Systems, Methods, and Computer Program Products for Optimizing Content Distribution in a Data Networks

• US 20120093054A1
• Filed: 10/18/2010
• Published: 04/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Liu, Yali, Chiang, Mung, Savoor, Raghvendra, Schine, Bruce Alden, Tisiker, Michael, Zhao, Yongdong
• Granted Patent: US 8,527,648 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/312
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/226 Delivery according to priorities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• 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

Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer program products are for selecting content for distribution via a data network, and creating at least one content distribution channel to distribute specific content of the selected content. The specific content is partitioned from the selected content based upon a criterion common to the specific content.

Claims

1. A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform steps of a method comprising:

selecting content for distribution via a wireless data network; and

creating at least one content distribution channel, each of the content distribution channels being configured to distribute specific content of the selected content, the specific content of each channel being partitioned from the selected content based upon a criterion common to the specific content for the channel.

2. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the instructions for selecting content for distribution via the wireless data network further comprise instructions for selecting content for distribution via the wireless data network based upon at least one factor selected from a group of factors consisting of:

(I) a popularity factor identifying a number of unique requests for the selected content over a time period;

(II) a volume factor identifying a number of bytes of the selected content;

(III) a time sensitivity factor identifying a tolerable time delay for distribution of the selected content; and

(IV) a synchronism factor identifying a variance among users in terms of when each of the users requests the selected content.

3. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 2, wherein the instructions for selecting content for distribution via the wireless data network further comprise instructions for:

calculating a value for a multicast/broadcast-ability factor, the multicast/broadcast-ability factor combining (I) the popularity factor, (II) the volume factor, (III) the time sensitivity factor, and (IV) the synchronism factor; and

determining whether the value for the multicast/broadcast-ability factor is greater than or equal to the threshold value;

wherein selecting the content for distribution via the wireless data network is contingent upon the value for the multicast-broadcast-ability factor being determined as greater than or equal to the threshold value.

4. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 3, wherein the multicast/broadcast-ability factor is in a unit of

5. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 2, wherein the popularity factor, the volume factor, the time sensitivity factor, and the synchronism factor are each calculated based upon measurements collected from at least one network node of the wireless data network.

6. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising instructions for determining a distribution assignment for each of the content distribution channels, the distribution assignment assigning the content distribution channel to at least one of a plurality of distribution centers.

7. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising instructions for creating a personal profile for a user of the wireless data network based upon at least one of subscriber information, subscriber behavior, and subscriber transaction history.

8. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7, further comprising instructions for recommending at least one of the content distribution channels to the user.

9. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, further comprising instructions for:

determining whether the user accessed at least one of the recommended content distribution channels after the recommendation; and

optimizing distribution assignment of each of the content distribution channels to at least one of a plurality of distribution centers based upon the determination of whether the user accesses at least one of the recommended content distribution channels after the recommendation.

10. A method for optimizing distribution of content via a wireless data network, the method comprising:

selecting, at a content controller, content for distribution via the wireless data network; and

creating, at the content controller, at least one content distribution channel, each of the content distribution channels being configured to distribute specific content of the selected content, the specific content being partitioned from the selected content based upon a criterion common to the specific content for the channel.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein selecting the content for distribution via the wireless data network comprises selecting the content for distribution via the wireless data network based upon at least one factor selected from a group of factors consisting of:

(I) a popularity factor identifying a number of unique requests for the selected content over a time period;

(II) a volume factor identifying a number of bytes of the selected content;

(III) a time sensitivity factor identifying a tolerable time delay for distribution of the selected content; and

(IV) a synchronism factor identifying a variance among users in terms of when each of the users requests the selected content.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

calculating, at the content controller, a value for a multicast/broadcast-ability factor, the multicast/broadcast-ability factor combining (I) the popularity factor, (II) the volume factor, (III) the time sensitivity factor, and (IV) the synchronism factor; and

determining, at the content controller, whether the value for the multicast/broadcast-ability factor is greater than or equal to the threshold value;

wherein selecting the content for distribution via the wireless data network is contingent upon the value for the multicast-broadcast-ability factor being determined as greater than or equal to the threshold value.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the multicast/broadcast-ability factor is in a unit of kUser*MB/sec².

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the popularity factor, the volume factor, the time sensitivity factor, and the synchronism factor are each calculated based upon measurements collected from at least one network node of the wireless data network.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising determining, at the content controller, a distribution assignment for each of the content distribution channels, the distribution assignment assigning the content distribution channel to at least one of a plurality of distribution centers.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising creating a personal profile for a user of the wireless data network based upon at least one of subscriber information, subscriber behavior, and subscriber transaction history.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising recommending at least one of the content distribution channels to the user.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

determining whether the user accessed at least one of the recommended content distribution channels after the recommendation; and

optimizing distribution assignment of each of the content distribution channels to at least one of a plurality of distribution centers based upon the determination of whether the user accesses at least one of the recommended content distribution channels after the recommendation.

19. A content controller, comprising:

an input/output (I/O) component;

a processor in communication with the (I/O) component;

a memory in communication with the processor, the memory comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

select content for distribution via a wireless data network;

create at least one content distribution channel, each of the content distribution channels being configured to distribute specific content of the selected content, the specific content being partitioned from the selected content based upon a criterion common to the specific content for the channel;

wherein, the content is selected for distribution based upon (I) a popularity factor identifying a number of unique requests for the selected content over a time period;

(II) a volume factor identifying a number of bytes of the selected content;

(III) a time sensitivity factor identifying a tolerable time delay for distribution of the selected content; and

(IV) a synchronism factor identifying a variance among users in terms of when each of the users requests the selected content;

calculate a value for a multicast/broadcast-ability factor comprising the popularity factor, the volume factor, the time-sensitivity factor, and the synchronism factor; and

determine whether the value for the multicast/broadcast-ability factor is greater than or equal to the threshold value;

wherein selection of content for distribution via the wireless data network is contingent upon the value for the multicast-broadcast-ability factor being determined as greater than or equal to the threshold value.

20. The content controller of claim 19, wherein the content controller is one of:

a server configured to receive the content from at least one content provider and provide the content via the content distribution channels to at least one of a multimedia broadcast and multicast service (MBMS) service center, an eMBMS service center, a combined MBMS service center/eMBMS service center, a BroadCast and MultiCast Service (BCMCS) service center, a mobile broadcast service operator, a digital video broadcasting-handheld DVB-H system, and a WIMAX multicast/broadcast system;

a component of one of an MBMS service center, an eMBMS service center, and a BCMCS service center; and

a specially-configured MBMS service center, a specially-configured eMBMS service center, and a specially-configured BCMCS service center.