Patent ID: 8239573
Filing Date: 2012-08-07
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method of managing bandwidth used for delivering content to a plurality of users, the method comprising: determining with a content distribution system a plurality of destinations for the content, each of the plurality of destinations associated with at least one of the plurality of users, the content distribution system being remote from the plurality of destinations; determining with the content distribution system available bandwidth for delivering the content to the plurality of destinations; applying with the content distribution system a set of criteria including: generating with the content distribution system a schedule for delivery of the content based on applying the set of criteria, the schedule including deliveries to the active users and deliveries to the inactive users, wherein the first requests were generated by the active users and the second requests were generated by the inactive users; delivering the content from the content distribution system to the plurality of destinations based on the schedule; while delivering the content from the content distribution system to the plurality of destinations, determining with the content distribution system a current total amount of bandwidth used by both active users and inactive users of the plurality of users; and in response to the current total amount of bandwidth exceeding a predetermined level, stopping, pausing or slowing down, with the content distribution system, downloads to destinations of at least a portion of the plurality of destinations associated with the active users, but not to destinations associated with destinations associated with the inactive users, based on the set of criteria.