Distributing content by generating and preloading queues of content

• US 9,338,233 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2013
• Issued: 05/10/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Headwater Partners II LLC (Greg Raleigh)
• Original Assignee: Headwater Partners II LLC (Greg Raleigh)
• Inventors: Raleigh, Gregory G., Tellado, Jose
• Primary Examiner(s): Hussain, Imad
• Application Number:
  US13/789,336
• Publication Number:
  US 20130238761A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,160 Days
• Field of Search: 709/219
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/5681 Pre-fetching or pre-delivering data based on network characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring

Abstract

Embodiments of methods, systems and apparatuses for distributing content by generating and preloading queues of content, are disclosed. One content distribution system includes at least one network content server coupled over one or more communication networks to a plurality of user devices, and a one or more storage elements associated with the plurality of user devices, wherein each of the plurality of user devices is associated with at least one of the one or more storage elements. The at least one network content server includes at least one processor configured to generate a queue of content for each of the plurality of user devices based on parameters of a plurality of available content, and based on storage capabilities of the at least one of the one or more storage elements associated with each of the plurality of user devices, and assist preloading at of least a portion of the queue of content of each of the plurality of user devices to the at least one of the one or more storage elements associated with the user device.

Claims

1. A content distribution system, comprising:

at least one network content server coupled over a plurality of communication networks to a user device, wherein a plurality of storage elements are associated with the user device, wherein the plurality of storage elements comprise an internal storage element that is internal to the user device and an external storage element that is external to the user device, wherein the at least one network content server is connectable through a first communication network to the external storage element, wherein the at least one network content server is connectable through the second communication network to the internal storage element, and wherein the external storage element is also connected to a local network;

the at least one network content server comprising at least one processor configured to;

obtain user device parameter information;

generate a queue of content for the user device based on parameters of a plurality of available content, and based on storage capabilities of at least one of the plurality of storage elements associated with the user device;

assist preloading of at least a first portion of the queue of content of the user device to the external storage element associated with the user device through the first communication network based on the user device parameter information, wherein the preloading is additionally assisted based at least upon a value metric, wherein the value metric is at least partially dependent on a cost of usage of the first communication network and a cost of usage of the second communication network, and wherein the cost of usage of the second communication network is greater than the cost of usage of the first communication network; and

assist in providing an additional portion of the queue of content onto the plurality of storage elements associated with the user device through the second communication network, wherein the at least the first portion of the queue of content is larger than the additional portion of the queue of content, wherein data from the at least the first portion of the queue of content is moved from the external storage element to the internal storage element of the mobile device through the local network when the mobile device is connected to the local network, wherein the additional portion of the queue of content in conjunction with the data from the at least the portion of the queue of content allows a user to consume one or more content items from the queue of content.

2. The content distribution system of claim 1, further comprising the network content server receiving selections of the queue of content from the user devices, and the network content server completing a transaction with a user of the user device.

3. The content distribution system of claim 1, further comprising the network content server operative to compile analytics of at least one user of the user devices, and wherein generating the queue of content for the user devices is additionally based on the compiled analytics.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein generating the queue of content for the user devices is further based on information associated with other content available on at least one of plurality of storage elements associated the user device.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein generating the queue of content for user devices is further based on information associated with at least one communication network assisting in the preloading the at least the portion of the queue of content, or the information of at least one of the plurality of storage elements associated with the user device.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the information associated with the at least one communication network comprises a communication network cost of preloading the at least the portion of the queue of content.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the information of at least one of the plurality of storage elements comprises a storage element cost of storing the preloaded queue of content.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein generating the queue of content for the user device is further based on information associated with at least one of the one or more communication networks assisting in presenting at least a portion of the queue of content at the user devices.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the information associated with at least one of the one or more communication networks comprises a communication network cost of presenting at least a portion of the queue of content.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising the at least one network content server determining an association of the one of the plurality of storage elements with a second user device, and wherein generating the queue of content for the second user device is further based on the second user device or a user associated with the second user device.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising the at least one network content server determining an association of one of the plurality of storage elements with two or more user devices, and wherein generating the queue of content for each of the two or more user devices is further based on the two or more user devices or a plurality of users associated with the two or more user devices.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising the at least one network content server or a processor associated with at least one of the plurality of storage elements assisting in deleting of at least a portion of a second content available on the at least one of the plurality of storage elements.

