (i) device capabilities; and/or (ii) one or more user preferences.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein said content delivery network comprises a cable television network having at least one content distribution server configured to service said content requests, said content distribution server being in data communication with said apparatus via said network interface.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein said storage apparatus is in communication with said processor and configured to store a plurality of records which identify a plurality of subscriber accounts and at least one user device associated with each.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein said plurality of records are updated based at least in part on information received from a billing entity of said network.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein said plurality of records are updated based at least in part on information received from said user devices.

17. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein said content requests comprise SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) requests, and said plurality of user devices comprise IP-enabled client devices adapted to support said SIP protocol.

18. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein said one or more criteria comprise one or more user-assigned heuristics regarding device desirability.

19. A method of providing content to a plurality of client devices each registered to a subscriber account, said method comprising:
receiving a request for content from a first one of said plurality of client devices;
determining a subscriber account to which said requesting client device is registered;
identifying a second one of said plurality of client devices also registered to said subscriber account;
providing a protocol translation engine, said engine enabling interoperability between said plurality of client devices and said requesting client device; and
generating a notification for display on said first and said second client devices, said notification enabling a user of said first and said second client devices to select delivery of content at one or more of said first and said second client devices.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein said request comprises at least information uniquely identifying said first client device.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein said information uniquely identifying said client device comprises at least one of an IP address or a MAC address.

22. The method of claim 20 , wherein:
said act of determining said subscriber account comprises querying a database using at least said information uniquely identifying said first client device, said database comprising an association of each of said plurality of client devices to a subscriber account; and
said act of identifying said second client device comprises extracting said as

Assignees

• Rieger Remi
• Brooks Paul D
• Time Warner Cable Entpr Llc

Inventors

• Rieger Remi
• Brooks Paul D

Classifications

• H04N21/25816

  involving client authentication (restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06) · CPC title

• G06F16/9577 Primary

  Optimising the visualization of content, e.g. distillation of HTML documents · CPC title

• H04N21/25875

  involving end-user authentication (restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; arrangements for secret or secure communication including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06) · CPC title

• H04N21/433

  Content storage operation, e.g. storage operation in response to a pause request, caching operations · CPC title

• H04N21/436

  Interfacing a local distribution network, e.g. communicating with another STB {or one or more peripheral devices} inside the home · CPC title