SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR RELIABLE BACKUP OF MEDIA

• US 20140187239A1
• Filed: 03/12/2013
• Published: 07/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Carbonite LLC (Open Text Corporation)
• Original Assignee: David Friend
• Inventors: FRIEND, DAVID, Mikkelsen, Lars, Mintz, Cory, Speth, James
• Granted Patent: US 9,369,507 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/426.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/40 Support for services or applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/762 at the source reformatting of additional data in video distribution servers H04N21/2355
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols

Abstract

The present disclosure describes systems and methods for reliable backup of data, by initially providing transcoded, down-sampled, or low resolution versions of media data files for backup when a network has low bandwidth or intermittent connectivity, and subsequently providing the original or high resolution copy to replace the transcoded version, either on a second, faster or more reliable network, or over time on the first network. Accordingly, even with poor network conditions, data may be backed up quickly in a reduced size in case of damage to or loss of the device, providing a “better low resolution than no resolution” safety margin.

Claims

1. A method for reliable backup of media, comprising:

capturing, by a device, a first item of media at a first resolution;

determining, by the device, that a parameter of a first network connection between the device and a second device is below a predetermined threshold;

transcoding, by the device, the first item of media to a second, lower resolution, responsive to the determination that the parameter of the first network connection is below the predetermined threshold;

transmitting, by the device, the transcoded first item of media at the second, lower resolution, to the second device for storage via the first network connection;

subsequently determining, by the device, that the parameter of a second network connection between the device and the second device is equal to or above the predetermined threshold; and

transmitting, by the device, the first item of media at the first resolution via the second network connection responsive to the determination that the parameter of the second network connection is equal to or above the predetermined threshold.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first network connection comprises a cellular connection, and wherein the second network connection comprises a wired data connection or a WiFi connection.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the parameter is a bandwidth of the connection.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the parameter is a packet loss rate of the connection.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the parameter is a remaining amount of data that may be transferred under a monthly subscription for the connection.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a connection type of the first network connection and identifying a type of the second network connection; and

wherein determining that the parameter of the first network connection is below the predetermined threshold is based on the type of the first network connection, and

wherein determining that the parameter of the second network connection is equal to or above the predetermined threshold is based on the type of the second network connection.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein transcoding the first item of media comprises scaling the first item of media.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein transcoding the first item of media comprises reducing a bit depth of the first item of media.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing the transcoded first item of media at the second, lower resolution until successfully transmitting the first item of media at the first resolution via the second network connection; and

deleting the stored transcoded first item of media responsive to the successful transmission of the first item of media at the first resolution.

10. A method for reliable backup of media, comprising:

receiving, by a device from a second device via a first network connection, a first item of media at a first resolution, the first item of media captured at a second, higher resolution and transcoded by the second device to the first resolution;

storing, by the device, the first item of media at the first resolution;

subsequently receiving, by the device from the second device via a second network connection, the first item of media at the second, higher resolution; and

deleting, by the device, the first item of media at the first resolution, responsive to receiving the first item of media at the second, higher resolution.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising determining that the received first item of media at the second, higher resolution is a higher-resolution version of the first item of media at the first resolution.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising comparing metadata of the first item of media at the second, higher resolution and the first item of media at the first resolution.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising receiving with the first item of media at the first resolution a first identifier;

receiving with the first item of media at the second, higher resolution a second identifier; and

comparing the first identifier and second identifier.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein a parameter of the first network connection between the device and the second device is below a predetermined threshold, and the parameter of the second network connection between the device and the second device is equal to or above the predetermined threshold.

15. A system for reliable backup of media, comprising:

a device comprising a network interface, a processor executing a transcoding engine and a backup engine, and a media capture interface capturing a first item of media at a first resolution;

wherein the transcoding engine is configured for transcoding the first item of media to a second, lower resolution, responsive to a determination that a parameter of a first network connection between the device and a second device via the network interface is below a predetermined threshold; and

wherein the backup engine is configured for;

transmitting the transcoded first item of media at the second, lower resolution, to the second device for storage via the first network connection;

subsequently determining, that the parameter of a second network connection between the device and the second device via the network interface is equal to or above the predetermined threshold; and

transmitting the first item of media at the first resolution via the second network connection responsive to the determination that the parameter of the second network connection is equal to or above the predetermined threshold.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the first network connection comprises a cellular connection, and wherein the second network connection comprises a wired data connection or a WiFi connection.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the parameter is a bandwidth of the connection.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the parameter is a packet loss rate of the connection.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the backup engine is further configured for:

identifying a connection type of the first network connection and identifying a type of the second network connection; and

wherein the determination that the parameter of the first network connection is below the predetermined threshold is based on the type of the first network connection, and

wherein the determination that the parameter of the second network connection is equal to or above the predetermined threshold is based on the type of the second network connection.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the backup engine is further configured for:

storing the transcoded first item of media at the second, lower resolution until successfully transmitting the first item of media at the first resolution via the second network connection; and

deleting the stored transcoded first item of media responsive to the successful transmission of the first item of media at the first resolution.