13. The system of claim 1, further comprising the at least one network content server or a processor associated with a first or a second storage element of the plurality of storage elements associated with the user device, assisting in moving at least a portion of a second content available on the first of the plurality of storage elements associated the user device to the second or the plurality of storage elements associated with the user device.

14. The system of claim 1, further comprising the at least one network content server or a processor associated with at least one of the plurality storage elements preloading the at least the portion of the content to the at least one of the plurality of storage elements, comprising:

classifying each of the plurality of storage elements based on parameters of the plurality of available content, based on the storage capabilities, and based on a plurality of user parameters;

generating the queue based on the classifications.

15. The system of claim 1, further comprising the at least one network content server or a processor associated with at least one of the plurality of storage elements assisting in presentation of information related to the queue of content to the user device associated with the at least one of the plurality of more storage elements.

16. The system of claim 1, further comprising the at least one network content server or a processor associated with at least one of the plurality of storage elements obtaining information associated with a value metric for at least one the plurality of available content based on prior preloading of the content, and evaluating interaction with the preloaded content, wherein generating the queue of content for user device is further based on the value metric.

17. The system of claim 1, further comprising the at least one network content server or a processor associated with at least one of the plurality of storage elements operative to:

select a first plurality of storage elements;

preload at least a portion of the queue of content onto the first plurality of storage elements, wherein the first plurality of storage elements are associated with a first plurality of user devices;

obtain information associated with a value metric from the at least a portion of the queue of content preloaded onto the first plurality of storage elements;

wherein generating the queue of content for each of the plurality of user devices is further based on the value metric.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the queue of content comprises an advertisement, and further comprising the at least one network content server or a processor associated with at least one of the plurality of storage elements operative to:

select the advertisement;

assist in presentation of the advertisement to the user device.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein a cost for consuming at least a portion of the queue of content is based on a cost parameter associated with at least one of the plurality of storage elements or a communication network.

20. A content broker distribution system, comprising:

at least one network content server coupled over a plurality of communication networks to a user device, wherein a plurality of storage elements are associated with the user device, wherein the plurality of storage elements comprise an internal storage element that is internal to the user device and an external storage element that is external to the user device, wherein the at least one network content server is connectable through a first communication network to the external storage element, wherein the at least one network content server is connectable through the second communication network to the internal storage element, and wherein the external storage element is also connected to a local network;

the at least one network content server comprising at least one processor operative to;

obtain storage element value metric information of the plurality of storage elements;

obtain user device parameter information;

generate a queue of content for the user device based on parameters of a plurality of available content, and based on the storage element value metric information;

assist a content provider in preloading at least a first portion of a queue of content onto the external storage element associated with the user device through the first communication network based on the user device parameter information, wherein the preloading is additionally assisted based at least upon a value metric, wherein the value metric is at least partially dependent on a cost of usage of the first communication network and a cost of usage of the second communication network, and wherein the cost of usage of the second communication network is greater than the cost of usage of the first communication network; and

assist in providing an additional portion of the queue of content onto the plurality of storage elements associated with the user device through the second communication network, wherein the at least the first portion of the queue of content is larger than the additional portion of the queue of content, wherein data from the at least the first portion of the queue of content is moved from the external storage element to the internal storage element of the mobile device through the local network when the mobile device is connected to the local network, wherein the additional portion of the queue of content in conjunction with the data from the at least the portion of the queue of content allows a user to consume one or more content items from the queue of content.

