Remote storage digital video recorder streaming and related methods

Abstract

Systems, devices, and methods for streaming or otherwise delivering media content over a network are provided. One exemplary method of streaming media content over a network using a RS-DVR system involves receiving, at the RS-DVR system, a request for a portion of the media content from a media player on a client device via the network, receiving, at the RS-DVR system, the portion of the media content from an origin server on the network, buffering the portion of the media content at the RS-DVR system, and transmitting the portion of the media content to the media player on the client device. The portion of media content may be transmitted using a modified transport layer protocol, and in some embodiments, marked as non-cacheable.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of streaming media content over a network by a remote storage digital video recorder (RS-DVR) system coupled to the network, the method comprising:
 receiving, at the RS-DVR system, a request for media content of a live event from one or more media players on one or more client devices coupled to the network; and   transmitting, by the RS-DVR system, one or more encoded media segments corresponding to the media content of the live event to the one or more media players over the network.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more media players request the media content from the RS-DVR system based on a current utilization of backhaul bandwidth by the RS-DVR system. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more media players request the media content from the RS-DVR system when a difference between the current utilization of backhaul bandwidth by the RS-DVR system and an allocated amount of backhaul bandwidth associated with the RS-DVR system exceeds a threshold. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more media players request the media content from the RS-DVR system based on a geographic location of the RS-DVR system. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 creating, at the RS-DVR system, a shared access rights content file comprising the one or more encoded media segments corresponding to the live event; and   transmitting the one or more encoded media segments corresponding to the live event from the shared access rights content file at the RS-DVR system to the one or more media players over the network.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising marking, at the RS-DVR system, the one or more encoded media segments as cacheable prior to transmitting the one or more encoded media segments. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein transmitting the one or more encoded media segments further comprises the RS-DVR system transmitting the one or more encoded media segments of the media content using a modified transport layer protocol. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein transmitting the one or more encoded media segments of the media content using the modified transport layer protocol comprises the RS-DVR system increasing a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) receive window size when transmitting the one or more encoded media segments to the one or more media players. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein transmitting the one or more encoded media segments of the media content using the modified transport layer protocol comprises the RS-DVR system modifying a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) stack when transmitting the one or more encoded media segments to the one or more media players. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising identifying, by the RS-DVR system, a particular one of a plurality of backbone provider networks to be utilized when transmitting the one or more encoded media segments corresponding to the media content of the live event, wherein the one or more encoded media segments corresponding to the media content of the live event are transmitted over the identified backbone provider network. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein transmitting the one or more encoded media segments over the identified backbone provider network comprises the RS-DVR system instructing a data center router coupled to the RS-DVR system to transmit the one or more encoded media segments using the identified backbone provider network from among the plurality of backbone provider networks coupled to the data center router, wherein the identified backbone provider network is different from a default delivery route. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising creating a content file comprising the one or more encoded media segments corresponding to the media content of the live event in a temporary data storage at the RS-DVR system prior to transmitting the one or more encoded media segments corresponding to the media content of the live event from the content file in the temporary data storage at the RS-DVR system to the one or more media players over the network. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, at the RS-DVR system, the one or more encoded media segments corresponding to the media content of the live event at a time of the request from an origin content server or a live stream encoder in a multiple bitrate format; and   creating, at the RS-DVR system, a content file comprising the one or more encoded media segments corresponding to the media content of the live event at a requested bitrate, wherein transmitting the one or more encoded media segments comprises the RS-DVR system transmitting the one or more encoded media segments corresponding to the media content of the live event at the requested bitrate from the content file at the RS-DVR system.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the media content corresponding to the live event is anchored to a particular point in time for playback according to a schedule of the live event. 
     
     
         15 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processing system, cause the processing system to:
 receive, at a remote storage digital video recorder (RS-DVR) system, a request for media content of a live event from one or more media players on one or more client devices coupled to a network; and   transmit, by the RS-DVR system, one or more encoded media segments corresponding to the media content of the live event to the one or more media players over the network.   
     
     
         16 . The computer readable-medium of  claim 15 , wherein the computer-executable instructions cause the processing system to: create a shared access rights content file comprising the one or more encoded media segments corresponding to the live event; and
 transmit the one or more encoded media segments corresponding to the live event from the shared access rights content file at the RS-DVR system to the one or more media players over the network.   
     
     
         17 . The computer readable-medium of  claim 15 , wherein the computer-executable instructions cause the processing system to:
 receive the one or more encoded media segments corresponding to the media content of the live event at a time of the request from an origin content server or a live stream encoder in a multiple bitrate format;   create a content file comprising the one or more encoded media segments corresponding to the media content of the live event at a requested bitrate; and   transmit the one or more encoded media segments corresponding to the media content of the live event at the requested bitrate from the content file at the RS-DVR system.   
     
     
         18 . The computer readable-medium of  claim 15 , wherein the computer-executable instructions cause the processing system to identify a particular one of a plurality of backbone provider networks to be utilized when transmitting the one or more encoded media segments corresponding to the media content of the live event, wherein the one or more encoded media segments corresponding to the media content of the live event are transmitted over the identified backbone provider network. 
     
     
         19 . The computer readable-medium of  claim 15 , wherein the computer-executable instructions cause the processing system to create a content file comprising the one or more encoded media segments corresponding to the media content of the live event in a temporary data storage at the RS-DVR system prior to transmitting the one or more encoded media segments corresponding to the media content of the live event from the content file in the temporary data storage at the RS-DVR system to the one or more media players over the network. 
     
     
         20 . A device comprising:
 a processing system; and   a data storage element to store computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, cause the processing system to:
 receive a request for media content of a live event from one or more media players on one or more client devices coupled to a network; 
 receive one or more encoded media segments corresponding to the media content of the live event at a time of the request from an origin content server or a live stream encoder in a multiple bitrate format; 
 create a content file comprising the one or more encoded media segments corresponding to the media content of the live event at a requested bitrate; and 
 transmit the one or more encoded media segments corresponding to the media content of the live event at the requested bitrate from the content file to the one or more media players on the one or more client devices over the network.