OFFLINE CONTENT DISTRIBUTION NETWORKS

摘要

Approaches, techniques, and mechanisms are disclosed for the secure distribution of media content to devices having minimal or no Internet connectivity. Computing devices referred to herein as “local servers” are strategically deployed at various locations, such as stores and other public locations. Packages of media contents are stored on the local servers, and may be updated using various online and/or offline data transfer techniques. Portable devices may directly connect to the local servers via various types of proximity-based connections, such as by wireless local area networks, by wired connections over Universal Serial Bus cables, or by sharing of removable media such as Secure Digital cards. The local servers may copy their media contents to authorized devices when such connections are established. The contents on a device may be automatically be updated the next time the device connects to one of the local servers, so as to include newly selected and/or available content.

主权项

1. A system comprising:
a central media server configured to send copies of media content items from the central media server over a wide area network to certain media playback devices of a plurality of mobile devices; at least one local media server, separate from the central media server, configured to:
store copies of at least a subset of the media content items;establish local connections with particular mobile devices of the plurality of mobile devices;responsive to requests for particular content items of the media content items, transmit copies of the particular content items to the particular mobile devices over the local connections;upon establishment of a first local connection with a first mobile device of the particular mobile devices, request that the first mobile device transfer a first content item, of the media content items, which is stored at the first mobile device, to the local media server;store a first copy of the first content item at the local media server when received from the first mobile device.