Method and system for efficient file transfer to/from a local traffic system with a DMD system

• US 7,209,943 B1
• Filed: 03/13/2000
• Issued: 04/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Hsiao, Eric, Sandoval, Cris, Ching, Jennie, Lee, Peter S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thompson; Marc D.
• Application Number:
  US09/523,832
• Time in Patent Office: 2,598 Days
• Field of Search: 725/34, 725/32, 725/36, 725/105, 725/109, 725/114, 725/115, 725/119, 725/120, 725/138, 725/144, 725/145, 709/225, 709/203, 709/219, 709/246, 379/88, 386/109, 386/83, 386/46
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/74 of satellite networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/82 using signals not modulated onto a carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/06 Arrangements for scheduling broadcast services or broadcast-related services
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/82 the transmission system being the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2221 being a cable television head-end CATV in broadcast systems H04H20/78
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/262 Content or additional data distribution scheduling, e.g. sending additional data at off-peak times, updating software modules, calculating the carousel transmission frequency, delaying a video stream transmission, generating play-lists scheduling strategies for dispatcher in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/4881; arrangements for scheduling broadcast services or broadcast-related services H04H60/06; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; establishing a time schedule or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/62
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26258 for generating a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlist, or scheduling item distribution according to such list retrieval of multimedia data based on playlists G06F16/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17309 Transmission or handling of upstream communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Aspects for achieving efficient file transfer and traffic management in a digital media distributor system are presented. The aspects include a central site server, at least one local traffic system, and an Internet file server (IFS) coupled between the central site server and the at least one local traffic system. The IFS acts as an intermediary between the central site and the at least one local traffic system, wherein the IFS supports file transfer in both directions between the central site and the at least one local traffic system.

Claims

1. A method for achieving efficient file transfer and traffic management in a digital media distributor system, the digital media distributor system giving broadcast program affiliates an ability to provide local advertisement and announcement insertion together with delivery of broadcast program feeds, the method comprising:

providing an Internet file server (IFS) at a central site of the digital media distributor system, the central site including a central site server that stores files transferred to the digital media distributor system; and

utilizing the IFS as an intermediary between the central site server and at least one local traffic system, the at least one local traffic system providing schedule times for the local advertisement and announcement insertion, the IFS supporting file transfer in both directions between the central site server and the at least one local traffic system including maintaining a copy of the files stored on the central site server.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein utilizing the IFS as an intermediary further comprises:

receiving at the IFS inbound transfers of a playlist file from the at least one local traffic system; and

replicating the playlist file to the central site server.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein utilizing the IFS as an intermediary further comprises:

receiving at the IFS inbound transfers of a dub list file from the at least one local traffic system; and

replicating the dub list file to the central site server.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein utilizing the IFS as an intermediary further comprises:

receiving at the IFS inbound transfers of a purge list file from the at least one local traffic system; and

replicating the purge list file to the central site server.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein utilizing the IFS as an intermediary further comprises performing outbound transfers from the IFS of a spot status summary file to the at least one local traffic system.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein utilizing the IFS as an intermediary further comprises performing outbound transfers from the IFS of a consolidated As-Run log file to the at least one local traffic system.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising utilizing a plurality of agents to perform automated processing of files transferred to the IFS and to perform scheduled tasks including importing the processed files from the IFS to the central site server.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the at least one local traffic system having direct access to update the copy of the files maintained on the IFS but not having direct access to update the files stored on the central site server.

9. A system for achieving efficient file transfer and traffic management in a digital media distributor system, the digital media distributor system giving broadcast program affiliates the ability to provide local advertisement and announcement insertion together with delivery of broadcast program feeds, the system comprising:

a central site server operable to stores files transferred to a central site of the digital media distributor system;

at least one local traffic system, the at least one local traffic system providing schedule times for the local advertisement and announcement insertion; and

an Internet file server (IFS) located at the central site and coupled between the central site server and the at least one local traffic system, the IFS acting as an intermediary between the central site server and the at least one local traffic system, the IFS supporting file transfer in both directions between the central site and the at least one local traffic system including maintaining a copy of the files stored on the central site server.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the IFS receives inbound transfers of a playlist file from the at least one local traffic system and replicates the playlist file to the central site server.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the IFS receives inbound transfers of a dub list file from the at least one local traffic system and replicates the dub list file to the central site server.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the IFS receives inbound transfers of a purge list file from the at least one local traffic system and replicates the purge list file to the central site server.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the IFS performs outbound transfers of a spot status summary file to the at least one local traffic system.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the IFS performs outbound transfers of a consolidated As-Run log file to the at least one local traffic system.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the IFS further utilizes a plurality of agents to perform automated processing of files transferred to the IFS and to perform scheduled tasks including importing the processed files from the IFS to the central site server.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least one local traffic system has direct access to update the copy of the files maintained on the IFS but does not have direct access to update the files stored on the central site server.

17. A method for achieving efficient file transfer and traffic management in a digital media distributor (DMD) system, the DMD system giving broadcast program affiliates an ability to provide local advertisement and announcement insertion together with delivery of broadcast program feeds the method comprising:

utilizing an intermediary for file transfers between a central site server and a local traffic system including maintaining a copy of files stored on the central site server at the intermediary, the at least one local traffic system providing schedule times for the local advertisement and announcement insertion for the DMD system, wherein the intermediary and the central site server are located at a central site of the DMD system;

exchanging files according to a chosen Internet transfer protocol between the local traffic system and the intermediary; and

replicating the exchanged files at the intermediary to the central site server.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein utilizing an intermediary comprises utilizing an Internet server.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein exchanging files further comprises exchanging files according to a file transfer protocol (FTP).

20. The method of claim 17, wherein exchanging files further comprises exchanging files according to a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP).

21. The method of claim 17, further comprising utilizing agents in the IFS to automatically import list files into pre-determined documents stored at the IFS and transfer the pre-determined documents to a database in the IFS.

22. The method of claim 17, further comprising utilizing agents in the IFS to automatically generate and export summary files for download by the local traffic system.