Video and multimedia distribution system

• US 8,504,572 B2
• Filed: 05/23/2012
• Issued: 08/06/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: III Holdings 2, LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: V.V.S. Virtual Video Systems (Canada) Inc.
• Inventors: Vadavia, Rajesh, Castravelli, Claudio
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Wilson
• Application Number:
  US13/478,338
• Publication Number:
  US 20120232916A1
• Time in Patent Office: 440 Days
• Field of Search: 707636-644, 707624-630, 707769-772, 707804-809, 709201-205, 709227-229
• US Class Current: 707/737
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1014 based on the content of a request
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1029 using data related to the state of servers by a load balancer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• 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 67/5682 Policies or rules for updating, deleting or replacing the stored data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2181 comprising remotely distributed storage units, e.g. when movies are replicated over a plurality of video servers distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS], H04L67/1097
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2225 Local VOD servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Digital media content-on-demand hosting/delivery system for using an n-tier, multi dimension dynamic data technology to distribute digital content and manage information and comprising separate delivery and end-user systems with separate but compatible software, the hosting/delivery system being sub-divided into distributed hosting clusters serving small groups of users, ensuring local balance and overcoming diversity of connection/streaming speeds of end users.

Claims

1. A digital content distribution system comprising:

(a) at least one central content warehouse for storing digital content;

(b) a distributed architecture of decentralized content hosting and delivery clusters and at least one information appliance component in each cluster;

each decentralized content hosting and delivery cluster in said distributed architecture comprising a distribution content warehouse operatively connected to said at least one central content warehouse;

said distribution content warehouse storing content received from said central content warehouse;

at least one information appliance component operatively connected to said distribution content warehouse and receiving digital content provided by said distribution content warehouse;

said at least one information appliance component being operative to play said received digital content for a user;

(c) a number of distributed user databases, each one distributed user database operatively communicating with a number of information appliance components; and

(d) one pre-content management component, in each one information appliance component, operatively connected to sub-components of said each one information appliance component;

said one pre-content management component receiving data from one distributed user database;

said one pre-content management component determining, after a sub-component in said one information appliance component selects content for viewing, a time required for downloading selected content, identifying pre-content and playing the identified pre-content until a preselected percentage of selected content has been downloaded;

wherein each of said central content warehouse, said distribution content warehouse comprise at least one server.

2. The digital content distribution system of claim 1 wherein information appliance components comprise set top boxes.

3. The digital content distribution system of claim 1 further comprising a content management system controlling encoding diverse content from content providers in one digital format;

said content management system encoding content at said at least one central content warehouse and distributing each distribution content warehouse in each said cluster.

4. The digital content distribution system of claim 1 wherein one sub-component of each information appliance component comprises a local streaming module streaming content to a media player and performing digital rights management.

7. The digital content distribution system of claim 1 wherein each information appliance components comprise a set top box.

5. A digital content distribution system comprising:

(a) at least one central content warehouse for storing digital content; and

(b) a distributed architecture of decentralized content hosting and delivery clusters and content users in each cluster coupled to said at least one central content warehouse and able to receive digital content therefrom;

the decentralized content hosting and delivery clusters in said distributed architecture comprising a distribution content warehouse coupled to said central content warehouse;

said distribution content warehouse storing content received from said central content warehouse; and

at least one information appliance component operatively connected to said distribution content warehouse;

said at least one information appliance component receiving digital content provided by said distribution content warehouse;

said at least one information appliance component being operative to play said received digital content for a user; and

also comprising a content management component controlling encoding diverse content from content providers in one digital format;

said content management component providing encoded content to said at least one central content warehouse;

wherein each of said central content warehouse, said distribution content warehouse comprise at least one server.

6. The digital content distribution system of claim 5 further comprising an enterprise resource management system effecting payment of revenue for digital content received at each information appliance component.

8. A digital content distribution system comprising:

(a) at least one central content warehouse for storing digital content;

(b) a distributed architecture of decentralized content hosting and delivery clusters and content users in each cluster coupled to said at least one central content warehouse and able to receive digital content therefrom;

the decentralized content hosting and delivery clusters in said distributed architecture comprising a distribution content warehouse coupled to said central content warehouse;

said distribution content warehouse storing content received from said central content warehouse; and

at least one information appliance component operatively connected to said distribution content warehouse;

said at least one information appliance component receiving digital content provided by said distribution content warehouse;

said at least one information appliance component being operative to play said received digital content for a user;

(c) each cluster incorporates a user information and tracking system serving all the users associated with the cluster for generating user information and tracking data;

(d) said user information and tracking system being coupled to said central content warehouse, and providing said user information and tracking data;

said user information and tracking system receiving user profiles obtained from end user data and providing content control information to said at least one central content warehouse and content distribution information to said distribution content warehouse in order to provide a content library to said distribution content warehouse;

said content library being tailored to the needs of a group of users served by said distribution content warehouse; and

(e) the distributed content host and users of each cluster having complementary software for usage information delivery and content delivery;

wherein each of said central content warehouse, said distribution content warehouse comprise at least one server.

9. The digital content distribution system of claim 8 wherein information appliance components comprise local server arrays in hotels or school media centers.

10. The digital content distribution system of claim 8 wherein information appliance components comprise set top boxes.