Systems and methods for resolving conflicts and managing system resources in multimedia delivery systems

Abstract

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 multimedia asset, it may be downloaded and recorded locally. The system may automatically determine based on various factors, such as transmission bandwidth, latency, and DRM, whether to store assets or pointers.

1 - 39 . (canceled) 
     
     
         40 . A method for managing resources in a multimedia delivery network, the method comprising:
 scheduling on user equipment a recording of a multimedia asset that is available from a first source;   determining whether an equivalent multimedia asset with the same program content as the multimedia asset is available from at least one alternative source, wherein the at least one alternative source is an Internet server; and   storing a first multimedia asset pointer locally that allows access to the equivalent multimedia asset.   
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 40 , further comprising checking an amount of local storage space that is available on the user equipment, and determining whether the local storage space is sufficient to record the multimedia asset. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 40 , further comprising determining an expiration time of the equivalent multimedia asset from the at least one alternative source. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein, when the expiration time of the equivalent multimedia asset from the at least one alternative source is imminent, the method further comprises recording on the user equipment the equivalent multimedia asset from the at least one alternative source. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 40 , further comprising presenting a user interface to a user of the user equipment wherein a multimedia asset that is stored locally is represented to the user in the same way as the equivalent multimedia asset for which only a pointer is stored. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 40 , further comprising determining a digital rights restriction associated with the equivalent multimedia asset from the at least one alternative source and determining whether accessing or recording the equivalent multimedia asset violates at least one digital right. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 40 , further comprising:
 comparing locally stored multimedia assets with equivalent assets available from the at least one alternative source;   deleting at least one of the locally stored multimedia assets; and   storing a second multimedia asset pointer to a multimedia asset that is equivalent to and has the same program content as the at least one deleted multimedia asset.   
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 40 , further comprising:
 capturing a desired future viewing time from a user; and   presenting to the user a list of multimedia assets that are viewable during that future viewing time wherein the list includes the equivalent multimedia asset.   
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 47 , further comprising allowing the user to select the equivalent multimedia asset from the list for future viewing. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 47 , further comprising determining an expiration time for the equivalent multimedia asset and updating the list to remove the listing of the equivalent multimedia asset if the expiration time is earlier than the viewing time. 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 40 , further comprising storing a beginning portion of the equivalent multimedia asset locally as part of a quick-start feature for the multimedia asset. 
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 40  further comprising checking a remaining storage capacity of the user equipment and, if the remaining storage capacity is insufficient for recording the multimedia asset, applying a deletion criterion to identify a stored multimedia asset to be deleted from the user equipment. 
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein the deletion criterion comprises a date/time when a stored multimedia asset was last watched, a frequency with which a stored multimedia asset was accessed, a designation as “archived program,” a rental conditions for the stored multimedia asset, a current availability of a stored multimedia asset from a server, a user's permission for deletion, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 52 , further comprising notifying a user if the remaining storage capacity remains insufficient after applying the deletion criterion. 
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 40 , further comprising locally recording the multimedia asset, if on-demand session capacity is insufficient for real-time transmission of the equivalent multimedia asset from the at least one alternative source. 
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 54 , wherein the on-demand session capacity includes at least one of a transmission bandwidth from the at least one alternative source and a latency from the at least one alternative source. 
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 40  wherein the first source is different than the at least one alternative source. 
     
     
         57 . A system to manage resources in a multimedia delivery network, the system comprising user equipment with control circuitry configured to:
 schedule on the user equipment a recording of a multimedia asset that is available from a first source;   determine whether an equivalent multimedia asset with the same program content as the multimedia asset is available from at least one alternative source, wherein the at least one alternative source is an Internet server; and   store a first multimedia asset pointer locally that allows access to the equivalent multimedia asset.   
     
     
         58 . The system of  claim 57 , the control circuitry further configured to check an amount of local storage space that is available on the user equipment, and to determine whether the local storage space is sufficient to record the multimedia asset. 
     
     
         59 . The system of  claim 57 , the control circuitry further configured to determine if an expiration time of the equivalent multimedia asset from the at least one alternative source is imminent, and if the expiration time is imminent, to cause the user equipment to record the equivalent multimedia asset from the at least one alternative source. 
     
     
         60 . The system of  claim 57 , the control circuitry further configured to:
 compare multimedia assets stored on the user equipment with equivalent assets available from the at least one alternative source;   delete at least one of the multimedia assets stored on the user equipment; and   store a second multimedia asset pointer to a multimedia asset that is equivalent to and has the same program content as the at least one deleted multimedia asset.   
     
     
         61 . The system of  claim 57 , the control circuitry further configured to:
 check a remaining storage capacity of the user equipment; and   if the remaining storage capacity is insufficient to record the multimedia asset, apply a deletion criterion to identify a stored multimedia asset to be deleted from the user equipment.   
     
     
         62 . The system of  claim 61 , wherein the deletion criterion comprises a date/time when a stored multimedia asset was last watched, a frequency with which a stored multimedia asset was accessed, a designation as “archived program,” a rental conditions for the stored multimedia asset, a current availability of a stored multimedia asset from a server, a user's permission for deletion, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         63 . The system of  claim 61 , the control circuitry further configured to notify a user if the remaining storage capacity remains insufficient after applying the deletion criterion. 
     
     
         64 . The system of  claim 57 , the control circuitry further configured to cause the user equipment to record the multimedia asset, if transmission capacity is insufficient for real-time transmission of the equivalent multimedia asset from the at least one alternative source. 
     
     
         65 . The system of  claim 64 , wherein the transmission capacity includes at least one of a transmission bandwidth from the at least one alternative source and a latency from the at least one alternative source. 
     
     
         66 . The system of  claim 57  wherein the first source is different than the at least one alternative source.