Client-side last-element cache network architecture

• US 20020059440A1
• Filed: 09/05/2001
• Published: 05/16/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Daniel M. Woodard, Michael D. Hudson, Thomas J. Upchurch
• Original Assignee: Daniel M. Woodard, Michael D. Hudson, Thomas J. Upchurch
• Inventors: Woodard, Daniel M., Upchurch, Thomas J., Hudson, Michael D.
• Application Number:
  US09/946,649
• Publication Number:
  US 20020059440A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/231
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9574 of access to content, e.g. by caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23476 by partially encrypting, e.g. encrypting the ending portion of a movie
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/237 Communication with additional data server
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2541 Rights Management protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10; security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4335 Housekeeping operations, e.g. prioritizing content for deletion because of storage space restrictions storage management, e.g. defragmentation G06F3/0604; unloading stored programs G06F9/445; storage management in file systems G06F16/10; buffering arrangements in a network node or in an end terminal in packet networks H04L49/90
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/45452 applied to an object-based stream, e.g. MPEG-4 streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4627 Rights management associated to the content security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6338 directed to network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/647 Control signaling between network components and server or clients; Network processes for video distribution between server and clients, e.g. controlling the quality of the video stream, by dropping packets, protecting content from unauthorised alteration within the network, monitoring of network load, bridging between two different networks, e.g. between IP and wireless real-time session protocols H04L65/1101
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/835 Generation of protective data, e.g. certificates protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/1675 Providing digital key or authorisation information for generation or regeneration of the scrambling sequence pseudo-random number generators in general G06F7/58

Abstract

A distributed network data management system implementing centralized management control over the transfer of data files from data servers to remote client computer systems, where the data file transfers are performed in response to requests issued by the remote client computer systems. The distributed network data management system includes a control server system having a control file store coupleable through a communications network to a client computer system. The control server system can provide a predetermined control file to the client computer system in response to a request provided by the client computer system autonomously determined by the client computer system based on a prior provided control file. The control file includes an identification of data files and a set of data servers from which the data files can be requested for transfer to the client computer system. The identification of the data files can also specify a temporal distribution of the requests for the transfer of the data files among the set of data servers.

Claims

1. A network system providing for the reliably continuous streaming of multimedia content through a client content player, said network system comprising:

a) a last-element cache providing for the persistent storage of multimedia content on a client computer system;

b) a content server system remotely coupleable to said client computer system through a communications network, said content server system including a repository containing multimedia content available for transfer to said client computer system and storage in said last-element cache; and

c) a cache management system executed on said client computer system to provide the local management of content stored by said lost-element cache, said cache management system enabling selective transfer of content from said last-element cache to a content player executed on said client computer system.

2. The network system of claim 1 wherein transfers of content to and from said last-element cache are exclusively managed by said cache management system.

3. The network system of claim 2 wherein said cache management system interoperates with a client digital rights management system to encrypt said last-element cache.

4. The network system of claim 1 wherein said content server system provides said cache management system with a control file including an identification of predetermined content present in said repository and wherein said cache management system includes an autonomous control program that operates to evaluate said control file and selectively transfer said predetermined content from said content server system to said last-element cache.

5. A last-element network cache management system supporting reliably continuous streaming of multimedia content from server systems over a communications network to content players executed on client computer systems, said last-element network cache management system comprising:

a) a content server including a database of multimedia content files available for transfer over a communications network to remote client computer systems, wherein said content server is responsive to content requests from said remote client computer systems, said content server transferring a selected multimedia content file in response to a predetermined content request that includes a corresponding identification of said selected multimedia content file;

b) a control server responsive to control file requests from said remote client computer systems, said control server transferring a selected control file in response to a predetermined control file request, wherein said selected control file includes predetermined identifications of multimedia content files stored by said database; and

c) a cache control system executable on a client computer system, having a persistent data store, and coupleable to a content player to provide a multimedia content stream to said content player, said cache control system including a last-element cache, established within said persistent data store, provided to store multimedia content files transferred to said cache control system from said database, including said selected multimedia content file, and from which to stream said selected multimedia content file to said content player, said cache control system providing for the generation of said predetermined control file request, for evaluating said selected control file, and for generating said predetermined content request.

6. The last-element network cache management system of claim 5 wherein said cache control system exclusively operates to control the transfer of multimedia content files to and from the last-element cache.

7. The last-element network cache management system of claim 6 wherein said cache control system is interoperable with a digital rights management system, including encryption and decryption services, that is executed on said client computer system and wherein transfers of multimedia content files with respect to said last-element cache utilize said encryption and decryption services such that said last-element cache is maintained in said persistent data store as an encrypted object.

8. The last-element network cache management system of claim 5 wherein said cache control system includes a control program, wherein execution of said control program implements a predetermined operational behavior providing for the evaluation of directives provided in said selected control file, wherein said control program generates said predetermined control file request autonomously, and wherein said control program generates said predetermined content request autonomously based on a first predetermined directive provided in said selected control file.

9. The last-element network cache management system of claim 8 wherein said control program generates said predetermined control file request autonomously based on a second predetermined directive provided in said selected control file.

10. The last-element network cache management system of claim 9 wherein said control program is responsive to content stream start requests provided by said content player to initiate a stream read of said selected multimedia content file from said last-element cache and to said content player.

11. The last-element network cache management system of claim 10 wherein said cache control system includes a network proxy interposed in a communications path between said content player and said communications network, said network proxy being coupled to said control program to enable said control program to intercept a predetermined content stream start request directed by said content player to said communications network, said control program providing for the stream reading of said selected multimedia content file from said last-element cache and to said content player in response to said predetermined content stream start request.

12. The last-element network cache management system of claim 11 wherein said cache control system includes a state-transition engine and wherein said predetermined operational behavior of said control program is defined by said state-transition engine.

13. The last-element network cache management system of claim 11 wherein said predetermined operational behavior of said control program is responsive to feedback information provided by an end-user of said content player.

15. The distributed network data management system of claim 14 wherein said control file store contains an identification of the data files stored by said set of data servers and wherein said control server system generates said predetermined control file based on said identification and interdependently on a set of control files generated and distributed by said control server system to a set of remote client computer systems,

whereby said control server system directs, through the interdependent generation of control files, the temporal distribution of requests for the transfer of data files from among said set of data servers to said set of remote client computer systems.

16. The distributed network data management system of claim 15 wherein said distributed network management system further comprises a feedback server system coupleable through said communications network with said set of remote client computer systems, said feedback server system receiving feedback data provided by said set of remote client computer systems and storing said feedback data accessible to said control server system, and wherein said control server system interdependently generates said predetermined control file based on said feedback data.

17. The distributed network data management system of claim 16 wherein said predetermined control file is generated based on said feedback data specifically received from said client computer system.

18. The distributed network data management system of claim 16 or 17 wherein said predetermined control file is generated based on said feedback data received from said set of remote client computer systems.

19. The distributed network data management system of claim 15 wherein said predetermined control file contains a plurality of directives established to enable said client computer system to autonomously evaluate said plurality of directives and responsively generate requests including a subsequent request for an updated control file and to send said subsequent request to said control server system.

20. The distributed network data management system of claim 19 wherein said plurality of directives permit said client computer system to autonomously determine a time at which said subsequent request is issued by said client computer system.

21. The distributed network data management system of claim 20 wherein a predetermined one of said plurality of directives includes a specification of a time at which a corresponding request for a data file is issued by said client computer system to any of said set of data servers.

22. The distributed network data management system of claim 21 wherein said predetermined one of said plurality of directives includes a specification of a predetermined one of said set of data servers that is to be issued said corresponding request.

23. The distributed network data management system of claim 20, 21 or 22 wherein said plurality of directives are generated with said predetermined control file interdependently with the directives provided in said set of control files generated and distributed by said control server system to a set of remote client computer systems.

25. The distributed network data management system of claim 24 wherein said control file includes information identifying said first content server and a time specification associated with said predetermined directive identifying a time at which to issue said request.

26. The distributed network data management system of claim 25 wherein said control file includes information identifying a plurality of content servers and a location specification associated with said predetermined directive identifying said first content server to which to issue said request.

27. The distributed network data management system of claim 26 wherein a second plurality of content files are distributively stored by said plurality of content servers, wherein said identification is comprehensive of said second plurality of content files, and wherein said control server generates said control file from said identification dependent on the distribution of said second plurality of content files across said plurality of content servers.

28. The distributed network data management system of claim 24 wherein said playlist specification defines an ordered sequence in which said second plurality of content files are provided to said content player.

29. The distributed network data management system of claim 28 wherein said cache controller develops feedback information from the operation of said content player and wherein said cache controller interprets said ordered sequence in determining an active sequence in which said second plurality of content files are provided to said content player.

30. The distributed network data management system of claim 29 wherein said cache controller provides said feedback information to said control server and wherein said control server provides said playlist specification based on said feedback information.

31. The distributed network data management system of claim 29 wherein said cache controller interprets said directives based on said feedback information in providing for the selective retrieval of said second plurality of content files into said last-element cache.

14. A distributed network data management system implementing centralized management control over the transfer of data files from data servers to remote client computer systems, where the data file transfers are performed in response to requests issued by the remote client computer systems, said distributed network data management system comprising a control server system including a control file store and coupleable through a communications network to a client computer system, said control server system providing a predetermined control file to said client computer system in response to a request provided by said client computer system autonomously determined by said client computer system based on a prior provided control file, wherein said predetermined control file includes an identification of predetermined data files and a set of data servers from which said predetermined data files are to be requested for transfer to said client computer system, the identification of said predetermined data files providing for the temporal distribution of the requests for the transfer of said predetermined data files among said set of data servers.

24. A distributed network data management system providing for the controlled streaming of content through content players executed on client computer systems, said distributed network data management system comprising:

a) a first content server storing a first plurality of content files, said first content server being responsive to a request to transfer an identified content file to a client computer system through a communications network;

b) a last-element cache deployed on said client computer system, said last-element cache provide for the persistent storage of a second plurality of content files including said identified content file;

C) a cache controller executed by said client computer and coupled to provide said plurality of content files to a content player executed by said client computer system, said cache controller being responsive to directives contained in a control file, including a predetermined directive to issue said request for said identified content file, to provide for the retrieval of said second plurality of content files into said last-element cache, said cache controller providing said second plurality of content files to said content player based on a playlist specification contained in said control file; and

d) a control server coupleable to said client computer system through said communications network and coupleable to said first content server to obtain an identification of said first plurality of content files, said control server providing said control file including a predetermined set of directives based on said identification.