SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR OPTIMIZING DISTRIBUTION OF MEDIA FILES

• US 20090222580A1
• Filed: 03/19/2009
• Published: 09/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vubiquity Entertainment Corporation
• Original Assignee: TVN Entertainment Corp. (Amdocs Ltd.)
• Inventors: Perdue, Kelly, Stasi, Christopher, Stasi, Dom
• Granted Patent: US 8,880,733 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/240
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0637 Strategic management or analysis, e.g. setting a goal or target of an organisation; Planning actions based on goals; Analysis or evaluation of effectiveness of goals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1108 Web based protocols, e.g. webRTC
• 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 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/613 for the control of the source by the destination control signals issued by the client directed to the server or network components specially adapted for selective content distribution H04N21/637
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/70 Media network packetisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/765 intermediate
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/266 Channel or content management, e.g. generation and management of keys and entitlement messages in a conditional access system, merging a VOD unicast channel into a multicast channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/165 Centralised control of user terminal subsequent to an upstream request signal H04N7/17345; Registering at central by two-way working H04N7/17309

Abstract

There is disclosed a media file distribution system and method. An asset management and delivery system and method for the distribution of digital files and data is provided. There are two major functions, with sub-functions within each. The system first serves as a fully automated management system for a company involved in video/file distribution, such as in video on demand (VOD) or other digital file industries. The system can ingest, prepare, schedule, transmit, track and report on any aspect of the business chain. Secondly, it also serves as a product for both content providers and recipients to be able to view, manage and run their entire content offering remotely from anywhere through the Internet.

Claims

1. A method for optimizing distribution of a media file to a plurality of recipient sites over a communication network, the method comprising:

checking a receive status of a first recipient site to produce a first status check result;

checking a receive status of a second recipient site to produce a second status check result;

aggregating a first set of control data specific to requirements of the first recipient site and a second set of control data specific to requirements of the second recipient site, into the media file;

based on the first check result, the second check result, the first set of control data and the second set of control data, applying a set of rules to determine a priority for distributing the aggregated media file to the first recipient site and the second recipient site; and

transmitting the aggregated media file to the first recipient site and transmitting the aggregated media file to the second recipient site over said communication network, according to the determined priority.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said set of rules includes one or more rules from the group consisting of data range, time range, and communication channel requirements.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining a priority comprises determining whether a certain percentage of a plurality of devices at each of the first and second recipient sites are ready to receive the aggregated media file.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said receive statuses are equipment statuses located in the first and second recipient sites.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said first set of control data include data regarding an earliest or latest time that the media file can be transmitted to said first recipient site.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said set of rules include a rule for transmitting the media file when a highest percentage of targeted recipient sites can accept the media file.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said communication network is the Internet.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said communication network is a satellite link.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said media file is for use in a video play back.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said media file is for use in gaming.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising preventing the media file from loading to a recipient computer, according to control data specific to said recipient computer.

12. A method for optimizing distribution of a media file to a plurality of recipient sites over a communication network, the method comprising:

aggregating a plurality of control data into the media file, each of the plurality of control data being specific to requirements of a respective one of the plurality of recipient sites;

checking a respective receive status of each of the plurality of recipient sites;

determining a percentage of the plurality of recipient sites that are ready to receive the aggregated media file;

transmitting the aggregated media file to all of the recipient sites over said communication network, if the determined percentage is higher than a set value; and

delaying the transmission of the aggregated media file to a portion of the recipient sites based on respective control data specific to requirements of said portion of the recipient sites, if the determined percentage is lower than or equal to said set value.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said delaying the transmission of the aggregated media file comprises delaying the transmission of the aggregated media file to those recipient sites not ready to receive the aggregated media file.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein said communication network is the Internet.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein said communication network is a satellite link.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein said media file is for use in a video play back.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein said media file is for use in gaming.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising preventing the aggregated media file from loading to a recipient computer at a first recipient site, according to control data specific to requirements of said first recipient site.

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising processing the received media file by a recipient computer at a first recipient site, according to control data specific to requirements of said first recipient site.

20. The method of claim 12, further comprising changing one or more of the control data according to one or more of the receive statuses of the plurality of recipient sites.