Patent ID: 8385414

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for optimizing a data store, comprising: receiving a request containing (a) one or more optimization parameters specifying characteristics of media content to be optimized, the optimization parameters comprising at least one of (i) a threshold encoding rate, (ii) a threshold resolution, (iii) a threshold storage size, (iv) one or more disallowed media formats, (v) a priority level for media content to be optimized, and (vi) a class of media content, and (b) one or more selection criteria specifying types of media content to process; responsive to the request, searching the data store based on the one or more selection criteria to identify a plurality of media content contained in the data store that match the one or more selection criteria; and for each identified media content in the plurality of media content: determining whether to optimize the media content, based on one or more attributes of the media content, the one or more optimization parameters, and a minimum quality threshold for the media content comprising at least one of (i) a minimum resolution, (ii) a minimum encoding rate, and (iii) one or more acceptable encoding formats for the media content, and upon determining to optimize the media content, encoding, by operation of one or more computer processors, the media content in a media format to reduce a storage size of the media content, and in so doing so, optimizing the data store.