APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR RESOLVING RESOURCE CONTENTION IN A CONTENT DISTRIBUTION NETWORK
First Claim
1. A method of resolving resource contention within a user sub-system of a content delivery network, said method comprising:
- receiving a request for content from a user, said content scheduled for delivery from said network at a first time;
determining whether sufficient resources will be available in said user sub-system at said first time for to service said request; and
when it is determined that sufficient resources will not be available at said first time;
identifying one or more second times at which said content is scheduled for delivery from said network; and
enabling said request for said content at one of said one or more second times.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for resolving resource contention in a content distribution network. In one embodiment, a manager entity at a subscriber premises manages requests for content from various subscriber devices in communication therewith. The manager identifies when there is a conflict, and implements a mechanism to resolve the conflict, such as by determining whether one or more conflicting content items may be provided according to an alternate delivery scheme. In one variant, the apparatus may further implement one or more rules for determining whether to adjust delivery of requested content. In another variant, the disclosed concepts may be utilized to provide efficient delivery of content, by providing alternate delivery prior when doing so would be more efficient than allowing for delivery at a first scheduled date/time. The system may take into account bandwidth or network constraints, whether other requests are pending (although there are still sufficient resources), etc.
16 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of resolving resource contention within a user sub-system of a content delivery network, said method comprising:
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receiving a request for content from a user, said content scheduled for delivery from said network at a first time; determining whether sufficient resources will be available in said user sub-system at said first time for to service said request; and when it is determined that sufficient resources will not be available at said first time; identifying one or more second times at which said content is scheduled for delivery from said network; and enabling said request for said content at one of said one or more second times. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An apparatus for resolving resource contention in a content delivery network, said apparatus comprising:
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a first interface configured to receive content from said content delivery network; a second interface configured to communicate with a plurality of subscriber devices; a storage apparatus; and a processor configured to execute at least one computer program, said computer program comprising a plurality of instructions which are configured to, when executed; receive a request for content from a first subscriber device; determine that said request conflicts with pending requests from other ones of said plurality of subscriber devices; and based at least in part on the determination, service at least one of said request and said pending requests at a second time; wherein said second time is determined based at least in part on a schedule configured to indicate a repetition of delivery of said content within a pre-determined time window. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A computer readable apparatus having a storage medium comprising a plurality of instructions which are configured to, when executed:
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receive a request for first content from a subscriber device; determine a date and time for a first scheduled delivery of said first content; determine a number of pending requests for second content at said date and time; when it is determined that a number of resources necessary to service said request for said first content and said pending requests for said second content is greater than a number of resources available, evaluate a content delivery schedule, said content delivery schedule indicating a plurality of dates and times for a second scheduled delivery of at least one of said first and said second content; identify one of said plurality of dates and times for a second scheduled delivery of at least one of said first and second content via said evaluation; and enable an alternate delivery of at least one of said first and second content at said second scheduled delivery time. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification