Demand-based edge caching video content system and method
AssigneeConcurrent Computers
InventorThomas J. Rogers
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method (300) and system (200) for of conserving resources in a video-on-demand environment are provided. The method (300) includes storing a stub file (223) on an edge storage device while storing content (110) at a central storage device (222). When a video-on-demand request (440) is received, a resource management system (206) reads (305) the stub file (223) to determine a storage location at the central storage device (222). The resource management system (206) then retrieves the content (110) from the storage location determined from the stub file (223) and either stores it at an edge storage device (111) or delivers it the a subscriber device (109) to fulfill the video-on-demand request (440).
Claims18
A method of conserving resources of an edge server disposed across a network and in communication with a central server, comprising:
- storing a stub file at the edge server, the stub file comprising metadata for content and a storage location for the content;
- informing a back office manager that the stub file is stored at the edge server, thereby causing the back office manager to perceive the content is stored at the edge server, when only the stub file is stored on the edge server and the content is stored on a server other than the edge server;
- marking, with the back office manager, that the content is ready for usage in response to the informing;
- receiving a demand for the content at a resource manager disposed across a network from the back office manger;
- in response to the receiving, reading, with the resource manager, the stub file to determine the storage location;
- retrieving, with the resource manager, the content from the storage location read from the stub file;
- and
- storing the content at the edge server.
In a video-on-demand system comprising an edge server disposed distally across a network from, and in communication with, a central storage server, a method of delaying delivery of content from the central storage server to the edge server comprising:
- receiving the content from an external source;
- storing the content on the central storage server;
- creating a stub file;
- transmitting the stub file across the network and storing the stub file on the edge server;
- informing a back office system that the content is stored on the edge server after the storing the stub file on the edge server but prior to the storing the content at the edge server;
- receiving a video-on-demand session request for the content;
- in response to the receiving, reading, at the edge server, the stub file to determine storage location information for the content;
- retrieving the content in accordance with the storage location information determined from the stub file;
- and
- delivering the content to fulfill the video-on-demand session request.
A video-on-demand system, comprising:
- a content receiver in communication with a central storage server, a back office system, and at least one edge server disposed distally across a network from the central storage server, wherein the content receiver is configured to:
- receive content from an external source;
- and
- upon receiving the content from the external source:
- store the content on the central storage server;
- deliver metadata corresponding to the content to the back office system;
- generate a stub file comprising at least a portion of the metadata and a storage location on the central storage server for the content;
- store the stub file on the at least one edge server;
- and
- send a notification to the back office system that the content is stored on the at least one edge server while the content is not stored on the at least one edge server.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.