SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DELIVERY OF SECONDARY DATA FILES

• US 20100161679A1
• Filed: 03/02/2010
• Published: 06/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Opanga Networks, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Mediacast Incorporated
• Inventors: Harrang, Jeffrey P., Gibbons, David, Moinzadeh, Kamyar
• Granted Patent: US 8,832,305 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/802
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0002 by adapting the transmission rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0038 Blind format detection for detection of modulation format H04L27/0012
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1671 the supervisory signal being transmitted together with control information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/19 at layers above the network layer network arrangements for networked applications for scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/30 Profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/62 Establishing a time schedule for servicing the requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/04 Error control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/06 Optimizing the usage of the radio link, e.g. header compression, information sizing , discarding information system modifying transmission characteristic according to link quality by modifying frame length H04L1/0007; dynamic adaptation of the packet size for flow control or congestion control H04L47/365
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/22 Negotiating communication rate

Abstract

An adaptive file delivery system and method transmits a data file, such as an audio-video file, over a network or collection of networks in segments in response to a request for the data file by a receiving system. In addition to the requested file, a sending system sends an unrequested secondary data file to the receiving system for playback before, during, or after playing of the requested data file.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

sending a secondary file made up of a plurality of file segments from a sending system to a receiving system over a plurality of hours, the secondary file sent to the receiving system based upon initiation other than a request from the receiving system; and

after the receiving system receives the secondary file, playing the secondary file by the receiving system sequentially with a playing of a portion of a requested file played by the receiving system, the requested file have been requested by the receiving system and delivered to the receiving system.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a profile associated with the receiving system.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the unrequested secondary file is selected from a group of secondary files based on the profile associated with the receiving system.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein generating the profile comprises pre-populating data fields.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein generating the profile comprises updating the profile based on requested file ordering patterns.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein generating the profile comprises generating the profile based on user surveys.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing a record of downloaded secondary files sent to the receiving system.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the secondary file in the receiving system.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising deleting the stored secondary file from the receiving system.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein a stored secondary file is deleted from the receiving system based on a delivery date.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising the receiving system authorizing downloading of the secondary file.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein a cost is associated with the requested file, the method further comprising reducing the cost associated with the requested file if the receiving system has authorized downloading of the secondary file.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the secondary file is played by the receiving system prior to playing the requested file.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the secondary file is played by the receiving system subsequent to playing the requested file.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein playing the secondary file by the receiving system comprises playing the secondary file before, during, or after playing of the requested file by the receiving system, the receiving system temporarily suspending playing of the requested file if the secondary file is played by the receiving system prior during playing of the requested file.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein a plurality of requested files are scheduled for delivery by a plurality of delivery deadlines, the method further comprising remotely modifying a delivery deadline of one of the requested files.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein modifying the delivery deadline of one of the requested files comprising modifying a sequence in which the plurality of requested files are scheduled for delivery.

18. A method comprising:

sending a portion of a secondary file made up of a plurality of file segments from a sending system to a receiving system wherein the secondary file is sent to the receiving system based upon initiation other than a request from the receiving system and sending the portion of the secondary file comprising sending the file segments by a plurality of transmissions spaced out in time with a variable wait period occurring after the transmission of each of the plurality of file segments;

determining an actual transfer rate that a selected one of the plurality of file segments was sent from the sending system to the receiving system;

determining the variable wait period based in part on the actual transfer rate determined for the selected file segment transmission; and

after the receiving system receives the secondary file, playing the secondary file on the receiving system with a playing of a portion of a requested file played by the receiving system, the requested file having been requested by the receiving system and delivered to the receiving system.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the secondary file is selected from a group of secondary files based on a profile associated with the receiving system.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the profile is based on requested file ordering patterns from the receiving system.

21. The method of claim 18 wherein playing the secondary file by the receiving system comprises playing the secondary file before, during, or after playing of the requested file by the receiving system, the receiving system temporarily suspending playing of the requested file if the secondary file is played by the receiving system prior during playing of the requested file.

22. A method comprising:

remotely viewing a delivery deadline for a file to be electronically delivered by a first delivery deadline;

remotely modifying the first delivery deadline to a second delivery deadline; and

delivering the file, a file segment at a time, over a period of time to be delivered by the second delivery deadline.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the remotely modifying the first delivery deadline includes modifying a position of the first delivery deadline in a sequence of a plurality of delivery deadlines for a plurality of file deliveries.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein a plurality of files are scheduled for delivery by a plurality of delivery deadlines and remotely modifying the first delivery deadline comprises modifying a sequence in which the plurality of files are scheduled for delivery.

25. A system to transmit data files from a sending system to a receiving system, comprising:

a data storage element configured to store a requested data file and a secondary data file to be transmitted from the sending system to the receiving computing system wherein the requested data file is to be transmitted to the receiving system based upon a request by the receiving system and the secondary file is to be transmitted to the receiving system based upon initiation other than a request from the receiving system;

a network interface coupled to a sending computing system and configured to transmit the requested data file and the secondary data file as a plurality of data file segments to the receiving system via a communications network; and

a controller configured to control transmission of the plurality of file segments to the receiving system via the network interface, the controller receiving an indication of an actual transfer rate of ones of the plurality of file segments and determining a wait period between transmission of individual ones of the plurality of file segments based in part on the actual transfer rate, the sending system being further configured to transmit a requested file to the receiving system.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein the data storage element comprises a plurality of data storage devices geographically separate from each other and connected by a network.

27. The system of claim 25, further comprising a profile storage area configured to store a profile associated with the receiving system wherein the controller is further configured to select the secondary file from a group of secondary files based on the profile associated with the receiving system.

28. The system of claim 27 wherein the profile is based on requested file ordering patterns from the receiving system.

29. The system of claim 25 wherein the receiving system is configure to play the secondary file before, during, or after playing of the requested file by the receiving system, the receiving system being further configured to temporarily suspend playing of the requested file if the secondary file is played by the receiving system prior during playing of the requested file.