METADATA ENABLED PUSH-PULL MODEL FOR EFFICIENT LOW-LATENCY VIDEO-CONTENT DISTRIBUTION OVER A NETWORK

• US 20080215747A1
• Filed: 04/11/2008
• Published: 09/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Espial Incorporated (Enghouse Systems Limited)
• Original Assignee: Espial Incorporated (Enghouse Systems Limited)
• Inventors: Menon, Satish N., Singal, Sanjay S.
• Granted Patent: US 7,860,950 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/231
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/957 Browsing optimisation, e.g. caching or content distillation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/70 Media network packetisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/564 Enhancement of application control based on intercepted application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/566 Grouping or aggregating service requests, e.g. for unified processing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/62 Establishing a time schedule for servicing the requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/222 Secondary servers, e.g. proxy server, cable television Head-end provisioning of proxy services in data packet switching networks H04L67/56
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2225 Local VOD servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23106 involving caching operations prefetching while addressing of a memory level in which the access to the desired data or data block requires associative addressing means within memory systems or architectures G06F12/0862; caching at an intermediate stage in a data network H04L67/568
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23116 involving data replication, e.g. over plural servers synchronization of replicated data G06F11/1658; error detection or correction by means of data replication G06F11/2053; replication in distributed file systems G06F16/10; replication in distributed file systems G06F16/27; replication or mirroring of data in data networks H04L67/1095
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• 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 21/2625 : for delaying content or additional data distribution, e.g. because of an extended sport event
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/278 : Content descriptor database or directory service for end-user access details of content or meta data based information retrieval of video data in video databases G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 : Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 : Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44204 : Monitoring of content usage, e.g. the number of times a movie has been viewed, copied or the amount which has been watched monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; protecting generic digital content where the protection is independent of the precise nature of the content G06F21/10; arrangements for monitoring the use made of the broadcast services in broadcast systems H04H60/31
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 : involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 : IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6581 : Reference data, e.g. a movie identifier for ordering a movie or a product identifier in a home shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 : Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8355 : involving usage data, e.g. number of copies or viewings allowed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 : Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/845 : Structuring of content, e.g. decomposing content into time segments
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/85406 : involving a specific file format, e.g. MP4 format
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8549 : Creating video summaries, e.g. movie trailer retrieval in video databases by using presentations in form of a video summary G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17336 : Handling of requests in head-ends

Abstract

Method, system, computer program and computer program product for a metadata enabled push-pull model and method for efficient low-latency video-content distribution over a network. Metadata is used as a vehicle and mechanism to enable intelligent decisions to be made on content distribution system operation. Metadata is data that contains information about the actual content, and in some cases, the metadata may also contain portions of the content or a low-resolution preview of the content. Aspects of the invention are directed toward the distribution of metadata throughout the network in a way that facilitates efficient system operation as well as optionally but advantageously providing set of services such as tracking, reporting, personalization, and the like.

Claims

1. A method for distributing a content object to a user over a network in response to a user request, said method comprising:

storing metadata describing content objects in a local storage device accessible to a server, the local metadata storing including storing at least one location from where a particular one of said content object is stored and may be directed to said user; and

locally controlling distribution of said content object to said user over said network using said locally stored metadata and maintaining isochronous delivery of portions of said content over said network.

2. A method as in claim 1, wherein said locally controlling includes controlling a request response and playback procedure executing as software.

3. A method as in claim 1, wherein said network comprises the Internet.

4. A method as in claim 1, wherein said network comprises a packet switched communication network not in itself having means for maintaining isochronous delivery of a content item separated into a plurality of packets for communication from said server to said requesting user.

5. A method as in claim 1, wherein said content items are internally accessible to said server.

6. A method as in claim 1, wherein said content items are externally accessible to said server.

7. A method as in claim 1, wherein said local storage storing metadata stores data selected from the set of content physical properties, content storage locations, content usage terms, content usage rights, content playback duration, content prefix cache status, content network routing cost information, and combinations thereof.

8. A method as in claim 1, wherein the metadata also includes a prefix portion of the content or a low-resolution preview of the content.

9. A method as in claim 1, wherein the locally controlling distribution of said content object includes locally performing or controlling performing of a request response and playback procedure.

10. A method as in claim 1, wherein said local storage stores at least one content item that is intended to be rendered for presentation at a predetermined time rate.

11. A method as in claim 1, wherein said at least one content item comprises a video content item having image element frames and audio elements that is intended to be rendered for presentation on a playback device at said predetermined time rate so as to provide substantially the same visual and audio rendering to a viewer a when generated.

12. A method as in claim 11, wherein the network comprises a packet switched Internet network, and the amount of data comprising said video content item is greater than the amount of data that is communicated in a packet over a packet switched Internet network.

13. A method as in claim 1, wherein the amount of data comprising said video content item is an amount of video content that when rendered in real-time at an intended playback rate would exceed a fraction of time of broadcast quality video.

14. A method as in claim 1, wherein the amount of data comprising said video content item is an amount of video content that when rendered in real-time at an intended playback rate would exceed 60 minutes of broadcast quality video.

15. A method as in claim 1, wherein said video content item comprises substantially a fill-length feature film in a video format.

16. A method as in claim 1, wherein said network comprises Internet network infrastructure.

17. A method as in claim 1, wherein said network includes a network communication link comprising Internet infrastructure and Internet communication protocol.

18. A method as in claim 1, wherein said metadata is used to enable intelligent decisions to be made on a content distribution system operation and content routing.

19. A method as in claim 1, wherein said metadata contains information about the actual content including its physical properties, possible locations of the content represented by the metadata, its usage terms, and combinations of these.

20. A method as in claim 1, wherein said metadata includes a globally unique identifier describing the content object and at least one location at which said content object may be found.

21. A method as in claim 1, wherein said content object comprises a video content object having an amount of data requiring a plurality of packets for communication over a packet switched network, and said locally controlling providing isochronous delivery from said identified content location to a playback device of said requesting user.

22. A method as in claim 1, wherein the local storing and the local controlling are performed at an edge of the network.

23. A method as in claim 1, wherein the local storing and the local controlling are performed at a different location that the server.

24. A method for distributing a content object to a user over a network in response to a user request, said method comprising:

an origin server;

coupling a plurality of edge servers to an origin server;

enabling each said edge server to be metadata enabled and adapted to execute a method for distributing the content object to a user over the network in response to a user request including;

storing metadata describing content objects in a local storage device accessible to a server, the local metadata storing including storing at least one location from where a particular one of said content object is stored and may be directed to said user; and

locally controlling distribution of said content object to said user over said network using said locally stored metadata and maintaining isochronous delivery of portions of said content over said network.