System and method for optimizing transfers of downloadable content

• US 8,886,752 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2011
• Issued: 11/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment America (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Styles, Andrew G.
• Primary Examiner(s): DONAGHUE, LARRY D
• Application Number:
  US13/300,966
• Publication Number:
  US 20130132509A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,086 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/639 using playlists
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]

Abstract

A system and method for optimizing transfers of downloadable content is described. Embodiments of the invention begin to execute downloadable content before the content is downloaded in full, providing users with faster access to the content. In addition, embodiments disclosed herein reduce bandwidth usage, are less sensitive to consumer internet speed, and are not limited by end-user product storage size. The embodiments are dynamic, thus expanding application of the system and method to both static and interactive content. The disclosed embodiments can be implemented with a patch or driver on the operating system of the user device, rendering it unnecessary to heavily modify the source code of the content. Disclosed embodiments can also operate independent from and/or invisible to the executing content, minimizing the amount of errors observed by a user when the content is displayed.

Claims

1. A method for optimizing transfers of downloadable content from a content provider to a processor, the method comprising:

receiving a first local request for a first portion of a plurality of portions of the downloadable content that are to be executed by the processor;

translating the first local request into a first remote request for the first portion of the downloadable content;

transmitting the first remote request;

receiving the first portion of the downloadable content;

storing the first portion of the downloadable content;

using the processor to execute the first portion of the downloadable content before other portions of the downloadable content are available for execution by the processor;

determining if a second portion of the plurality of portions of the downloadable content should be obtained; and

if it is determined that the second portion should be obtained,

generating a request for the second portion,

obtaining the second portion, and

using the processor to execute the obtained second portion.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein generating a request for the second portion of the plurality of portions of the downloadable content comprises:

receiving a second local request for the second portion; and

determining whether the second portion is stored locally.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein generating a request for the second portion of the plurality of portions of the downloadable content comprises:

receiving a second local request for the second portion;

determining whether the second portion is stored locally; and

if the second portion is not stored locally;

translating the second local request into a second remote request for the second portion of the downloadable content;

transmitting the second remote request;

receiving the second portion of the downloadable content; and

storing the second portion of the downloadable content locally.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the second portion of the downloadable content is received before or during the step of executing the first portion of the downloadable content.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

generating an error message if the second portion of the downloadable content is not received before or during the step of executing the first portion of the downloadable content.

6. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

storing the first local request and the second local request chronologically as downloadable content request metadata.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing the second portion of the downloadable content locally; and

executing the second portion of the downloadable content after executing the first portion of the downloadable content.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein generating a request comprises:

predicting a second local request for the second portion of the plurality of portions of the downloadable content.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the second local request is predicted using at least one of the first local request, the first portion of the downloadable content, downloadable content metadata, and downloadable content request metadata.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein generating a request comprises

predicting a second remote request for the second portion of the plurality of portions of the downloadable content.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the second remote request is predicted using at least one of the first local request, the first portion of the downloadable content, downloadable content metadata, and downloadable content request metadata.

12. A system for optimizing transfers of downloadable content, the system comprising:

a processor operable to;

receive a first local request for a first portion of a plurality of portions of the downloadable content;

translate the first local request into a first remote request for the first portion of the downloadable content;

transmit the first remote request over a network;

receive the first portion of the downloadable content over the network; and

execute the first portion of the downloadable content before other portions of the downloadable content are available for execution by the processor;

determine if a second portion of the plurality of portions of the downloadable content should be obtained; and

if it is determined that the second portion should be obtained,

generating a request for the second portion,

obtaining the second portion, and

execute the obtained second portion; and

a memory operable to store at least one portion of the plurality of portions of the downloadable content.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein generating a request for the second portion comprises:

receiving a second local request for the second portion; and

determining whether the second portion of the downloadable content is stored in the memory.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein generating a request for the second portion comprises:

receiving a second local request for the second portion of the plurality of portions of the downloadable content;

determining whether the second portion of the downloadable content is stored in the memory; and

if the second portion of the downloadable content is not stored in the memory;

translate the second local request into a second remote request for the second portion of the downloadable content;

transmit the second remote request over the network; and

receive the second portion of the downloadable content over the network.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the processor is operable to receive the second portion of the downloadable content before or during execution of the first portion of the downloadable content.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the processor is further operable to generate an error message if the second portion of the downloadable content is not received before or during execution of the first portion of the downloadable content.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the memory is further operable to store a plurality of local requests chronologically as downloadable content request metadata.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein generating a request comprises predicting a second local request for the second portion of the plurality of portions of the downloadable content.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the processor is operable to predict the second local request using one or more selected from the group consisting of (A) at least one of the plurality of portions of the downloadable content stored in the memory, (B) at least one of the plurality of local requests stored in memory, (C) downloadable content metadata, and (D) downloadable content request metadata.

20. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

a display coupled to the processor operable to display at least one portion of the plurality of portions of the downloadable content.

21. A non-transitory computer readable medium having computer executable instructions embedded thereon for performing the steps of:

receiving a first local request for a first portion of a plurality of portions of the downloadable content;

translating the first local request into a first remote request for the first portion of the downloadable content;

transmitting the first remote request;

receiving the first portion of the downloadable content;

storing the first portion of the downloadable content;

executing the first portion of the downloadable content before other portions of the downloadable content are available for execution;

determine if a second portion of the plurality of portions of the downloadable content should be obtained; and

if it is determined that the second portion should be obtained,

generate a request for the second portion,

obtain the second portion, and

execute the obtained second portion.

22. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 21, wherein generating a request for the second portion of the plurality of portions of the downloadable content comprises:

receiving a second local request for the second portion; and

determining whether the second portion is stored locally.

23. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 21, wherein generating a request for the second portion of the plurality of portions of the downloadable content comprises:

receiving a second local request for the second portion;

determining whether the second portion is stored locally; and

if the second portion is not stored locally;

translating the second local request into a second remote request for the second portion of the downloadable content;

transmitting the second remote request;

receiving the second portion of the downloadable content; and

storing the second portion of the downloadable content locally.

24. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 23, wherein the second portion of the downloadable content is received before or during the step of executing the first portion of the downloadable content.

25. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 23 having computer executable instructions embedded thereon for further performing the step of:

generating an error message if the second portion of the downloadable content is not received before or during the step of executing the first portion of the downloadable content.

26. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 23 having computer executable instructions embedded thereon for further performing the step of:

storing the first local request and the second local request chronologically as downloadable content request metadata.

27. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 21, wherein generating a request for the second portion of the plurality of portions of the downloadable content comprises:

predicting a second local request for the second portion of the plurality of portions of the downloadable content.

28. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 27, wherein the second local request is predicted using at least one of the first local request, the first portion of the downloadable content, downloadable content metadata, and downloadable content request metadata.

29. A system for optimizing transfers of downloadable content from a content provider to an execution module, the system comprising:

a translation module operable to translate a first local request for a first portion of a plurality of portions of the downloadable content into a first remote request for the first portion of the downloadable content;

a communication module operable to receive the first local request, transmit the first remote request, and receive the first portion of the downloadable content;

an execution module operable to execute the first portion of the downloadable content before other portions of the downloadable content are available for execution by the execution module; and

a storage module operable to store at least one portion of the plurality of portions of the downloadable content; and

a query module operable to determine whether a second portion of the plurality of portions of the downloadable content should be obtained, the communication module further operable to obtain the second portion if it is determined it should be obtained, and the execution module further operable to execute the obtained second portion.

30. The system of claim 29, further comprising:

a query module operable to determine whether a second portion of the plurality of portions of the downloadable content is stored locally,

wherein the communication module is further operable to receive a second local request for the second portion of the downloadable content.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the execution module is further operable to execute the second portion of the downloadable content if the second portion of the downloadable content is stored locally.

32. The system of claim 30, wherein if the second portion of the downloadable content is not stored locally:

the translation module is further operable to translate the second local request into a second remote request for the second portion of the downloadable content;

the communication module is further operable to transmit a second remote request, and receive the second portion of the downloadable content;

a prediction module operable to predict a second local request for a second portion of the plurality of portions of the downloadable content; and

the execution module is further operable to execute the second portion of the downloadable content after execution of the first portion of the downloadable content.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the communication module is operable to receive the second portion of the downloadable content before or during execution of the first portion of the downloadable content by the execution module.

34. The system of claim 32, further comprising:

an error module operable to generate an error message if the second portion of the downloadable content is not received by the communication module before or during the execution of the first portion of the downloadable content by the execution module.

35. The system of claim 32, wherein the storage module is further operable to store a plurality of local requests chronologically as downloadable content request metadata.

36. The system of claim 32, wherein the prediction module is operable to predict the second local request using one or more selected from the group consisting of (A) at least one of the plurality of portions of the downloadable content stored in the memory, (B) at least one of the plurality of local requests stored in memory, (C) downloadable content metadata, and (D) downloadable content request metadata.