Segmented Cloud DVR Storage with User Bitmap Indexing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cloud DVR solutions face challenges in efficiently storing and managing multiple copies of recorded content items for each user due to regulatory requirements, leading to storage inefficiencies and complexity in handling time-series media objects across multiple users.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for segmented recording of time-series objects in cloud DVRs, where each user's recorded segments are uniquely stored with metadata that includes a bitmap identifying the user and offset values, allowing for efficient storage and retrieval of content items by mapping user-specific segments within a media sequence.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If one copy of recorded content is stored per user in cloud storage, then regulatory requirements are met, but storage space consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple user copies of the same content into a single shared storage location. Instead of storing separate copies for each user, the system stores one copy that can be accessed by multiple users simultaneously, thereby reducing storage space consumption while still meeting regulatory requirements for content availability.
Solution Approach 2:
The stored content copy serves multiple users simultaneously, making the storage system universal. A single copy of recorded content can be accessed and played back by any number of users who have recorded the same content, eliminating the need for redundant storage and maximizing storage efficiency.
2Ease of operation
If separate storage locations are used for each user's copy of content segments, then user-specific access is simplified, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary indexing mechanism that maps user identifiers to content segment locations. This intermediary layer manages the complexity of storing and retrieving user-specific content segments by maintaining an index that translates user requests into appropriate storage locations, thereby simplifying access operations while managing system complexity centrally.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the complexity of storage location management from individual user access operations. By separating the indexing function from the storage function, the system allows users to access content through simple user identifiers while the complex location mapping is handled by the extracted indexing mechanism.
3Adaptability or versatility
If content is stored as discrete time-series objects, then playback flexibility is improved, but storage overhead increases due to unique location requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple references to the same discrete time-series content objects into a shared storage location. Instead of creating separate physical copies for each user, the system stores one copy of each content segment and uses shared references or pointers that multiple users can access, thereby maintaining playback flexibility while reducing storage overhead.
Data Source
AI summary
In one embodiment, a method, system and apparatus are described, for uniquely storing, in a memory, for each one user among a plurality of users which recorded a content item, at least one segment of the recorded content item, generating metadata at a metadata generator, the metadata generator configured to associate, for one user among the plurality of users, the at least one segment of the recorded content item recorded by the one user, the metadata including a bitmap uniquely identifying the one user, and determining, at a processor, for each one user of the plurality of users, at least one offset value indicating at least one starting point for the at least one segment of the recorded content item for the one user, the at least one segment of the one user being disposed in a media sequence including a plurality of segments of the content item for different users of the users that recorded the content item, the at least one offset value being determined based, at least, on the bitmap uniquely identifying the one user and a byte size of the at least one segment of the recorded content item. Related methods, systems and apparatuses are also described.