Patent ID: 8868639

Claim:
A method of a content broker assisting distribution of content, comprising: obtaining, by one or more content distribution servers of the content broker, user device parameter information associated with a user device, wherein the one or more content distribution servers are connectable to the user device through at least a first communication network and a second communication network, wherein a plurality of storage elements are associated with the user device, wherein the plurality of storage elements comprise an internal storage element that is internal to the user device and an external storage element that is external to the user device, wherein the external storage element is connected to a home network, and wherein the external storage element is larger and has a lower cost per unit of storage than the internal storage element; assisting, by the one or more content distribution servers, at least one content provider in preloading at least a portion of a content onto the external storage element associated with the user device through the first communication network based on the user device parameter information, wherein the preloading is additionally based at least upon a value metric, wherein the value metric is at least partially dependent on a cost of usage of the first communication network and a cost of usage of the second communication network, and wherein the cost of usage of the second communication network is greater than the cost of usage of the first communication network; assisting, by the one or more content distribution servers, in providing an additional portion of the content onto at least one of the plurality of storage elements associated with the user device through the second communication network, wherein the at least the portion of the content is larger than the additional portion of the content, wherein the at least the portion of the content is moved from the external storage element to the internal storage element of the user device based on the user device being connected to the home network, whereby the additional portion of the content in conjunction with the at least the portion of the content allows a user to consume the content.