# US 11,902,604 B2 · Intelligent assignment and data management of stored media content

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- Number: US 11,902,604 B2
- Document ID: US11902604B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/181,436
- Filed: 2023-03-09
- Published: 2023-07-13
- Granted: 2024-02-13
- Earliest claimed: 2021-06-29
- Assignees: Sling TV L.L.C.
- Applicants: Sling TV L.L.C.
- Inventors: Robert Drew Major; Leo Davis; Howard Davis
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11902604B2

## CPC

- H04N 21/2396: {characterized by admission policies (admission control, resource allocation in open networks H04L12/5692; arrangements for network security using user profiles for access control H04L63/102; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08)}
- 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 21/23439: {for generating different versions}
- H04N 21/274: Storing end-user {multimedia} data in response to end-user request {, e.g. network recorder}
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION

## Abstract

A remote storage digital video recorder (RSDVR) retains multiple copies of media programs so long as the copies are expected to be useful to at least one user. Rather than assigning copies to specific users at the time the program is recorded, copies can be assigned as the users request access to the particular media programs. Copies of unassigned programs can be deleted according to a schedule to reduce disk storage and processing demands on the system. A pool of program copies that are not initially assigned to particular users can be maintained until the user makes a specific request to view the program. This “late assignment” of program copies can substantially reduce the amount of data stored by the RSDVR system without substantially impacting the viewer experience.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An automated process executed by a network server system that delivers recorded media programs to a plurality of viewers, the automated process comprising:
recording an initial number of copies of a media program for storage by the network server system, wherein the initial number of copies is based upon a number of recording timers set for the media program by the plurality of viewers;
after the initial number of copies of the media program have been recorded, receiving requests from at least some of the viewers to view a copy of the media program;
assigning, in response to each of the requests, one of the copies to the viewer making the request to thereby permit access to the assigned copy of the media program by the viewer; and
subsequently deleting at least some of the copies of the media program that are not yet assigned to any of the plurality of viewers.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The automated process of claim 1 wherein the initial number of copies is less than a number of recording timers set for the media program by the plurality of viewers.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The automated process of claim 1 wherein at least some of the copies of the media program are transcoded into multiple adaptive streams each encoded at different quality levels.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The automated process of claim 3 wherein the deleting comprises deleting some, but not all, of the adaptive streams of the copy of the media program.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The automated process of claim 3 wherein the deleting comprises deleting the adaptive streams encoded at higher qualities before deleting the adaptive streams encoded at lower qualities.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The automated process of claim 1 wherein the initial copies of the media program are not assigned to specific viewers until the request is received from the specific viewer, wherein the request indicates a desire by the viewer to view the media program.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The automated process of claim 1 wherein the network server system is a remote storage digital video recorder (RSDVR) system that comprises a processor, non-transitory data storage and an interface to a network.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The automated process of claim 7 wherein the initial copies of the media program are stored in the non-transitory storage, wherein the requests are received via the network, and wherein the assigned copies of the media program are delivered to client devices as media streams via the network.

### Claim 9

A network server system that delivers recorded media programs to a plurality of viewers, the system comprising a processor, non-transitory data storage and an interface to a network, wherein the non-transitory data storage comprises computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, perform an automated process comprising:
recording an initial number of copies of a media program for storage by the network server system, wherein the initial number of copies is based upon a number of recording timers set for the media program by the plurality of viewers;
after the initial number of copies of the media program have been recorded, receiving requests from at least some of the viewers to view a copy of the media program;
assigning, in response to each of the requests received, one of the copies to the viewer making the request to thereby permit access to the assigned copy of the media program by the viewer; and
subsequently deleting at least some of the copies of the media program that are not yet assigned to any of the plurality of viewers.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The network server system of claim 9 wherein at least some of the copies of the media program are transcoded into multiple adaptive streams each encoded at different quality levels, and wherein the deleting comprises deleting some, but not all, of the adaptive streams of the copy of the media program.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The network server system of claim 10 wherein the deleting comprises deleting the adaptive streams encoded at higher qualities before deleting the adaptive streams encoded at lower qualities.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The network server system of claim 9 wherein the network server system is a remote storage digital video recorder (RSDVR) system.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The network server system of claim 12 wherein the requests are received via the network, and wherein the assigned copies of the media program are delivered to client devices as media streams via the network.

### Claim 14

An automated process performed by a remote storage digital video recorder (RSDVR) system comprising a non-transitory data storage, a processor and an interface to a network, the automated process comprising:
determining a number of copies of a media program to be recorded for later viewing by a plurality of viewers having access to the RSDVR system, wherein the number of copies is based upon a number of recording timers set for the media program by the plurality of viewers;
storing the number of copies of the media program in a pooled arrangement by the RSDVR system, wherein individual copies of the media program are not assigned to a specific viewer at the time of storage;
transcoding at least some of the copies of the media program into multiple adaptive streams each encoded at different quality levels;
after the number of copies are stored, responding to requests from the plurality of viewers, wherein the requests indicate a desire to obtain access to a copy of the media program stored by the RSDVR system;
responding to each of the requests by performing, by the RSDVR system, a late assignment in which one of the copies in the pooled arrangement is assigned to the viewer making the request to thereby provide the viewer with access to the assigned copy of the media program; and
subsequently deleting at least some of the previously-recorded copies of the media program that are not yet assigned to any of the plurality of viewers, wherein the deleting comprises deleting some, but not all, of the adaptive streams of the copy of the media program.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The automated process of claim 14 wherein the deleting comprises deleting the adaptive streams encoded at higher qualities before deleting the adaptive streams encoded at lower qualities.