System and method for increasing data transmission rates through a content distribution network with customized aggregations

• US 10,027,740 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2015
• Issued: 07/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pearson Education Incorporated (Pearson plc)
• Original Assignee: Pearson Education Incorporated (Pearson plc)
• Inventors: Gonzalez Brenes, Jose Pablo, Goldin, Ilya, Larusson, Johann A., Behrens, John, Mctavish, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Baturay, Alicia
• Application Number:
  US14/927,145
• Publication Number:
  US 20160127244A1
• Time in Patent Office: 992 Days
• Field of Search: 709217
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/41 by acting on aggregated flows or links
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• 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 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/566 Grouping or aggregating service requests, e.g. for unified processing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/28 Timers or timing mechanisms used in protocols
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate

Abstract

Systems and methods for increasing data transmission rates through a content distribution network by generating a customized aggregation comprising data packets selected to maximize a data acceptance rate are disclosed herein. The system can include a memory including a content library database having a plurality of data packets and a user profile database. The system can further include a server that can: receive aggregation information identifying a set of delivery data packets and a set of assessment data packets; receive data packet data from the content library database; identify a recipient cohort; determine a recipient cohort lapsed time; generate an estimate of data packet transfer time for the aggregation; generate an updated aggregation based on the recipient cohort lapsed time and the estimate of data packet transfer time; and provide the updated aggregation to the user devices.

Claims

1. A system for increasing data transmission rates through a content distribution network by generating a customized aggregation comprising data packets selected to maximize a data acceptance rate, the system comprising:

a memory comprising;

a content library database comprising a plurality of data packets, wherein the plurality of data packets comprise a plurality of delivery data packets and a plurality of assessment data packets; and

a user profile database, wherein the user profile database includes information identifying a cohort of users, and wherein the user profile database includes information identifying plurality of at least one attribute of each of the users in the cohort of users;

at least one server configured to;

receive aggregation information identifying an aggregation comprising a set of delivery data packets and a set of assessment data packets;

receive data packet data from the content library database;

identify a recipient cohort, wherein the recipient cohort comprises a group of users designated to receive the aggregation via a plurality of user devices;

determine a recipient cohort elapsed time, wherein the recipient cohort elapsed time characterizes an amount of time for acceptance of a plurality of previous aggregations by the recipient cohort;

generate an estimate of data packet transfer time for the aggregation, wherein the data packet transfer time is an amount of time between sending of a first data packet in the aggregation and receiving a final response from a user device;

generate an updated aggregation based on the recipient cohort elapsed time and the estimate of data packet transfer time;

generate a modeled aggregation outcome, wherein the aggregation outcome comprises a prediction of a change in a skill level for the recipient cohort;

retrieve a target parameter identifying a desired change to the skill level for the recipient cohort;

generate a modeled aggregation contribution, wherein the aggregation contribution indicates a degree to which the aggregation contributes to reaching the target parameter affected by the estimate of data packet transfer time;

generate a modeled alternative contribution, wherein the alternative contribution indicates a degree to which an alternative aggregation contributes to reaching the target parameter affected by an estimate of data packet transfer time for the alternative contribution; and

determine a difference between the modeled aggregation contribution and the modeled alternative contribution;

wherein the updated aggregation based on the recipient cohort elapsed time and the estimate of data packet transfer time is generated when the alternative contribution is greater than the modeled aggregation contribution; and

provide the updated aggregation to the user devices.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the data packet data comprises data packet user data and data packet metadata.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of user devices connected to the at least one server via a communication network.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the amount of time for the acceptance of a plurality of previous aggregations by the recipient cohort is determined by a timer triggered and stopped by receipt of communications by the at least one server.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the timer is located in the at least one server, and wherein the received communications comprise a first communication sent by the at least one server to the user device containing the first data packet in the aggregation and a second communication sent by the user device to the at least one server containing the final response to the aggregation.

6. The system of claim 4, further comprising a plurality of user devices, wherein each of the user devices comprises a timer, and wherein the received communications triggering and stopping the timer in one of the user devices comprises a first communication received by the user device from the at least one server, wherein the first communication triggers the timer, and wherein the first communication contains the first data packet in the aggregation, and a second communication sent by the user device to the at least one server, wherein the second communication stops the timer, and wherein the second communication contains the final response to the aggregation.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein each of the plurality of user devices is configured to send a time communication indicative of elapsed time measured by the timer.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the time communication is sent when the timer is stopped.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the time communication is periodically sent after the timer has been triggered and before the timer has been stopped.

10. A method for increasing data transmission rates through a content distribution network by generating a customized aggregation comprising data packets selected to maximize a data acceptance rate, the method comprising:

receiving at at least one server aggregation information identifying an aggregation comprising a set of delivery data packets and a set of assessment data packets from a content library database comprising a plurality of delivery data packets and a plurality of assessment data packets;

receiving at the at least one server data packet data from the content library database;

retrieving at the at least one server data from a user profile database identifying a recipient cohort, wherein the recipient cohort comprises a group of users designated to receive the aggregation via a plurality of user devices;

determining with the at least one server a recipient cohort elapsed time from data received from the user profile database, wherein the recipient cohort elapsed time characterizes an amount of time for acceptance of a plurality of previous aggregations by the recipient cohort;

generating with the at least one server an estimate of data packet transfer time for the aggregation, wherein the data packet transfer time is an amount of time between sending of a first data packet in the aggregation and receiving a final response from a user device;

generating with the at least one server an updated aggregation based on the recipient cohort elapsed time and the estimate of data packet transfer time;

generating a modeled aggregation outcome, wherein the aggregation outcome comprises a prediction of a change in a skill level for the recipient cohort;

retrieving a target parameter identifying a desired change to the skill level for the recipient cohort;

generating a modeled aggregation contribution, wherein the aggregation contribution indicates a degree to which the aggregation contributes to reaching the target parameter affected by the estimate of data packet transfer time;

generating a modeled alternative contribution, wherein the alternative contribution indicates a degree to which an alternative aggregation contributes to reaching the target parameter affected by an estimate of data packet transfer time for the alternative contribution; and

determining a difference between the modeled aggregation contribution and the modeled alternative contribution;

wherein the updated aggregation based on the recipient cohort elapsed time and the estimate of data packet transfer time is generated when the alternative contribution is greater than the modeled aggregation contribution; and

providing with the at least one server the updated aggregation to the user devices.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the data packet data comprises data packet user data and data packet metadata.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the amount of time for the acceptance of a plurality of previous aggregations by the recipient cohort is determined by a timer triggered and stopped by receipt of communications by the server.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the timer is located in the at least one server, and wherein the received communications comprise a first communication sent by the at least one server to the user device containing the first data packet in the aggregation and a second communication sent by the user device to the at least one server containing the final response to the aggregation.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising receiving a time communication from the user device indicative of elapsed time measured by the timer located on the user device.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the received communications triggering and stopping the timer in the user device comprises a first communication received by the user device from the at least one server, wherein the first communication triggers the timer, and wherein the first communication contains the first data packet in the aggregation, and a second communication sent by the user device to the at least one server, wherein the second communication the timer, and wherein the second communication contains the final response to the aggregation.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the time communication is sent when the timer is stopped.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the time communication is periodically sent after the timer has been triggered and before the timer has been stopped.