System for the delivery and dynamic presentation of large media assets over bandwidth constrained networks

• US 8,949,916 B2
• Filed: 04/04/2013
• Issued: 02/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Original Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Inventors: Watson, Scott F., Haseltine, Eric C., Freeman, Eric, Freeman, Elisabeth M., Laberge, Aaron P., Fritz, Adam T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Montoya, Oschta
• Application Number:
  US13/857,095
• Publication Number:
  US 20130227088A1
• Time in Patent Office: 670 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 725/96
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/60 Network streaming of media packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/752 adapting media to network capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/756 adapting media to device capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/764 at the destination reformatting of additional data in video clients H04N21/4355
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/61 taking into account QoS or priority requirements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/63 Routing a service request depending on the request content or context
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/24 Negotiation of communication capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26216 involving the channel capacity, e.g. network bandwidth admission control, resource allocation in open networks H04L12/5692; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; establishing a schedule or organising the servicing of application requests taking into account QoS H04L67/61
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26241 involving the time of distribution, e.g. the best time of the day for inserting an advertisement or airing a children program
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4335 Housekeeping operations, e.g. prioritizing content for deletion because of storage space restrictions storage management, e.g. defragmentation G06F3/0604; unloading stored programs G06F9/445; storage management in file systems G06F16/10; buffering arrangements in a network node or in an end terminal in packet networks H04L49/90
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4627 Rights management associated to the content security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6334 for authorisation, e.g. by transmitting a key wireless communications network key management H04W12/04; wireless communications network access security H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/1675 : Providing digital key or authorisation information for generation or regeneration of the scrambling sequence pseudo-random number generators in general G06F7/58

Abstract

Media content, based on a predetermined set of constraints, from a content provider is delivered to a local cache of a user device before viewing the media. A client asset manager process resides in the user device, an asset list at the content provider site, and the media assets are located at a remote site.

Claims

1. A method for delivering, from a content provider, a media asset over a network to be integrated with a real-time content stream, said method comprising:

supplying from said content provider a media asset list over the network to a user device;

delivering to said user device a selected media asset from said media asset list for storage to obviate a real-time buffering of said selected media asset for display, from said content provider over said network, if a predetermined constraint is satisfied;

separately delivering to said user device a real-time content stream requiring a real-time buffering for display, after completely delivering said selected media asset to said user device;

wherein delivery of said real-time content stream requires a lower network bandwidth than delivery of said selected media asset thereby facilitating an integration of said selected media asset with said real-time content stream to form one integrated content for display on a web browser page.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said user device selects said selected media asset.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said predetermined constraint includes a bandwidth availability of the network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said predetermined constraint includes an assured quality of service.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said predetermined constraint includes the user device being idle.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said predetermined constraint includes a level of activity of the network.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said predetermined constraint includes a level of memory usage of the user device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said predetermined constraint includes a level of CPU usage of the user device.

9. A content provider for delivering a media asset over a network to be combined with a real-time content stream, said content provider comprising:

a memory; and

a CPU configured to;

supply from said content provider a media asset list over the network to a user device;

deliver to said user device a selected media asset from said media asset list for storage to obviate a real-time buffering of said selected media asset for display, from said content provider over said network, if a predetermined constraint is satisfied;

separately deliver to said user device a real-time content stream requiring a real-time buffering for display, after completely delivering said selected media asset to said user device;

wherein delivery of said real-time content stream requires a lower network bandwidth than delivery of said selected media asset thereby facilitating an integration of said selected media asset with said real-time content stream to form one integrated content for display on a web browser page.

10. The content provider of claim 9, wherein said user device selects said selected media asset.

11. The content provider of claim 9, wherein said predetermined constraint includes a bandwidth availability of the network.

12. The content provider of claim 9, wherein said predetermined constraint includes an assured quality of service.

13. The content provider of claim 9, wherein said predetermined constraint includes the user device being idle.

14. The content provider of claim 9, wherein said predetermined constraint includes a level of activity of the network.

15. The content provider of claim 9, wherein said predetermined constraint includes a level of memory usage of the user device.

16. The content provider of claim 9, wherein said predetermined constraint includes a level of CPU usage of the user device.

17. A method for use by a user device, the method comprising:

receiving, by the user device from a content provider, a media asset list;

transmitting a selected media asset from said media asset list to the content provider;

receiving, by the user device from the content provider, the selected media asset if a predetermined constraint is satisfied;

storing the selected media asset in a memory of the user device to obviate a real-time buffering of the selected media asset for display;

separately receiving, by the user device from the content provider, a real-time content stream requiring a real-time buffering for display, after completely storing said selected media asset in the memory of the user device, wherein the real-time content stream requires a lower network bandwidth than delivery of the selected media asset;

integrating the selected media asset with the real-time content stream to form one integrated content for display on a web browser page; and

displaying the one integrated content on the web browser page.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said predetermined constraint includes a level of network activity.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein said predetermined constraint includes a level of memory usage of the user device.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein said predetermined constraint includes a level of CPU usage of the user device.