# US 9,438,942 B2 · Configurable digital content storage

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- Number: US 9,438,942 B2
- Document ID: US9438942B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/196,478
- Filed: 2014-03-04
- Published: 2015-09-10
- Granted: 2016-09-06
- Earliest claimed: 2014-03-04
- Assignees: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
- Applicants: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
- Inventors: Joseph G. Fragale; Sankar Subramanian; Daniel J. O'Callaghan; Michael P. Ruffini
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9438942B2

## CPC

- H04N 21/2541: {Rights Management (protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10; security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08)}
- H04N 21/2347: involving video stream encryption
- H04N 21/2353: {specifically adapted to content descriptors, e.g. coding, compressing or processing of metadata}
- H04N 21/2393: {involving handling client requests (scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60)}
- H04N 21/262: Content or additional data distribution scheduling, e.g. sending additional data at off-peak times, updating software modules, calculating the carousel transmission frequency, delaying a video stream transmission, generating play-lists {(scheduling strategies for dispatcher in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/4881; arrangements for scheduling broadcast services or broadcast-related services H04H60/06; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; establishing a time schedule or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/62)}
- H04N 21/26216: {involving the channel capacity, e.g. network bandwidth (admission control, resource allocation in open networks H04L12/5692; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; establishing a schedule or organising the servicing of application requests taking into account QoS H04L67/61)}
- 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 21/4334: {Recording operations (recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27)}
- H04N 21/43615: {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)}
- H04N 21/437: Interfacing the upstream path of the transmission network, e.g. for transmitting client requests to a VOD server {(flow control in data networks H04L47/10; streaming protocols, e.g. RTP or RTCP, H04L65/65; scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests in data packet switching networks H04L67/60)}
- H04N 21/4627: Rights management {associated to the content (security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08)}
- H04N 21/472: End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content {(end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612)}
- H04N 21/47217: {for controlling playback functions for recorded or on-demand content, e.g. using progress bars, mode or play-point indicators or bookmarks (specific graphical features in visual interfaces H04N21/4312)}
- H04N 21/631: {Multimode Transmission, e.g. transmitting basic layers and enhancement layers of the content over different transmission paths or transmitting with different error corrections, different keys or with different transmission protocols}
- H04N 21/6405: Multicasting {(data broadcast and multicast in packet switching networks H04L12/18)}
- H04N 21/64761: {directed to the server}
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION

## Abstract

A routing device is coupled to a storage device to function as a digital video recorder (DVR) to store digital content. The routing device may include a client function to receive and store the digital content, and a server function to provide the stored digital content to a user device. Digital content directed to the client function may be recorded by the storage device, while other digital content may be passed by server function to the user device. The digital content may be received by the routing device in an encoded and/or encrypted format, and the digital content may be recorded by the storage device in the encoded and/or encrypted format.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method comprising:
initiating, by a routing device, a client/server function within the routing device, wherein the client/server function defines a first network address;
receiving, by the routing device, a first request related to acquiring first digital content and a second request related to acquiring second digital content, wherein the first request indicates that the first digital content is to be stored by a storage device coupled to a data port included in the routing device, wherein the second request indicates that the second digital content is to be forwarded to a user device external to the routing device, and wherein the user device is associated with a second network address that differs from the first network address;
modifying, by the routing device, the first request to include the first network address;
forwarding, by the routing device, the modified first request to a multicast device, wherein the first digital content is multicast to a group of network addresses, and wherein the modified first request causes the multicast device to include the first network address in the group of network addresses;
receiving, by the routing device, the first digital content and the second digital content, wherein the routing device and storage device are located at a customer premises, and wherein the first digital content and the second digital content are sent from at least one source that is external to the customer premises;
establishing, by the routing device and based on receiving the first request and the second request, a first path toward the first network address and a second path toward the second network address;
forwarding, by the routing device, the first digital content to the storage device via the first path;
forwarding, by the routing device, the second digital content toward the user device via the second path;
receiving, by the routing device and from the user device, a third request related to accessing the first digital content from the storage device;
establishing, by the routing device and based on receiving the third request, a third path between the first network address and the second network address; and
forwarding, by the routing device, the first digital content from the storage device to the user device via the third path, wherein forwarding the first digital content from the storage device to the user device includes:
forwarding, by the routing device, a portion of the first digital content to the user device; and
storing, by the routing device, metadata identifying the portion of the first digital content forwarded to the user device.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
providing a program guide to the user device; and
receiving, as one or more of the first request or the second request, at least one selection from the program guide.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:
identifying a time when a bandwidth between the routing device and the at least one source exceeds a threshold value; and
scheduling the at least one source to deliver the first digital content to the client/server function during the time.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the portion of the first digital content is forwarded to the user device during a first time period, and wherein forwarding the first digital content from the storage device to the user device further includes:
forwarding, based on the metadata, another portion of the first digital content to the user device during a second time period that is after the first time period.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the data port includes a physical connector configured to receive a wire, and wherein the first path includes the wire.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the client/server function is included in a network file system (NFS) or a server message block (SMB).

