Methods and apparatus of encoding real time media content

1. A method of encoding and distributing real time media content, the method comprising:

receiving, at a content processing device at least a first portion of a first content stream;

communicating the first portion of the first content stream to a plurality of encoders including a first through Nth encoder, where N is an integer value greater than one, said first portion being one of a plurality of portions in said first content stream;

operating said first through Nth encoders in parallel to perform different encoding operations in real time to generate first through Nth encoded versions of said first portion of the first content stream, respectively, each of the first through Nth encoded versions of said first portion of the first content stream being different with respect to at least one of an encoding standard, content format, resolution or data rate to which the encoded version corresponds;

monitoring the encoding status of each of the first through Nth encoders to determine completion of encoding of the first portion of the first content stream by the first through Nth encoders or failure of one or more of the N encoders with regard to encoding said first portion of the first content stream;

determining, when at least one of the first through Nth encoders fails to complete encoding of the first portion of the first content stream in a predetermined time, that said one of the encoders has encountered a failure with regard to encoding the first portion of the first content stream;

determining when at least the first through Nth encoders are done processing the first portion of the first content stream, said determining including determining on an individual per encoder basis whether the individual encoder has successfully completed encoding of the first portion of the first content stream or has encountered a failure with regard to encoding said first portion of the first content stream; and

publishing, in response to determining that at least the first through Nth encoders are done processing the first portion of the first content stream, at the same time, the successfully encoded versions of the first portion of the first content stream, said publishing including communicating information identifying where successfully encoded versions of the first portion of the first content stream are stored; and

wherein publishing, in response to determining that at least the first through Nth encoders are done processing the first portion of the content stream, at the same time, the successfully encoded versions of the first portion of the first content stream, is performed without publishing a version of the encoded first portion of the first content stream that is generated by the said one of the encoders that has encountered the failure thereby maintaining alignment of the published plurality of encoded versions of the first portion of the first content stream that were generated by encoders that successfully completed encoding of said first portion of the first content stream.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein one or more of the encoders are transcoders.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

storing encoded versions of the first portion of the first content stream generated by different ones of said first through Nth encoders, as the encoders complete encoding different versions of said first portion of the first content stream, said storing preceding determining that the first through Nth encoders are done processing the first portion of the first content stream and preceding said publishing.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

in response to determining that one of said first through Nth encoders has encountered a failure with regard to encoding said first portion of the first content stream, setting a failure condition indicator associated with said one of said first through Nth encoders; and

treating said one of said first through Nth encoders to have encountered a failure as being in a failure condition with regard to encoding additional portions of the first content stream until it is determined that said encoder is no longer subject to the detected encoding failure.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:

determining that said one of said first through Nth encoders is no longer in a failure condition by receiving from said one of said first through Nth encoders an indication of successful coding of a subsequent content portion within a time period expected for successfully completing encoding of said subsequent content portion or a signal indicating recovery from said failure condition.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein said first content portion and subsequent content portions correspond to a predetermined time interval of video content.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein said predetermined interval of video content is a 2 or 6 second interval.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein each of said first through N encoders is included in a first through N computing platform, where N is an integer value greater than one, said method further including: querying, each of said first through N computing platforms including an encoder which has been determined to have successfully completed encoding of the first portion of the first content stream, for a storage location address in which the encoded version of the first portion of the first content stream has been stored by the computing platform, said querying preceding said publishing.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said first through N computing platforms are first through N processing blades.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the computing platforms are implemented in a bare metal environment.

11. The method of claim 3 , wherein communicating information identifying where successfully encoded versions of the first portion of the first content stream are stored includes:

publishing information, in the form of addresses, said addresses identifying where of the successfully processed versions of the first portion of the first content stream are stored.

12. A content processing device for encoding and distributing real time media content comprising:

an Input/Output (I/O) interface configured to receive at least a first portion of a first content stream and communicate the first portion of the first content stream to a plurality of encoders, said first portion being one of a plurality of portions in said first content stream;

a plurality of encoders including a first through Nth encoder, where N is an integer value greater than one, said first through Nth encoders being configured to operate in parallel to perform different encoding operations in real time to generate first through Nth encoded versions of said first portion of the first content stream, respectively, each of the first through Nth encoded versions of said first portion of the first content stream being different with respect to at least one of an encoding standard, content format, resolution or data rate to which the encoded version corresponds; and

a processor configured to:

