Systems and methods for efficient memory allocation for streaming of multimedia files

Device for allocating data blocks for streaming a file, the device comprising:

• a persistent storage medium storing the data blocks of the file, said data blocks having a block size allocated related to a data transfer characteristic;
• a first buffer memory that receives the data blocks from the persistent storage medium, said data blocks in the first buffer memory having the block size;
• a second buffer memory that receives additional data blocks from the persistent storage medium, said data blocks in the second buffer memory having the block size,
• wherein the additional data are received in the second buffer memory when an estimated transmit time for streaming a portion of the data blocks remaining in the first buffer to a user is approximately equal to a time required to transfer the additional data blocks from the persistent storage medium into the second buffer.

Streaming delivery accelerator (SDA) for efficiently streaming a file, comprising:

• at least one input channel that receives a content file from a content provider;
• at least one output channel with a predetermined streaming characteristic for streaming a cache file to a user;
• a persistent storage medium that caches data blocks of the content file and stores the data blocks as the cache file, said data blocks having a block size allocated related to a data transfer characteristic;
• a first buffer memory that receives the data blocks from the persistent storage medium, said data blocks in the first buffer memory having the block size;
• a second buffer memory that receives additional data blocks from the persistent storage medium, said data blocks in the second buffer memory having the block size,
• wherein the additional data are received in the second buffer memory when an estimated transmit time for streaming a portion of the data blocks remaining in the first buffer to the user is approximately equal to a time required to transfer the additional data blocks from the persistent storage medium into the second buffer.