Offloading a distribution server task to a media gateway

A method in a first media gateway for processing one or more tasks offloaded from a first server, comprising:

• receiving, from a second server, a video stream of a television channel;
• buffering the video stream of the television channel including a latest “I” frame;
• transmitting, to the first server coupled with the second server, a first message that indicates that the first media gateway is eligible to process a request for media content of the television channel that otherwise would be processed at the first server;
• receiving, from a second media gateway, a request for media content of the television channel, wherein the requested media content corresponds to the buffered video stream of the television channel, and wherein the request for media content of the television channel is a channel change request to tune to the television channel or a retransmission request for the television channel;
• and
• transmitting, to the second media gateway, the requested media content of the television channel from the buffered video stream of the television channel, wherein the first media gateway responds to the channel change request or the retransmission request from the second media gateway.

A server operative to offload one or more tasks to a first media gateway, comprising:

• a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium to store code;
• and
• a set of one or more processors coupled with the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, operative to execute the code, to:
• receive, from the first media gateway that is operative to receive a video stream of a television channel, a first message that indicates that the first media gateway is eligible to process a request for media content of the television channel that otherwise would be processed by the server, wherein the first media gateway buffers the video stream of the television channel including a latest “I” frame;
• receive, from a second media gateway, a request for media content of the television channel, wherein the request for media content of the television channel is a channel change request to tune to the television channel or a retransmission request for the television channel;
• and
• transmit, to the second media gateway, a redirection response that instructs the second media gateway to request the media content from the first media gateway, wherein the first media gateway responds to the channel change request or the retransmission request from the second media gateway using the buffered video.

A first media gateway operative to process one or more tasks offloaded from a first server, comprising:

• a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium to store code;
• and
• a set of one or more processors coupled with the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, operative to execute the code, to:
• receive, from a second server, a video stream of a television channel;
• buffer the video stream of the television channel including a latest “I” frame;
• transmit, to the first server coupled with the second server, a first message that indicates that the first media gateway is eligible to process a request for media content of the television channel that otherwise would be processed at the first server;
• receive, from a second media gateway, a request for media content of the television channel, wherein the requested media content corresponds to the buffered video stream of the television channel, and wherein the request for media content of the television channel is a channel change request to tune to the television channel or a retransmission request for the television channel;
• and
• transmit, to the second media gateway, the requested media content of the television channel from the buffered video stream of the television channel, wherein the first media gateway responds to the channel change request or the retransmission request from the second media gateway.