Multimedia Resource Management via Content Pointer Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current multimedia delivery systems lack an integrated approach to manage and reconcile recording conflicts and resource allocation for multimedia assets available via different delivery mechanisms like broadcast, VOD, and PPV, often resulting in tuner and storage capacity limitations.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that dynamically manage local storage capacity and system resources to decide whether to locally record or view multimedia assets via VOD or PPV mechanisms, by checking availability and scheduling conflicts, and storing identifiers instead of actual content to conserve space, with features like 'watch-later' for future viewing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a user schedules local recording of multiple multimedia assets simultaneously, then the user can access more content, but recording conflicts occur when tuner or storage resources are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces a content identifier (pointer) as an intermediary between the user's recording request and the actual content. Instead of directly recording the full multimedia asset, the system stores a compact identifier that references the content on the VOD server. This intermediary approach resolves the conflict by consuming minimal local storage resources while preserving the user's ability to access the content later.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a lightweight copy (content identifier) rather than copying the entire multimedia asset. The identifier contains sufficient information to retrieve the original content from the VOD server, achieving content accessibility with dramatically reduced storage requirements and eliminating recording conflicts.
2Speed
If the system stores full multimedia assets locally, then access speed is fast, but storage capacity is quickly exhausted
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts only the essential content identifier from the full multimedia asset and stores it locally. The identifier contains the necessary reference information to retrieve the complete content from the VOD server, eliminating the need to store bulky asset copies while maintaining access functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from storing content in the physical dimension (full asset files consuming storage space) to storing content in the information dimension (compact identifiers). This dimensional shift allows rapid access through efficient identifier lookup while deferring the actual content delivery to the network infrastructure.
3Reliability
If the system records all requested multimedia assets locally, then no content is lost, but tuner resources are overwhelmed during peak times
Solution Approach 1:
The VOD server acts as an intermediary content delivery mechanism. When local recording resources are unavailable, the system stores content identifiers that reference the VOD server as the alternative delivery location. This intermediary approach ensures content availability without requiring simultaneous tuner allocation for all requested assets.
4Productivity
If the system provides integrated management across broadcast, VOD, and PPV mechanisms, then resource optimization improves, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements a universal content management approach where a single recording management mechanism handles multiple delivery mechanisms (broadcast, VOD, PPV). The content identifier system serves as a universal reference that works across all delivery types, allowing integrated resource optimization without requiring separate complex management systems for each delivery mechanism.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention manages resources and resolve conflicts when locally recording multimedia assets from a variety of sources in multimedia delivery systems. Local and system resources such as storage, tuners, and bandwidth are considered when alternative sources for assets are available (e.g., VOD). Rather than record assets locally, if equivalent assets are available via alternative sources, the recordings are deferred and a pointer to the equivalent asset is stored in lieu of the asset itself. When a user selects a multimedia asset for playback, an "on demand" or alternative source session is started for the asset associated with the pointer. Before the expiration date of the alternative source equivalent of the mutimedia asset, it may be downloaded and recored locally. The system may automatically determine based on various factors, such as transmission bandwidth, latency, and DRM, whether to store assets or pointers.