DIGITAL CONTENT DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM AND METHOD
First Claim
1. A method for downloading a digital content file from a content distribution network (CDN) residing within a content distribution system, the method comprising:
- receiving a CDN list from a content directory server that includes one or more CDNs residing within the content distribution system and also includes a rank and a weight for each of the one or more CDNs;
selecting a CDN from the CDN list from which to download the digital content file based on a bandwidth test, wherein the selected CDN is capable of downloading a portion of the digital content file to a content player machine at a highest bit rate associated with the content player machine or has a weighted bandwidth greater than or equal to the weighted bandwidth associated with any other CDN included in the CDN list;
launching a buffering thread configured to download digital content associated with the digital content file from the selected CDN and to store the digital content in a content buffer; and
launching a playback thread configured to play the digital content stored in the content buffer.
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Accused Products
Abstract
One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for selecting a content distribution network (CDN) comprising at least one content server, from a plurality of CDNs, and a playing digital content file from the CDN on a content player. Selecting the CDN is based on a rank order of CDNs, an assigned weight value for each CDN, and a bandwidth measured between the content player and each CDN. Advantageously, a given content player may select a CDN based on prevailing network and CDN loading conditions, thereby increasing overall robustness and reliability when downloading digital content file from a CDN.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method for downloading a digital content file from a content distribution network (CDN) residing within a content distribution system, the method comprising:
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receiving a CDN list from a content directory server that includes one or more CDNs residing within the content distribution system and also includes a rank and a weight for each of the one or more CDNs; selecting a CDN from the CDN list from which to download the digital content file based on a bandwidth test, wherein the selected CDN is capable of downloading a portion of the digital content file to a content player machine at a highest bit rate associated with the content player machine or has a weighted bandwidth greater than or equal to the weighted bandwidth associated with any other CDN included in the CDN list; launching a buffering thread configured to download digital content associated with the digital content file from the selected CDN and to store the digital content in a content buffer; and launching a playback thread configured to play the digital content stored in the content buffer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A computer-readable medium including instructions that, when executed by a processing unit, cause the processing unit to download a digital content file from a content distribution network (CDN) residing within a content distribution system, by performing the steps of:
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receiving a CDN list from a content directory server that includes one or more CDNs residing within the content distribution system and also includes a rank and a weight for each of the one or more CDNs; selecting a CDN from the CDN list from which to download the digital content file based on a bandwidth test, wherein the selected CDN is capable of downloading a portion of the digital content file to a content player machine at a highest bit rate associated with the content player machine or has a weighted bandwidth greater than or equal to the weighted bandwidth associated with any other CDN included in the CDN list; launching a buffering thread configured to download digital content associated with the digital content file from the selected CDN and to store the digital content in a content buffer; and launching a playback thread configured to play the digital content stored in the content buffer. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A content player device configured to download a digital content file from a content distribution network (CDN) residing within a content distribution system, the content player device comprising:
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a memory that includes a content buffer for storing downloaded digital content; and a processing unit coupled to the memory and configured to; receive a CDN list from a content directory server that includes one or more CDNs residing within the content distribution system and also includes a rank and a weight for each of the one or more CDNs, select a CDN from the CDN list from which to download the digital content file based on a bandwidth test, wherein the selected CDN is capable of downloading a portion of the digital content file to the content player device at a highest bit rate associated with the content player device or has a weighted bandwidth greater than or equal to the weighted bandwidth associated with any other CDN included in the CDN list, launch a buffering thread configured to download digital content associated with the digital content file from the selected CDN and to store the digital content in the content buffer, and launch a playback thread configured to play the digital content stored in the content buffer on a display device coupled to the content player device.
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Specification