Providing load balanced secure media content and data delivery in a distributed computing environment

• US 10,110,570 B2
• Filed: 08/08/2017
• Issued: 10/23/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/02/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Tranz-Send Broadcasting Network, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Content Delivery Inc. (Quarterhill Inc. (f/k/a Wi-LAN Inc.))
• Inventors: Redmond, Scott D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rahman, Mahfuzur
• Application Number:
  US15/671,577
• Publication Number:
  US 20170366517A1
• Time in Patent Office: 441 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/101 applying security measures for digital rights management data processing systems or methods, specially adapted for commerce, e.g. marketing, shopping, billing, auctions or e-commerce G06Q30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0457 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply dynamic encryption, e.g. stream encryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for stream encryption H04L9/065
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/06 for supporting key management in a packet data network cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key management H04L9/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/062 for key distribution, e.g. centrally by trusted party cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving a central third party H04L9/0819
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/101 based on network conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1029 using data related to the state of servers by a load balancer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/104 Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2181 comprising remotely distributed storage units, e.g. when movies are replicated over a plurality of video servers distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS], H04L67/1097
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/222 Secondary servers, e.g. proxy server, cable television Head-end provisioning of proxy services in data packet switching networks H04L67/56
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2223 being a public access point, e.g. for downloading to or uploading from clients arrangements specially adapted to plural spots in a confined site in broadcast systems H04H20/63
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23103 using load balancing strategies, e.g. by placing or distributing content on different disks, different memories or different servers storage management G06F3/0604; allocation of resources considering the load in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/505; techniques for rebalancing the load in a distributed system G06F9/5083; access to distributed or replicated servers, e.g. load balancing, in data networks H04L67/1001
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2347 involving video stream encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23476 by partially encrypting, e.g. encrypting the ending portion of a movie
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2393 : involving handling client requests scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 : being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44055 : by partially decrypting, e.g. decrypting a video stream that has been partially encrypted
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 : involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/454 : Content or additional data filtering, e.g. blocking advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6405 : Multicasting data broadcast and multicast in packet switching networks H04L12/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6408 : Unicasting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6581 : Reference data, e.g. a movie identifier for ordering a movie or a product identifier in a home shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6587 : Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 : involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8456 : by decomposing the content in the time domain, e.g. in time segments
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/162 : Authorising the user terminal, e.g. by paying; Registering the use of a subscription channel, e.g. billing

Abstract

A system and method for providing load balanced secure media content and data delivery in a distributed computing environment is disclosed. Media content is segmented and encrypted into a set of individual encrypted segments on a centralized control center. Each individual encrypted segment has the same fixed size. The complete set of individual encrypted segments is staged to a plurality of intermediate control nodes. Individual encrypted segments are mirrored from the staged complete set to a plurality of intermediate servers. Requests are received from clients for the media content at the centralized control center. Each individual encrypted segment in the set is received from one of an intermediate control node and an intermediate server optimally sited from the requesting client. The individual encrypted segments are reassembled into the media content for media playback.

Claims

1. A method for providing load balanced secure media content delivery in a distributed computing environment wherein the media content is segmented and encrypted into a set of individually encrypted segments, comprising:

storing at least one individually encrypted segment of the set of individually encrypted segments at a plurality of intermediate servers, said individually encrypted segments adapted to be reassembled into the media content for media playback;

receiving requests, from one or more client computers, for retrieving the media content on at least one server of the plurality of intermediate servers;

queuing the requests from the one or more client computers on the at least one server; and

multicasting the individually encrypted segments, from the at least one server, based on the requests, wherein multicasting the individually encrypted segments to the one or more client computers is performed from an optimally sited intermediate server.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising sending at least one individually encrypted segment of the set of individually encrypted segments for storage at the plurality of intermediate servers from at least one of the one or more client computers.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the media content comprises at least one of a video file, an audio file or a video game.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein each client computer comprises at least one of a personal computer, a mobile phone or a set top device.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein multicasting the individually encrypted segments is performed in a non-sequential order.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising maintaining a master database of user profiles.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the individually encrypted segments are variable in size.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising pre-casting at least one of the individually encrypted segments to the one or more client computers before a request for retrieving media content is received from the one or more client computers.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving a pulse signal from the one or more client computers, said pulse signal is used to determine a status and performance of the plurality of intermediate servers.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising directing a client computer to transmit at least one of the individually encrypted segments to the one or more client computers that is requesting the media content.

11. A network for providing load balanced secure media content delivery in a distributed computing environment wherein the media content is segmented and encrypted into a set of individually encrypted segments, the network comprising:

a plurality of intermediate servers adapted to store at least one individually encrypted segment of the set of individually encrypted segments, said individually encrypted segments adapted to be reassembled into the media content for media playback;

a request processing module to receive requests, from one or more client computers, for retrieving the media content on at least one intermediate server of the plurality of intermediate servers; and

a multicasting module to queue requests from the one or more client computers on the at least one intermediate server, and to multicast the individually encrypted segments, from the at least one intermediate server based on the requests, wherein the at least one intermediate server is an optimally sited intermediate server.

12. The network according to claim 11, wherein the media content comprises at least one of a video file, an audio file or a video game.

13. The network according to claim 11, wherein each client computer comprises at least one of a personal computer, a mobile phone or a set top device.

14. The network according to claim 11, wherein the multicasting module multicasts the individually encrypted segments in a non-sequential order.

15. The network according to claim 11, further comprising a master database of user profiles.

16. The network according to claim 11, wherein the individually encrypted segments are variable in size.

17. The network according to claim 11, wherein the multicasting module pre-casts at least one of the individually encrypted segments to the one or more client computers before a request for retrieving media content is received from the one or more client computers.

18. The network according to claim 11, further comprising a module to receive a pulse signal from the one or more client computers, wherein the pulse signal is used to determine a status and performance of the plurality of intermediate servers.

19. The network according to claim 11, further comprising a module to direct a client computer to transmit at least one of the individually encrypted segments to the one or more client computers that is requesting the media content.