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the client/server function is configured to modify the first digital content to include digital rights management (DRM) information, and wherein the modified first digital content is forwarded via the first path to the storage device.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein initiating the client/server function within the routing device includes:
detecting when the storage device is coupled to the routing device; and
initiating the client/server function based on detecting the storage device being coupled to the routing device.

### Claim 9

An apparatus comprising:
a memory configured to store instructions;
a data port; and
a processor configured to execute one or more of the instructions to:
initiate a client/server function within the apparatus, wherein the client/server function defines a first network address,
receive a first request for acquiring first digital content and a second request for acquiring second digital content, wherein the first request indicates that the first digital content is to be stored on a storage device coupled to the data port and the second request indicates that the second digital content is to be forwarded to a user device external to the apparatus, and wherein the user device is associated with a second network address that differs from the first network address,
modify the first request to include the first network address,
forward the modified first request to a multicast device, wherein the first digital content is multicast to a group of network addresses, and wherein the modified first request causes the multicast device to include the first network address in the group of network addresses,
receive the first digital content and the second digital content, wherein the apparatus and storage device are located at a customer premises, and wherein at least one of the first digital content and the second digital content are sent from a source that is external to the customer premises,
establish, based on receiving the first request and the second request, a first path toward the first network address and a second path toward the second network address,
forward the first digital content to the storage device via the first path,
forward the second digital content toward the user device via the second path,
receive, from the user device, a third request for accessing the first digital content from the storage device,
establish, based on receiving the third request, a third path between the first network address and the second network address, and
forward the first digital content from the storage device to the user device via the third path, wherein the processor, when forwarding the first digital content from the storage device to the user device, is further configured to:
forward a portion of the first digital content to the user device; and
store metadata identifying the portion of the first digital content forwarded to the user device.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the apparatus further comprises:
an input port configured to receive the first digital content and the second digital content;
an output port configured to direct traffic to the user device; and
a switch fabric, and
wherein the processor, when establishing the first path toward the first network address and the second path toward the second network address, is further configured to execute one or more of the instructions to:
configure the switch fabric to provide at least a portion of the first path between the input port and the data port, and
configure the switch fabric to provide at least a portion of the second path between the input port and the output port.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the first digital content is received in an encoded format, and wherein the storage device stores the first digital content in the encoded format.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the data port includes a physical connector configured to receive a wire, and wherein the first path includes the wire.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the client/server function modifies the first digital content to include digital rights management (DRM) information, and wherein the modified first digital content is forwarded via the first path to the storage device.

### Claim 14 (depends on 9)

The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the processor, when initiating the client/server function within the apparatus, is further configured to:
detect when the storage device is coupled to the apparatus, and
initiate the client/server function based on detecting the storage device being coupled to the apparatus.

### Claim 15

A non-transitory computer-readable medium to store instructions, the instructions including:
one or more instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:
initiate a client/server function within an apparatus, wherein the client/server function defines a first network address;
receive a first request for acquiring first digital content and a second request for acquiring second digital content, wherein the first request indicates that the first digital content is to be stored on a storage device coupled to a data port included in the apparatus and the second request indicates that the second digital content is to be forwarded to a user device external to the apparatus, and wherein the user device is associated with a second network address that differs from the first network address;
modify the first request to include the first network address;
forward the modified first request to a multicast device, wherein the first digital content is multicast to a group of network addresses, and wherein the modified first request causes the multicast device to include the first network address in the group of network addresses;
receive the first digital content and the second digital content, wherein the apparatus and storage device are located at a customer premises, and wherein at least one of the first digital content and the second digital content are sent from a source that is external to the customer premises;
establish, based on receiving the first request and the second request, a first path toward the first network address and a second path toward the second network address,
forward the first digital content to the storage device via the first path;
forward the second digital content toward the user device via the second path;
receive, from the user device, a third request for accessing the first digital content from the storage device;
establish, based on receiving the third request, a third path between the first network address and the second network address; and
forward the first digital content from the storage device to the user device via the third path, wherein the one or more instructions further cause the processor, when forwarding the first digital content from the storage device to the user device, to:
forward a portion of the first digital content to the user device; and
store metadata identifying the portion of the first digital content forwarded to the user device.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the first digital content and the second digital content are received via an input port,
the second digital content is transferred to the user device via an output port that differs from the data port, and
the one more instructions, when causing the processor to establish the first path toward the first network address and the second path toward the second network address, is further cause the processor to:
configure a switch fabric included in the apparatus to provide at least a portion of the first path between the input port and the data port; and
configure the switch fabric to provide at least a portion of the second path between the input port and the output port.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the first digital content is received in an encoded format, and wherein the storage device stores the first digital content in the encoded format.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the client/server function is included in a network file system (NFS) or a server message block (SMB) associated with the apparatus.

### Claim 19 (depends on 15)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the client/server function modifies the first digital content to include digital rights management (DRM) information, and wherein the modified first digital content is forwarded, via the first path, from the client/server function to the storage device.

### Claim 20 (depends on 15)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the one more instructions, when causing the processor to initiate the client/server function within the appratus, further cause the processor to:
detect when the storage device is coupled to the apparatus; and
initiate the client/server function based on detecting the storage device being coupled to the apparatus.