monitor the encoding status of each of the first through Nth encoders to determine completion of encoding of the first portion of the first content stream by the first through Nth encoders or failure of one or more of the N encoders with regard to encoding said first portion of the first content stream;

determine, when at least one of the first through Nth encoders fails to complete encoding of the first portion of the first content stream in a predetermined time, that said one of the encoders has encountered a failure with regard to encoding the first portion of the first content stream;

determine when at least the first through Nth encoders are done processing the first portion of the first content stream, said determination including determining on an individual per encoder basis whether the individual encoder has successfully completed encoding of the first portion of the first content stream or has encountered a failure with regard to encoding said first portion of the first content stream; and

perform a publish operation, in response to determining that at least the first through Nth encoders are done processing the first portion of the first content stream, said publish operation including publishing at the same time the successfully encoded versions of the first portion of the content stream, said publish operation including communicating information identifying where successfully encoded versions of the first portion of the first content stream are stored; and

wherein said publish operation is performed without publishing a version of the encoded first portion of the first content stream that is generated by the said one of the encoders that has encountered the failure thereby maintaining alignment of the published plurality of encoded versions of the first portion of the first content stream that were generated by encoders that successfully completed encoding of said first portion of the first content stream.

13. The content processing device of claim 12 , wherein one or more of the encoders are transcoders.

14. The content processing device of claim 13 , further comprising:

a storage device for storing encoded versions of the first portion of the first content stream generated by different ones of said first through Nth encoders.

15. The content processing device of claim 14 , further comprising:

a failure condition indicator module configured to set a failure condition indicator associated with said one of said first through Nth encoders in response to determining that one of said first through Nth encoders has encountered a failure with regard to encoding said first portion of the first content stream; and

wherein said processor is further configured to treat said one of said first through Nth encoders to have encountered a failure as being in a failure condition with regard to encoding additional portions of the first content stream until it is determined that said encoder is no longer subject to the detected encoding failure.

16. The content processing device of claim 15 wherein said processor is further configured to make a determination that said one of said first through Nth encoders is no longer in a failure condition upon receiving from said one of said first through Nth encoders an indication of successful coding of a subsequent content portion within a time period expected for successfully completing encoding of said subsequent content portion or a signal indicating recovery from said failure condition.

17. The content processing device of claim 16 , wherein said first content portion and subsequent content portions correspond to a predetermined time interval of video content.

18. The content processing device of claim 17 , wherein said first content stream is a content stream communicating video corresponding to a live event, said encoding and publishing occurring while said event is ongoing.

19. A non-transitory computer readable medium having machine executable instructions stored thereon for controlling a processor in a content processing device, the non-transitory computer readable medium including:

code for controlling the processor to receive at least a first portion of a first content stream;

code for controlling the processor to communicate the first portion of the first content stream to a plurality of encoders including a first through Nth encoder, where N is an integer value greater than one, said first portion of the first content stream being one of a plurality of portions in said first content stream;

code for controlling the processor to operate said first through Nth encoders in parallel to perform different encoding operations in real time to generate first through Nth encoded versions of said first portion of the first content stream, respectively, each of the first through Nth encoded versions of said first portion of the first content stream being different with respect to at least one of an encoding standard, content format, resolution or data rate to which the encoded version corresponds;

code for controlling the processor to monitor the encoding status of each of the first through Nth encoders to determine completion of encoding of the first portion of the first content stream by the first through Nth encoders or failure of one or more of the N encoders with regard to encoding said first portion of the first content stream;

code for controlling the processor to determine, when at least one of the first through Nth encoders fails to complete encoding of the first portion of the first content stream in a predetermined time, that said one of the encoders has encountered a failure with regard to encoding the first portion of the first content stream;

code for controlling the processor to determine when at least the first through Nth encoders are done processing the first portion of the first content stream, said determining including determining on an individual per encoder basis whether the individual encoder has successfully completed encoding of the first portion of the first content stream or has encountered a failure with regard to encoding said first portion of the first content stream; and

code for controlling the processor to perform a publish operation, in response to determining that at least the first through Nth encoders are done processing the first portion of the content stream, said publish operation including publishing at the same time the successfully encoded versions of the first portion of the first content stream, said publish operation including communicating information identifying where successfully encoded versions of the first portion of the first content stream are stored; and

wherein said publish operation is performed without publishing a version of the encoded first portion of the first content stream that is generated by the said one of the encoders that has encountered the failure thereby maintaining alignment of the published plurality of encoded versions of the first portion of the first content stream that were generated by encoders that successfully completed encoding of said first portion of the first content stream.