Network-Optimized Content Delivery for High Demand Non-Live Contents

• US 20090248886A1
• Filed: 12/27/2007
• Published: 10/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Labs Incorporated (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Labs Incorporated (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Nguyen, Han, Tan, Elysia
• Granted Patent: US 8,386,629 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/231
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/172 Caching, prefetching or hoarding of files
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/18 for broadcast or conference , e.g. multicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1836 with heterogeneous network architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1868 Measures taken after transmission, e.g. acknowledgments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1881 with schedule organisation, e.g. priority, sequence management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5642 Multicast/broadcast/point-multipoint, e.g. VOD
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/60 Network streaming of media packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/61 for supporting one-way streaming services, e.g. Internet radio
• 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 67/01 Protocols
• 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: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching

Abstract

The invention relates to a method of distributing a non-live content stream in a network. The method comprises transmitting an initial meta-file in response to receiving a request for a non-live content stream. The initial meta-file comprises information, and the information identifies a division of the content stream, identifies a multicast source server and a unicast source server. The method also comprises transmitting at least a first portion of the non-live content stream using the multicast source server and at least a second portion of the non-live content stream using the unicast source server. Also, the invention relates to a system comprising a multicast source server adapted to transmit at least a first portion of the non-live content stream in response to transmission of an initial meta-file. The initial meta-file is transmitted in response to receiving a request for a non-live content stream.

Claims

1. A method of distributing a non-live content stream in a network, the method comprising:

transmitting an initial meta-file in response to receiving a request for a non-live content stream, the initial meta-file comprising information, the information identifying a division of the content stream, a multicast source server and a unicast source server; and

transmitting at least a first portion of the non-live content stream using the multicast source server and at least a second portion of the non-live content stream using the unicast source server.

2. The method as defined by claim 2, wherein the information represents the division of the content stream into a plurality of blocks, the first and second portions comprising distinct blocks.

4. The method as defined by claim 2, further comprising receiving information representing a quantity of destinations to which the content stream is transmitted.

5. The method as defined by claim 2, further comprising transmitting a subsequent meta-file, the subsequent meta-file comprising information identifying a source server different from at least one of the multicast source server and the unicast source server.

3. The method as defined by claim 3, wherein the meta-file comprises data identifying at least one of a plurality of blocks, a sequence number associated with each of the plurality of blocks, a size of the plurality of blocks, a checksum of the plurality of blocks and at least one source address.

6. The method as defined by claim 6, wherein the subsequent meta-file is transmitted subsequent to transmission of at least one of the first and second portions of non-live content stream.

7. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions, wherein execution of the instructions by at least one computing device distributes a non-live content stream in a network by:

transmitting an initial meta-file in response to receiving a request for a non-live content stream, the initial meta-file comprising information, the information identifying a division of the content stream, a multicast source server and a unicast source server; and

transmitting at least a first portion of the non-live content stream using the multicast source server and at least a second portion of the non-live content stream using the unicast source server.

8. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions defined by 7, wherein the information represents the division of the content stream into a plurality of blocks, the first and second portions comprising distinct blocks.

9. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions defined by 8, wherein the meta-file comprises data identifying at least one of a plurality of blocks, a sequence number associated with each of the plurality of blocks, a size of the plurality of blocks and a checksum of the plurality of blocks.

10. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions defined by 7, further comprising receiving information representing a quantity of destinations to which the content stream is transmitted.

11. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions defined by 7, further comprising transmitting a subsequent meta-file, the subsequent meta-file comprising information identifying a source server different from at least one of the multicast source server and the unicast source server.

12. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions defined by 11, wherein the subsequent meta-file is transmitted subsequent to transmission of at least one of the first and second portions of non-live content stream.

13. A system for distributing a non-live content stream in a network, the system comprising:

a multicast source server adapted to transmit at least a first portion of the non-live content stream in response to transmission of an initial meta-file, the initial meta-file being transmitted in response to receiving a request for a non-live content stream, the initial meta-file comprising information, the information identifying a division of the content stream; and

a unicast source server adapted to transmit at least a second portion of the non-live content stream, the initial meta-file identifying the multicast source server and the unicast source server.

14. The system as defined by claim 13 wherein the information represents the division of the content stream into a plurality of blocks, the first and second portions comprising distinct blocks.

15. The system as defined by claim 14, wherein the meta-file comprises data identifying at least one of a plurality of blocks, a sequence number associated with each of the plurality of blocks, a size of the plurality of blocks and a checksum of the plurality of blocks.

16. The system as defined by claim 13, wherein the meta-file server receiving information representing a quantity of destinations to which the content stream is transmitted.

17. The system as defined by claim 13, wherein a subsequent meta-file is transmitted, the subsequent meta-file comprising information identifying a source server different from at least one of the multicast source server and the unicast source server.

18. The system as defined by claim 17, wherein the subsequent meta-file is transmitted subsequent to transmission of at least one of the first and second portions of non-live content stream.