Content Distribution Coordinator for Network Partitioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing content delivery networks (CDNs) often fail to direct clients to the most appropriate source or bitrate for streaming content, leading to inefficient and suboptimal viewing experiences due to factors like load balancing, distance, and varying performance across different geographical areas and ISPs.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a process that uses network partitioning to determine the best CDN and bitrate for a client based on historical performance data from correlated client devices, employing a content distribution coordinator to redirect requests and dynamically adjust content sources and bitrates in real-time through a Virtual Resource Locator mechanism.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional load balancing and distance-based routing are used to direct clients to content sources, then system simplicity is maintained, but content delivery quality and reliability deteriorate due to varying performance across different geographical areas and ISPs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the content delivery network into multiple performance profiles grouped by geographic region and ISP. Each profile contains performance data for multiple content sources, allowing the system to select optimal sources based on segmented performance characteristics rather than using a single unified routing mechanism. This segmentation enables reliable content delivery by matching clients to sources with historically proven performance in their specific network context.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary actions by pre-collecting and storing performance data from multiple clients across different geographic regions and ISPs for multiple content sources. This historical performance data is organized into performance profiles before actual content delivery requests occur. When a client requests content, the system can immediately query these pre-prepared profiles to determine the optimal source, eliminating the need for real-time performance testing and enabling reliable source selection based on established performance patterns.
2Productivity
If a single content source is used for all clients, then system complexity is reduced, but content delivery efficiency deteriorates due to varying network conditions and client requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating performance-specific content source selections tailored to each client's geographic region and ISP. Instead of using a single content source for all clients, the system queries performance profiles to identify which content sources have demonstrated superior performance for clients with matching characteristics. This local optimization enables efficient content delivery by matching each client to the most suitable source based on their specific network context, while the underlying performance profile structure manages the complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes parameters by dynamically selecting different content sources based on performance data parameters associated with specific geographic regions and ISPs. The system queries performance profiles using client parameters (IP address, geographic location, ISP) and returns content source selections optimized for those parameter combinations. This parameter-based approach enables efficient content delivery across diverse network conditions while managing complexity through structured performance profile queries.
3Reliability
If real-time performance monitoring is implemented for all clients, then content delivery quality improves, but system complexity and computational overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary actions by collecting performance data from multiple clients in advance and organizing it into pre-computed performance profiles before actual content delivery requests occur. These profiles contain historical performance measurements for multiple content sources across different geographic regions and ISPs. When a client requests content, the system queries these pre-prepared profiles rather than performing real-time performance monitoring, thus achieving reliable streaming quality without the complexity and overhead of continuous real-time monitoring of all clients.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses copying by creating performance profiles that represent aggregated performance characteristics of multiple clients with similar geographic and ISP characteristics. Instead of monitoring each individual client in real-time, the system creates representative copies (profiles) that capture the performance behavior of groups of clients. These profile copies can be queried efficiently to determine optimal content sources, achieving reliable streaming quality through representative sampling rather than exhaustive real-time monitoring.
Data Source
AI summary
Directing a content player to a content source is disclosed. A first manifest request from a client requesting content is received at a server. The manifest request includes information generated as a result of the client contacting a content management system and in response, receiving from the content management system information associated with the client and a direction to the server. Based at least in part on the received information, at least one of a bitrate and a content source is determined. Instructions are sent to the client based at least in part on the determination. The client is configured to obtain the requested content according to the instructions.