Multi-format distribution of content

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9578352-B2
Application number	US-201414540119-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 13, 2014
Priority date	Jul 12, 2012
Publication date	Feb 21, 2017
Grant date	Feb 21, 2017

Abstract

A content delivery resource in a cable network receives a request for specified content. The content delivery resource retrieves profile information assigned to the subscriber domain. The profile information indicates multiple different playback formats assigned to the subscriber domain. To service the request, the content delivery resource utilizes the profile information associated with the subscriber domain to select versions of the specified content encoded in accordance with the multiple different playback formats. The content delivery resource then initiates transmission of the versions of the specified content in the multiple different playback formats to the subscriber domain for playback on multiple types of playback devices.

First claim

We claim:

1. A method comprising:
via computer processor hardware, executing operations of:
receiving a request from a subscriber for retrieval of specified content, the request indicating to transmit the specified content to a subscriber domain;
retrieving profile information assigned to the subscriber domain, the profile information indicating multiple different playback formats assigned to the subscriber domain;
utilizing the profile information of the subscriber domain to identify the multiple different playback formats assigned to the subscriber domain;
retrieving versions of the specified content encoded in accordance with the multiple different playback formats assigned to the subscriber domain; and
to satisfy the request for the specified content from the subscriber, initiating transmission of the versions of the specified content in the multiple different playback formats over a shared communication link to the subscriber domain;
wherein receiving the request includes: receiving the request from a first playback device operated by the subscriber in the subscriber domain, the request received from the first playback device to transmit the specified content to the subscriber domain, the profile information indicating that the first playback device supports playback of the specified content in accordance with a first encoding format;
the method further comprising:
utilizing the profile information to identify that a second playback device in the subscriber domain supports a second encoding format, the second encoding format different than the first encoding format; and
wherein initiating transmission of the versions of the specified content in the multiple different playback formats to the subscriber domain includes: in response to receiving the request from the first playback device: i) transmitting the specified content in the first encoding format to the subscriber domain over a first channel of the shared communication link, the first channel supporting data transmissions independent of a second channel of the shared communication link, and ii) transmitting the specified content in the second encoding format to the subscriber domain over the second channel of the shared communication link.

2. The method as in claim 1 , wherein
the profile information indicates the multiple different playback formats of multiple different types of playback devices operated in the subscriber domain, the multiple different playback formats pre-specified prior to receiving the request.

3. The method as in claim 1 further comprising:
initiating storage of the versions of the specified content in a storage device disposed in the subscriber domain in which multiple different types of playback devices subsequently access and playback the specified content in the multiple different playback formats.

4. The method as in claim 1 further comprising:
responsive to receiving the request:
over the first channel, streaming the specified content in the first encoding format to a storage device located in the subscriber domain, the first encoding format streamed for subsequent playback by the first playback device in the subscriber domain; and
over the second channel, streaming the specified content in the second encoding format over the shared communication link for playback of the specified content on the second playback device in the subscriber domain.

5. The method as in claim 4 further comprising:
transmitting the specified content over the first channel in accordance with a non-adaptive bit rate; and
transmitting the specified content over the second channel as an adaptive bit rate data stream.

6. The method as in claim 4 further comprising:
transmitting the specified content in the first encoding format over a first dedicated portion of bandwidth of the shared communication link as broadcast communications; and
transmitting the specified content in the second encoding format over a second dedicated portion of bandwidth of the shared communication link as IP (Internet Protocol) communications.

7. The method as in claim 1 , wherein initiating transmission of the specified content in the multiple different playback formats to the subscriber domain includes:
responsive to the request, streaming the specified content in the first encoding format in accordance with a first playback bit rate, streaming the specified content in the second encoding format in accordance with a second playback bit rate, which is different than the first playback bit rate.

8. The method as in claim 1 further comprising:
prior to initiating transmission of the versions of the specified content to the subscriber domain:
providing a notification that the specified content can be transmitted to the subscriber domain in the multiple playback formats as specified by the profile information; and
as a response to the notification, receiving the request to transmit the specified content in the multiple playback formats.

9. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the versions of the specified content includes a first version of the specified content encoded in accordance with the first encoding format and a second version of the specified content encoded in accordance with the second encoding format.

10. The method as in claim 9 , wherein the first playback device tunes to a particular carrier frequency to receive the first version of the specified content; and
wherein the second playback device receives the second version of the specified content as data packets transmitted over a packet-switched data network.

11. The method as in claim 1 further comprising:
retrieving the versions of the specified content and initiating transmission of the versions of the specified content in response to receiving the request.

12. The method as in claim 1 further comprising:
initiating simultaneous transmission of: i) the specified content in the first encoding format over the first channel, and ii) the specified content in the second encoding format over the second channel.

13. A method comprising:
via computer processor hardware, executing operations of:
receiving a request from a subscriber for retrieval of specified content, the request indicating to transmit the specified content to a subscriber domain;
retrieving profile information assigned to the subscriber domain, the profile information indicating multiple different playback formats assigned to the subscriber domain;
utilizing the profile information of the subscriber domain to indentify the multiple different playback formats assigned to the subscriber domain;
retrieving versions of the specified content encoded in accordance with the multiple different playback formats assigned to the subscriber domain; and
to satisfy the request for the specified content from the subscriber, initiating transmission of the versions of the specified content in the multiple different playback formats over a shared communication link to the subscriber domain; the method further comprising:
streaming a first version of the content over a broadcast channel of a shared cable network to a repository in the subscriber domain, the first version of the content encoded for playback by a first playback device in the subscriber domain;
providing notification to a second playback device in the subscriber domain that the content has been requested for retrieval;
detecting input provided from the second playback device to stream a second version of the specified content directly to the second playback device; and
initiating transmission of the second version of the specified content over a portion of bandwidth of the shared cable network dedica

Assignees

• Time Warner Cable Entpr Llc

Inventors

• Manchester James S
• Angus Michael
• Miles Wilfred Jaime

Classifications

• H04N21/2358

  for generating different versions, e.g. for different recipient devices · CPC title

• H04N21/2668

  Creating a channel for a dedicated end-user group, e.g. insertion of targeted commercials based on end-user profiles {(information retrieval from the Internet by querying with filtering and personalisation G06F16/9535; arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast H04H20/10; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; adaptation of message content in packet-switching networks H04L51/063)} · CPC title

• H04N21/25825

  involving client display capabilities, e.g. screen resolution of a mobile phone (optimising the visualisation of content during browsing in the Internet G06F16/9577; processing of terminal status or physical abilities in wireless networks H04W8/22; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06) · CPC title

• H04N21/43615

  Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals (home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805) · CPC title

• H04N21/4331

  Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback · CPC title