# US 11,310,550 B2 · System and method for storing multimedia files using an archive file format > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,310,550 B2 - Document ID: US11310550B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/871,792 - Filed: 2020-05-11 - Published: 2021-12-30 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2017-08-24 - Assignees: TiVo Inc. - Applicants: Tivo Corporation - Inventors: Do Hyun Chung; Ren L. Long; Dan Dennedy - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11310550B2 ## CPC - H04N 21/4334: {Recording operations (recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27)} - H04L 67/1097: for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS] - H04N 21/23113: {involving housekeeping operations for stored content, e.g. prioritizing content for deletion because of storage space restrictions (storage management, e.g. defragmentation G06F3/0604; snloading stored programs G06F9/445; housekeeping operations in file systems, e.g. deletion policies G06F16/10; buffering arrangements in a network node or in an end terminal in packet networks H04L49/90)} - H04N 21/2747: Remote storage of video programmes received via the downstream path, e.g. from the server - H04N 21/4147: PVR [Personal Video Recorder] (H04N5/76 takes precedence {; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40}) - H04N 21/8456: {by decomposing the content in the time domain, e.g. in time segments} - H04N 21/85406: {involving a specific file format, e.g. MP4 format} - H04L 67/02: based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP] - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract Techniques and mechanisms described herein facilitate the storage of digital media recordings. According to various embodiments, a system is provided comprising a processor, a storage device, Random Access Memory (RAM), an archive writer, and a recording writer. The archive writer is configured to retrieve a plurality of small multimedia segments (SMSs) in RAM and write the plurality of SMSs into an archive container file in RAM. The single archive container file may correspond to a singular multimedia file when complete. New SMSs retrieved from RAM are appended into the archive container file if the new SMSs also correspond to the singular multimedia file. The recording writer is configured to flush the archive container file to be stored as a digital media recording on the storage device once enough SMSs have been appended by the archive writer to the archive container file to complete the singular multimedia file. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system comprising: a processor; a storage device; Random Access Memory (RAM); an archive writer configured to retrieve metadata in RAM and write the metadata into an archive container file in RAM using an archive container file format (AR), the archive container file corresponding to a singular file when complete, wherein the archive writer is further configured to append new metadata retrieved from RAM into the archive container file if the new metadata also corresponds to the singular file; and a recording writer configured to flush the archive container file to be stored as a first file on the storage device once all metadata corresponding to the singular file have been appended by the archive writer to the archive container file to complete the singular file. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the system further comprises one or more recording servers, each recording server being configured to retrieve the first file stored in the storage device. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein each recording server is configured to transmit at least a portion of the first file a client machine upon request. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the metadata corresponds to 6 to 10 seconds of the singular file. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the format of the archive container file is an AR archive format. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the metadata is generated using live streaming segmenters. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the first file corresponds to live broadcasts of digital media content. ### Claim 8 A method for recording multimedia files, the method comprising: retrieving first metadata in RAM; writing the first metadata into an archive container file in RAM using an archive container file format (AR), the archive container file corresponding to a singular file when complete; appending second metadata retrieved from RAM into the archive container file based on determining that the second metadata also corresponds to the singular file; flushing the archive container file to be stored as a first file on a storage device once all metadata corresponding to the singular file have been appended by an archive writer to the archive container file to complete the singular file. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising retrieving the first file stored in the storage device. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, further comprising transmitting at least a portion of the first file to a client machine upon request. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein each of the first metadata and the second metadata corresponds to 6 to 10 seconds of the singular file. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the format of the archive container file is an AR archive format. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the first metadata is generated using live streaming segmenters. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the first file corresponds to live broadcasts of digital media content. ### Claim 15 A non-transitory computer readable medium storing one or more programs configured for execution by a computer, the one or more programs comprising instructions for: retrieving first metadata in RAM; writing the first metadata into an archive container file in RAM using an archive container file format (AR), the archive container file corresponding to a singular file when complete; appending second metadata retrieved from RAM into the archive container file based on determining that the second metadata also corresponds to the singular file; flushing the archive container file to be stored as a first file on a storage device once all metadata corresponding to the singular file have been appended by an archive writer to the archive container file to complete the singular file. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions further comprise: retrieving the first file stored in the storage device. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the instructions further comprise: transmitting at least a portion of the first file to a client machine upon request. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein each of the first metadata and the second metadata corresponds to 6 to 10 seconds of the singular file. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the format of the archive container file is an AR archive format. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the first metadata is generated using live streaming segmenters.