Content server media stream management

摘要

Mechanisms are provided to manage media stream transmissions at a content server. A content server detects that a user on a device such as a mobile device has stopped playing a live media stream. The content server maintains information associating the user with the media stream and time information. When the content server detects that a user wishes to resume playing a media stream, the user can continue viewing the media stream from where stoppage occurred. In many instances, the content server stores many hours of live media stream data and allows a user to select a particular starting point.

主权项

1. A method, comprising:
computer code for maintaining a plurality of media streams in a plurality of channel buffers at a content server, the plurality of media streams corresponding to first media content encoded at different quality levels, and wherein the content server is operable to provide the plurality of media streams to the user, wherein the plurality of channel buffers are prefilled and refreshed using satellite and cable media streams; receiving a first request for first media content from a user, the first request identifying a first bandwidth and a first position in the first media content; selecting a first media stream from the plurality of media streams by using first bandwidth characteristics; transmitting media to the user beginning with packets having timestamps corresponding to the first position; receiving a second request for the first media content from the user, the second request identifying a second bandwidth different from the first bandwidth and a second position in the first media content different from the first position in the first media content; selecting a second media stream from the plurality of media streams by using second bandwidth characteristics; transmitting media to the user beginning with packets having timestamps corresponding to the second position, wherein the user makes the first request from a mobile device and the second request from a set top box.