Systems, methods, and apparatus for recording broadband content

A method for recording broadband content, the method comprising:

• receiving, by a programming processing component configured to receive broadband content output by a service provider, a user command to record desired content included in the broadband content;
• storing information associated with the user command in a recording queue;
• determining, based at least in part on the stored information in the recording queue, that a point in time for recording the desired content has been reached;
• determining, at the point in time by the programming processing component, that the desired content will not be recorded by the programming processing component, wherein the determining the desired content will not be recorded is based at least in part on an evaluation of when the recorded content will likely be requested for viewing by the user and an evaluation of one or more recording parameters comprising at least a bandwidth available for local recording or an estimate of future bandwidth requirements;
• determine, based at least in part on historical data, that a first content scheduled for recording is likely to be viewed prior to a second content scheduled for recording;
• communicating, by the programming processing component based at least in part on the determination, a request to a content recording server to record the desired content;
• receiving, by the program processing component, a response to the communicated request, the response comprising a unique identifier indicating a memory location at which the desired content has been stored on the content recording server;
• storing, by the program processing component, the unique identifier;
• and
• requesting, by the program processing component, the download of the desired content based at least in part on a determination of when the desired content is likely to be viewed.

A recording server comprising:

• at least one communications interface configured to (i) receive a first request to record desired broadband content on behalf of a customer of a service provider, wherein the first request is generated based upon a determination, at the point in time at which the desired content is to be recorded, based on historical data, that a first content scheduled for recording is likely to be viewed prior to a second content scheduled for recording, and based at least in part on an evaluation of when the recorded content will likely be requested for viewing by the user, that the desired content will not be recorded locally by a device associated with the customer and (ii) receive, from a programming processing component associated with the customer, a second request to access the desired content, wherein the first request comprises an identifier of the programming processing component associated with a user, user identification information and a recording time associated with the desired content;
• and
• at least one processor configured to (i) direct, based at least in part upon the first request, storage of the desired content in one or more suitable memory devices, (ii) generate a unique identifier that indicates a memory location at which the desired content is stored in the one or more memory devices, (iii) direct the at least one communications interface to communicate the unique identifier to the programming processing component (iv) access, based at least in part upon the second request, the desired content, (v) direct the at least one communications interface to communicate the desired content to the programming processing component, and (vi) request the download of the desired content based at least in part on a determination of when the desired content is likely to be viewed.