System and method for progressive download using surplus network capacity

摘要

Systems and methods for providing the progressive download of media content using techniques that preferentially identify and use periods of surplus network capacity to maintain the content delivery. A buffer of a receiving system is maintained and pre-filled with enough content to bridge playback intervals where a network is unable to deliver content as fast as it is played out. Content delivery does not impact other users' applications and use of the network and its resources since content is only sent when surplus network capacity exists in the network. When no surplus network capacity is available, a user requesting content may be given the option to continue the delivery in the background so that the content may be played at a later time. The user may then resume their playback experience once the content has been completely delivered using surplus network capacity as it becomes available.

主权项

1. A method for transferring content from a sending system to a receiving system, the sending system and the receiving system being part of a network configured to handle a first network traffic and a second network traffic, the second network traffic having a higher priority than the first network traffic, the method comprising:
receiving segments of a requested content file comprising a plurality of segments in a buffer of the receiving system, wherein the segments are sent by the sending system over the network using surplus network capacity, the surplus network capacity being an amount of network capacity determined to be available at a given time period for handling the first network traffic without adversely affecting the second network traffic in the network by sending the segments to the receiving system when surplus network capacity is available and by not sending the segments to the receiving system when surplus capacity is not available; determining a buffer fill rate for the buffer; determining a pre-fill threshold for the buffer dependent upon the determined buffer fill rate; and initiating play out of the requested content file from the buffer after the buffer is filled to the determined pre-fill threshold.