21. A method of distributing content over one or more communication networks, comprising:

generating, by at least one network content server, a queue of content for a user device based on parameters of a plurality of available content, and based on storage capabilities of at least one of a plurality of storage elements associated with the user device;

assisting, by the at least one network content server, preloading of at least a first portion of the queue of content of the user device to an external storage element associated with the user device through a first communication network based on the user device parameter information, wherein the external storage element is also connected to a local network, wherein the preloading is additionally assisted based at least upon a value metric, wherein the value metric is at least partially dependent on a cost of usage of the first communication network and a cost of usage of the second communication network, and wherein the cost of usage of the second communication network is greater than the cost of usage of the first communication network; and

assist in providing an additional portion of the queue of content onto the plurality of storage elements associated with the user device through a second communication network, wherein the at least the first portion of the queue of content is larger than the additional portion of the queue of content, wherein data from the at least the first portion of the queue of content is moved from the external storage element to the internal storage element of the mobile device through the local network when the mobile device is connected to the local network, wherein the additional portion of the queue of content in conjunction with the data from the at least the portion of the queue of content allows a user to consume one or more content items from the queue of content.

22. A method of a user device receiving content over a plurality of communication networks, comprising:

receiving over the plurality of communication networks a plurality of available content from at least one network content server, wherein the at least one network content server is coupled over the plurality of communication networks to a user device, wherein a plurality of storage elements are associated with the user device, wherein the plurality of storage elements comprise an internal storage element that is internal to the user device and an external storage element that is external to the user device, wherein the at least one network content server is connectable through a first communication network to the external storage element, wherein the at least one network content server is connectable through the second communication network to the internal storage element, and wherein the external storage element is also connected to a local network;

obtaining user device parameter information;

generating, as directed by software operable on the user device, a queue of content for the user device based on parameters of a plurality of available content, and based on storage capabilities of at least one of the plurality of storage elements associated with the user device;

assisting, as directed by the software operable on the user device, preloading at least a first portion of the queue of content to the external storage element associated with the user device through the first communication network based on the user device parameter information, wherein the preloading is additionally assisted based at least upon a value metric, wherein the value metric is at least partially dependent on a cost of usage of the first communication network and a cost of usage of the second communication network, and wherein the cost of usage of the second communication network is greater than the cost of usage of the first communication network; and

assist in providing an additional portion of the queue of content onto the plurality of storage elements associated with the user device through the second communication network, wherein the at least the first portion of the queue of content is larger than the additional portion of the queue of content, wherein data from the at least the first portion of the queue of content is moved from the external storage element to the internal storage element of the mobile device through the local network when the mobile device is connected to the local network, wherein the additional portion of the queue of content in conjunction with the data from the at least the portion of the queue of content allows a user to consume one or more content items from the queue of content.

23. A non-transitory computer readable storage media readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method of distributing content over one or more communication networks, the method comprising:

obtaining user device parameter information;

generating a queue of content for a user device based on parameters of a plurality of available content, and based on storage capabilities of at least one of a plurality of storage elements associated with the user device;

assisting preloading of at least a first portion of the queue of content of the user device to an external storage element associated with the user device through a first communication network based on the user device parameter information, wherein the external storage element is also connected to a local network, wherein the preloading is additionally assisted based at least upon a value metric, wherein the value metric is at least partially dependent on a cost of usage of the first communication network and a cost of usage of the second communication network, and wherein the cost of usage of the second communication network is greater than the cost of usage of the first communication network; and

assist in providing an additional portion of the queue of content onto the plurality of storage elements associated with the user device through a second communication network, wherein the at least the first portion of the queue of content is larger than the additional portion of the queue of content, wherein data from the at least the first portion of the queue of content is moved from the external storage element to the internal storage element of the mobile device through the local network when the mobile device is connected to the local network, wherein the additional portion of the queue of content in conjunction with the data from the at least the portion of the queue of content allows a user to consume one or more content items from the queue of content.