Dynamic chunking for delivery instances

• US 9,838,450 B2
• Filed: 03/08/2013
• Issued: 12/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brightcove Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Brightcove Incorporated
• Inventors: McGowan, Albert John
• Primary Examiner(s): Khan, Aftab Nasir
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tolchinsky, Gregory P.
• Application Number:
  US13/791,789
• Publication Number:
  US 20130254346A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,733 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/06 using stored programs, i.e. using an internal store of processing equipment to receive or retain programs
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1063 Application servers providing network services systems providing special services to telephonic subscribers H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1089 by adding media; by removing media
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/60 Network streaming of media packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/765 intermediate
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/61 taking into account QoS or priority requirements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services independent of the application payload and not provided for in the other groups of this subclass networks security protocols H04L9/40; wireless communication networks H04W
• 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 21/2347 involving video stream encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2402 Monitoring of the downstream path of the transmission network, e.g. bandwidth available traffic monitoring in data switching networks H04L43/00; monitoring data switching networks utilization H04L43/0876
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25808 Management of client data terminal profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/303
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26258 for generating a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlist, or scheduling item distribution according to such list retrieval of multimedia data based on playlists G06F16/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26613 for generating or managing keys in general key distribution for secret or secure communication involving central third party, e.g. key distribution center [KDC] or trusted third party [TTP] H04L9/083; network support of key management H04L63/06; key management for network security in communication control or processing H04W12/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44224 Monitoring of user activity on external systems, e.g. Internet browsing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• 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 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8456 by decomposing the content in the time domain, e.g. in time segments

Abstract

Techniques are provided for dynamically creating index files for streaming media based on a determined chunking strategy. The chunking strategy can be determined using historical data of any of a variety of factors, such as Quality of Service (QoS) information. By using historical data in this manner, index files can be generated using chunking strategies that can improve these factors over time.

Claims

1. A method of providing media with a data network, the method comprising:

receiving, from a client application via the data network, a request having a universal source locator (URL), wherein the URL includes information indicative of a requested media file;

in response to receiving the request;

determining one or more factors related to the request, wherein the one or more factors related to the request include historical data related to streaming media with the data network; and

determining, with a processor, a chunking strategy based on the one or more factors related to the request, wherein the chunking strategy is indicative of a way in which chunks are created, delivered, or both;

generating an index file having information for streaming the requested media file via the data network, the information including a Universal Resource Indicator (URI) of a chunk for streaming the requested media file, wherein;

the URI includes;

information regarding one or more characteristics of the chunk to be used in the generation of the chunk, and

an indicator embedded therein, the indicator indicating that the chunk needs to be generated, and

generating the index file is based, at least in part, on the chunking strategy; and

making the index file available to the client application.

2. The method of providing media with the data network as recited in claim 1, wherein the historical data includes Quality of Service (QoS) information regarding a previously-streamed media file.

3. The method of providing media with the data network as recited in claim 2, further comprising obtaining the QoS information from a QoS provider.

4. The method of providing media with the data network as recited in claim 2, wherein the QoS information comprises information regarding a type of client making the request.

5. The method of providing media with the data network as recited in claim 2, wherein the QoS information is based on information obtained from streaming media to a plurality of devices.

6. The method of providing media with the data network as recited in claim 1, wherein the chunking strategy includes one or more of:

a size of the chunk for streaming the requested media file,

a length of playback of the chunk for streaming the requested media file, or

a codec to use for streaming the requested media file.

7. The method of providing media with the data network as recited in claim 1, wherein generating the index file occurs during playback of the requested media file by the client application.

21. The method of providing media with the data network as recited in claim 1, wherein the URL comprises a second URL.

8. A server configured to provide media via data network, the server comprising:

a network interface for communicating with the data network;

a memory; and

a processor communicatively coupled with the memory and the network interface, the processor further configured to;

receive, from a client application via the data network, a request having a universal source locator (URL), wherein the URL includes information indicative of a requested media file;

in response to receiving the request;

determine one or more factors related to the request, wherein the one or more factors related to the request include historical data related to streaming media with the data network; and

determine a chunking strategy based on the one or more factors related to the request, wherein the chunking strategy is indicative of a way in which chunks are created, delivered, or both;

generate an index file having information for streaming the requested media file via the data network, the information including a Universal Resource Indicator (URI) of a chunk for streaming the requested media file, wherein;

the URI includes;

information regarding one or more characteristics of the chunk to be used in the generation of the chunk, and

an indicator embedded therein, the indicator indicating that the chunk needs to be generated, and

generating the index file is based, at least in part, on the chunking strategy; and

make the index file available to the client application.

9. The server configured to provide media via the data network as recited in claim 8, wherein the processor is configured to determine the historical data by obtaining Quality of Service (QoS) information regarding a previously-streamed media file.

10. The server configured to provide media via the data network as recited in claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to obtain the QoS information from a QoS provider.

11. The server configured to provide media via the data network as recited in claim 9, wherein:

the QoS information comprises information regarding a type of client making the request; and

the processor is further configured to process the QoS information to determine the historical data.

12. The server configured to provide media via the data network as recited in claim 9, wherein the QoS information is based on information obtained from streaming media to a plurality of devices.

13. The server configured to provide media file via the data network as recited in claim 8, wherein the processor is configured to determine the chunking strategy by determining one or more of:

a size of the chunk for streaming the requested media file,

a length of playback of the chunk for streaming the requested media file, or

a codec to use for streaming the requested media file.

14. The server configured to provide media file via the data network as recited in claim 8, wherein the processor is configured to generate the index file during playback of the requested media file by the client application.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions imbedded thereon for providing media with a data network, wherein the instructions, when executed by one or more computers, cause the one or more computers to:

receive, from a client application via the data network, a request having a universal source locator (URL), wherein the URL includes information indicative of a requested media file;

in response to receiving the request;

determine one or more factors related to the request, wherein the one or more factors related to the request include historical data related to streaming media with the data network; and

;

determine a chunking strategy based on the one or more factors related to the request, wherein the chunking strategy is indicative of a way in which chunks are created, delivered, or both;

generate an index file having information for streaming the requested media file via the data network, wherein generating the index file is based, the information including a Universal Resource Indicator (URI) of a chunk for streaming the requested media file, wherein;

the URI includes;

information regarding one or more characteristics of the chunk to be used in the generation of the chunk, and

an indicator embedded therein, the indicator indicating that the chunk needs to be generated, and

generating the index file is based, at least in part, on the chunking strategy; and

make the index file available to the client application.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 15, further comprising instructions for causing the one or more computers to determine the historical data by obtaining Quality of Service (QoS) information regarding a previously-streamed media file.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 16, further comprising instructions for causing the one or more computers to obtain the QoS information from a QoS provider.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 16, wherein:

the QoS information comprises information regarding a type of client making the request; and

the instructions further include instructions for causing the one or more computers to process the QoS information to determine the historical data.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 16, wherein the QoS information is based on information obtained from streaming media to a plurality of devices.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 15, wherein the instructions for causing the one or more computers to determine the chunking strategy include instructions for determining one or more of:

a size of the chunk for streaming the requested media file,

a length of playback of the chunk for streaming the requested media file, or

a codec to use for streaming the requested media file.