System for managing the addition/deletion of media assets within a network based on usage and media asset metadata

In a media asset distribution system, a method for managing storage of a media asset at an operation center and distribution of the media asset over a distribution network from the operation center to end users, said media asset including asset specific metadata, said method comprising the steps of:

• storing a copy of a media asset and said asset specific metadata, and generating registry information for each stored copy of the media asset, said registry information including actual usage of the media asset;
• determining excess copies or not enough copies of a media asset based on a number of stored copies of the media asset, said asset specific metadata, and actual usage of the media asset;
• in response to not enough copies of a media asset, determining from said asset specific metadata whether an additional copy of said media asset may be made and, if so, making and storing an additional copy of the media asset and the registry information for the additional copy of the media asset;
• and
• in response to excess copies of a media asset, deleting a copy of the media asset and registry information associated with that copy of the media asset.

A media asset management system for scheduling utilization, distribution and storage of a media asset being provided to viewers over a media asset distribution network comprising:

• a resource means for managing media asset traffic in the distribution network by managing the storage of a media asset, said media asset including metadata providing at least a permissible number of copies available on predetermined dates, and generating registry information for the media asset, said registry information indicating actual usage of the media asset;
• schedule means responsive to said resource means for copying or deleting a media asset and the registry information associated with the media asset according to said predetermined dates;
• a usage means responsive to the registry information for generating asset availability information for a media asset based on said media asset metadata, a number of copies of the media asset, and usage of the media asset;
• said resource means querying said usage means for asset availability information of a media asset and generating an add copy instruction or delete copy instruction for a media asset depending on the asset availability information;
• said schedule means responsive to the add copy instruction for copying the media asset and registry information associated with that copy of the media asset;
• and
• said schedule means responsive to the delete copy instruction for deleting a copy of the media asset and registry information associated with that copy of the media asset.

In a media asset distribution system, a method for managing storage of a media asset at an operation center and distribution of the media asset over a distribution network from the operation center to end users, said method comprising the steps of:

• storing a copy of a media asset including asset specific metadata providing number of permissible copy information, and generating registry information for each stored copy of the media asset, wherein said registry information includes actual usage of the media asset;
• determining excess copies or not enough copies of a media asset based on a number of stored copies of the media asset, said asset specific metadata, and actual usage of the media asset on said network;
• determining from said asset specific metadata, in response to not enough copies of a media asset, whether an additional copy of said media asset may be made and, if so, making and storing an additional copy of the media asset and the registry information for the additional copy of the media asset;
• and
• in response to excess copies of a media asset, deleting a copy of the media asset and updating the registry information associated with that copy of the media asset.