Providing Files of Variable Sizes Based on Device and Network Conditions

• US 20200137436A1
• Filed: 10/26/2018
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Citrix Systems, Inc. (Cloud Software Group)
• Original Assignee: Citrix Systems, Inc. (Cloud Software Group)
• Inventors: Dhanabalan, Praveen Raja
• Granted Patent: US 10,911,798 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0882 Utilisation of link capacity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0894 Packet rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/27 Evaluation or update of window size, e.g. using information derived from acknowledged [ACK] packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/365 Dynamic adaptation of the packet size
• 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 67/303 Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/5651 Reducing the amount or size of exchanged application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234363 by altering the spatial resolution, e.g. for clients with a lower screen resolution

Abstract

Methods and systems for providing files of variable sizes based on device and/or network conditions are described herein. The system may determine a plurality of bandwidth ranges. The system may also determine a plurality of file classes, and each different file class may be associated with a different bandwidth range. In some scenarios, the system may convert a file into a plurality of modified files. Each modified file may have a different file size and correspond to a different file class. The file and/or modified files may be provided to other devices based on various factors, such as bandwidth, available storage space, and/or display capabilities of user devices.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining, by a computing device, a first bandwidth and a second bandwidth higher than the first bandwidth in which to deliver files via the computing device;

based on the first bandwidth and the second bandwidth, determining, by the computing device, a plurality of file classes, each different file class being associated with a bandwidth range between the first bandwidth and the second bandwidth;

converting a file into a plurality of modified files, each modified file having a different file size and corresponding to a different file class; and

based on a bandwidth associated with a user device, providing, by the computing device, a modified file to the user device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the first bandwidth and the second bandwidth comprises:

monitoring, by the computing device, download speeds associated with a plurality of user devices; and

determining the first bandwidth and the second bandwidth based on the download speeds associated with the plurality of user devices.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein determining the first bandwidth and the second bandwidth comprises:

before monitoring the download speeds associated with the plurality of user devices, determining a default first bandwidth as the first bandwidth and a default second bandwidth as the second bandwidth; and

adjusting one or more of the first bandwidth or the second bandwidth based on the monitoring.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an indication of a number of the plurality of file classes, wherein determining the plurality of file classes is based on the first bandwidth, the second bandwidth, and the number of the plurality of file classes.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

converting, for each file of a plurality of files, the file into a plurality of modified files, each modified file having a different file size and corresponding to a different file class.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing, to a second user device and based on a bandwidth associated with the second user device, a second modified file of the plurality of modified files; and

providing, to a third user device and based on a bandwidth associated with the third user device, a third modified file of the plurality of modified files, the third modified file having a file size different from that of the second modified file.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein a transfer time associated with providing the second modified file to the second user device is substantially the same as a transfer time associated with providing the third modified file to the third user device.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating, by the computing device, a mapping of each file class of the plurality of file classes to a different bandwidth range.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

based on a determination that a bandwidth of a second user device corresponds to a first bandwidth range, providing, to the second user device, a second modified file of the plurality of modified files, wherein a file size of the second modified file corresponds to a file class mapped to the first bandwidth range.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

based on a determination that a bandwidth of a third user device corresponds to a second bandwidth range, providing, to the third user device, a third modified file of the plurality of modified files, wherein a file size of the third modified file corresponds to a file class mapped to the second bandwidth range.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the modified file to the user device is further based on one or more of a storage capacity of the user device or display capabilities of the user device.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the file comprises a video file, and wherein converting the file into a plurality of modified files comprises converting the video file into a plurality of modified video files, each modified video file of the plurality of modified video files comprising one or more of a different encoding format or a different resolution.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the file comprises an audio file, and wherein converting the file into a plurality of modified files comprises converting the audio file into a plurality of modified audio files, each modified audio file of the plurality of modified audio files comprising one or more of a different encoding format or a different bitrate.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the file comprises a document file, and wherein converting the file into a plurality of modified files comprises converting the document file into a plurality of modified document files, each modified document file of the plurality of modified document files comprising a different image quality of one or more images in the document file.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable media storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to:

determine a first bandwidth and a second bandwidth higher than the first bandwidth in which to deliver files via the computing device;

based on the first bandwidth and the second bandwidth, determine a plurality of file classes, each different file class being associated with a bandwidth range between the first bandwidth and the second bandwidth;

convert a file into a plurality of modified files, each modified file having a different file size and corresponding to a different file class; and

based on a bandwidth associated with a user device, provide a modified file to the user device.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 15, wherein determining the first bandwidth and the second bandwidth comprises:

monitoring download speeds associated with a plurality of user devices; and

determining the first bandwidth and the second bandwidth based on the download speeds associated with the plurality of user devices.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 15, storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the computing device, cause the computing device to:

provide, to a second user device and based on a bandwidth associated with the second user device, a second modified file of the plurality of modified files; and

provide, to a third user device and based on a bandwidth associated with the third user device, a third modified file of the plurality of modified files, the third modified file having a file size different from that of the second modified file.

18. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the apparatus to;

determine a first bandwidth and a second bandwidth higher than the first bandwidth in which to deliver files via the apparatus;

based on the first bandwidth and the second bandwidth, determine a plurality of file classes, each different file class being associated with a bandwidth range between the first bandwidth and the second bandwidth;

convert a file into a plurality of modified files, each modified file having a different file size and corresponding to a different file class; and

based on a bandwidth associated with a user device, provide a modified file to the user device.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the memory stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the apparatus to:

generate a mapping of each file class of the plurality of file classes to a different bandwidth range.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the memory stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the apparatus to:

based on a determination that a bandwidth of a second user device corresponds to a first bandwidth range, provide, to the second user device, a second modified file of the plurality of modified files, wherein a file size of the second modified file corresponds to a file class mapped to the first bandwidth range.