Remote DVR Management via Web Services Intermediary
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional digital video recording (DVR) systems manage locally and are prone to network outages, leading to incomplete recordings and inefficient playback, as they lack awareness of recording status and do not utilize network-based catch-up services effectively.
Innovation Solution
A web services provider system remotely manages the local DVR system, detecting user commands and determining optimal recording and playback strategies, including the use of catch-up television services to ensure complete recordings and efficient resource utilization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the set-top box device is managed locally, then the device can perform DVR operations in response to user commands, but the device cannot detect network outages or incomplete recordings, leading to suboptimal playback
Solution Approach 1:
A web services provider system acts as an intermediary between the user and the local set-top box device. The web services system receives recording requests, monitors network conditions and recording status, and provides optimized playback instructions to the set-top box. This mediator enables the system to detect network outages and incomplete recordings without significantly increasing the complexity of the local device.
Solution Approach 2:
The web services provider system continuously monitors the recording status of media programs and provides feedback to the set-top box device. When a network outage or incomplete recording is detected, the system sends updated information back to the set-top box, enabling it to adjust playback behavior accordingly. This feedback loop ensures reliable recording completion while maintaining relatively simple local device architecture.
2Productivity
If the set-top box device plays back recorded media programs without checking recording status, then playback can be initiated quickly, but the device may play back partially recorded programs instead of using alternative sources
Solution Approach 1:
The web services provider system provides feedback to the set-top box about the actual recording status of media programs. This includes information about whether recordings were completed successfully, partially recorded due to network outages, or not recorded at all. With this feedback, the set-top box can make informed decisions about playback, choosing alternative sources when necessary while maintaining quick playback initiation.
Solution Approach 2:
The web services system performs preliminary checks of recording status before the user initiates playback. By pre-checking whether the recording is complete or if alternative sources are available, the system prepares appropriate playback instructions in advance. This preliminary action ensures efficient playback without requiring the user to manually verify recording status, preventing playback of incomplete programs.
3Reliability
If the system uses network-based catch-up television services, then complete media programs can be obtained even during network outages, but network dependency increases system complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The web services provider system serves as an intermediary that manages network-based catch-up television services. It handles all network communications, monitors service availability, and coordinates with the local set-top box device. This mediator approach enables reliable access to complete media programs through network services while keeping the local device architecture relatively simple, as the complexity is centralized in the web services layer.
Data Source
AI summary
An exemplary web services provider system remote from and communicatively coupled to a local digital video recording (“DVR”) system by way of a network detects an input command provided by a user and representative of a request for the local DVR system to perform a DVR operation with respect to a media program provided by a television service, identifies, in response to the request, a status of the media program, determines, based on the identified status of the media program, an optimal manner in which to perform the DVR operation, and directs the local DVR system to perform the DVR operation in accordance with the optimal manner. Corresponding systems and methods are also described.