System and method for delivery of secondary data files

• US 8,832,305 B2
• Filed: 03/02/2010
• Issued: 09/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Opanga Networks, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Opanga Networks, Inc.
• Inventors: Harrang, Jeffrey P., Gibbons, David, Moinzadeh, Kamyar
• Primary Examiner(s): WINDER, PATRICE L
• Application Number:
  US12/716,114
• Publication Number:
  US 20100161679A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,652 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 709/234
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0002 by adapting the transmission rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0038 Blind format detection for detection of modulation format H04L27/0012
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1671 the supervisory signal being transmitted together with control information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/19 at layers above the network layer network arrangements for networked applications for scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/30 Profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/62 Establishing a time schedule for servicing the requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/04 Error control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/06 Optimizing the usage of the radio link, e.g. header compression, information sizing , discarding information system modifying transmission characteristic according to link quality by modifying frame length H04L1/0007; dynamic adaptation of the packet size for flow control or congestion control H04L47/365
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/22 Negotiating communication rate

Abstract

An adaptive file delivery system and method transmits a data file, such as an audio-video file, over a network or collection of networks in segments in response to a request for the data file by a receiving system. In addition to the requested file, a sending system sends an unrequested secondary data file to the receiving system for playback before, during, or after playing of the requested data file.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

prior to requesting a primary file, sending a secondary file made up of a plurality of file segments from a sending system to a receiving system wherein the secondary file is sent to the receiving system based upon initiation other than a request from the receiving system and sending the secondary file comprising sending the file segments by a plurality of transmissions spaced out in time with a variable wait period occurring after the transmission of each of the plurality of file segments;

the receiving system determining an overall actual transfer rate from the sending system to the receiving system of a selected one of the plurality of file segments;

the receiving system determining the variable wait period based in part on the actual transfer rate determined for the selected file segment transmission;

after the receiving system receives the secondary file, receiving a request for the primary file;

sending the requested primary file to the receiving system; and

playing the secondary file on the receiving system with a playing of a portion of the primary file played by the receiving system.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the secondary file is selected from a group of secondary files based on a profile associated with the receiving system.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the profile is based on requested file ordering patterns from the receiving system.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein playing the secondary file by the receiving system comprises playing the secondary file before, during, or after playing of the requested file by the receiving system, the receiving system temporarily suspending playing of the requested file if the secondary file is played by the receiving system prior during playing of the requested file.

5. A system to transmit data files from a sending system to a receiving system, comprising:

a data storage element configured to store a secondary data file to be transmitted from the sending system to the receiving system wherein the requested data file is to be transmitted to the receiving system based upon a request by the receiving system and the secondary data file is to be transmitted to the receiving system based upon initiation other than a request from the receiving system;

a network interface coupled to the sending system and configured to transmit the secondary data file as a plurality of data file segments to the receiving system via a communications network;

a network interface coupled to the receiving system and configured to receive the plurality of data file segments; and

a controller coupled to the receiving system and configured to control transmission of the plurality of file segments to the receiving system via the network interface, the controller being configured to determine an actual transfer rate from the sending system to the receiving system for a selected one of the plurality of file segments and to determine a wait period between transmission of individual ones of the plurality of file segments based in part on the actual transfer rate, the sending system being further configured to transmit a requested file to the receiving system after the sending system has completed transmitting the secondary data file to the receiving system.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the data storage element comprises a plurality of data storage devices geographically separate from each other and connected by a network.

7. The system of claim 5, further comprising a profile storage area configured to store a profile associated with the receiving system wherein the controller is further configured to select the secondary file from a group of secondary files based on the profile associated with the receiving system.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the profile is based on requested file ordering patterns from the receiving system.

9. The system of claim 5 wherein the receiving system is configure to play the secondary file before, during, or after playing of the requested file by the receiving system, the receiving system being further configured to temporarily suspend playing of the requested file if the secondary file is played by the receiving system prior during playing of the requested file.