Patent ID: 9131263
Filing Date: 2015-09-08
Classification: G06F,H04N

Abstract:
1. A method for managing content in a distributed network, the method comprising: receiving content and metadata associated with the content at a plurality of communication nodes during a first time period, each of the plurality of communication nodes being a unique server configured to distribute content to end users, the metadata specifying at least one content decay parameter for the content on the distributed network; storing the content and the metadata on at least two different communication nodes of the plurality of communication nodes; processing the content decay parameter at each of the respective communication nodes which stored the content during a second time period, different than the first time period, to determine whether to delete the content from the respective communication node; and responsive to determining that the content is to be deleted, deleting the content during the second time period at the respective communication node, wherein the content decay parameter comprises an equation specifying a half-life cycle of the content on the distributed network, the equation specifying a half-life cycle of the content determining a percentage of the plurality of communication nodes which are to store the content during the first time period, a minimum percentage of the plurality of nodes to store the content at a future time period and a rate of decay, wherein the rate of decay is based upon a mean lifetime for the content on the distributed network and a difference between the first time period, the second time period and a time offset defined for growth of the content on the distributed network; and wherein the half-life cycle of the content is defined as P(t)=A+K*e^(−(t−T