Systems and methods for streamlined content download

• US 9,628,574 B2
• Filed: 06/19/2012
• Issued: 04/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SweetLabs, Inc.
• Original Assignee: SweetLabs, Inc.
• Inventors: Bourke, Adrian, Morris, Benjamin P., Goode, James A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tammy
• Application Number:
  US13/527,441
• Publication Number:
  US 20120323995A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,764 Days
• Field of Search: 709203, 709202, 726 4, 726 28, 707781, 713182
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/289 Intermediate processing functionally located close to the data consumer application, e.g. in same machine, in same home or in same sub-network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/53 using third party service providers
• 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 21/24 Monitoring of processes or resources, e.g. monitoring of server load, available bandwidth, upstream requests monitoring of server performance or load G06F11/34; arrangements for observation, testing or troubleshooting for broadcast or for distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand

Abstract

Systems and methods in accordance with embodiments of the invention enable streamlined content download that minimizes user input during the download process. One embodiment includes a system for streamlined downloading of content to a user computing device, including: an application server system configured to locate an intermediary application in response to a request received from a user computing device; where the intermediary application includes a content ID and configures a user computing device to initialize a download manager on a user computing device, and to pass the content ID to the download manager; and where the download manager configures the user computing device to utilize the content ID to retrieve content access information, and download content from a content server system utilizing the content access information.

Claims

1. A system for streamlined downloading of content to a user computing device, comprising:

an application server system configured to locate an intermediary application in response to a request received from a user computing device;

wherein the intermediary application includes a content ID and directs the user computing device to;

initialize a download manager on the user computing device; and

pass the content ID to the download manager, where the content ID identifies the location of at least one piece of content access information comprising security access information for the at least one piece of content;

wherein the download manager directs the user computing device to utilize the content ID to retrieve the content access information; and

wherein the download manager directs the user computing device to download content from a content server system utilizing the content access information.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the intermediary application is directed to check for the download manager on a user computing device and download the download manager to a user computing device when the download manager is not found.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the intermediary application is directed to download the download manager from the application server.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the intermediary application is directed to download a download manager utilizing at least one selected from the group consisting of:

a bootstrapped download application, a metainstaller, and a download link.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising an application that directs a user computing device to communicate with an advertising server system to obtain offers to present during the downloading of content.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the application further causes analysis of the user computing device and forwards the analysis to the advertising server system.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the analysis of the user computing device comprises collecting information stored on the user computing device during the download.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the application is at least one selected from the group consisting of:

a client application bundled with the intermediary application, a client application bundled with the download manager;

the intermediary application, and the download manager.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the download manager is directed to launch the downloaded content.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the download manager is a current version of the download manager.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the application server is directed to allow download of an intermediary application to a user computing device in response to a request to access an intermediary application.

12. A method for streamlined downloading of content to a user computing device, the method comprising:

receiving a request from the user computing device at an application server; and

locating an intermediary application in response to the request from the user computing device, where the intermediary application includes content ID and directs the user computing device to initialize a download manager on a user computing device and to pass the content ID to the download manager, where the content ID identifies the location of at least one piece of content access information comprising security access information for the at least one piece of content;

retrieving content access information from a content access server based on the content ID using the user computing device; and

downloading content from a content server system based on the content access information using the user computing device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the intermediary application is directed to check for the download manager on a user computing device and download the download manager to a user computing device when the download manager is not found.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the intermediary application is directed to download the download manager from the application server.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the intermediary application is directed to download a download manager utilizing at least one selected from the group consisting of:

a bootstrapped download application, a metainstaller, and a download link.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising an application that directs a user computing device to communicate with an advertising server system to obtain offers to present during the downloading of content.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the application further causes analysis of the user computing device and forwards the analysis to the advertising server system.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the analysis of the user computing device comprises collecting information stored on the user computing device during the download.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the application is at least one selected from the group consisting of:

a client application bundled with the intermediary application, a client application bundled with the download manager;

the intermediary application, and the download manager.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the download manager directs the user computing device to retrieve content access information from a flat file.