초록 ▼

A system and method for providing load balanced secure media content and data delivery (10) in a distributed computing environment is disclosed. Media content is segmented and encrypted into a set of individual encrypted segments on a centralized control center (15). Each individual encrypted segmen

A system and method for providing load balanced secure media content and data delivery (10) in a distributed computing environment is disclosed. Media content is segmented and encrypted into a set of individual encrypted segments on a centralized control center (15). Each individual encrypted segment has the same fixed size. The complete set of individual encrypted segments is staged to a plurality of intermediate control nodes (17, 19). Individual encrypted segments are mirrored from the staged complete set to a plurality of intermediate servers (21a-b, 23a-b). Requests are received from clients (11) for the media content at the centralized control center. Each individual encrypted segment in the set is received from one of an intermediate control node and an intermediate server optimally sited from the requesting client. The individual encrypted segments are reassembled into the media content for media playback.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A system for providing load balanced, secure media content delivery in a distributed computing environment, the system comprising: a centralized control center that segments and encrypts media content into a set of individual encrypted segments, each segment being either variable or fixed in size

1. A system for providing load balanced, secure media content delivery in a distributed computing environment, the system comprising: a centralized control center that segments and encrypts media content into a set of individual encrypted segments, each segment being either variable or fixed in size, each segment being a portion of or an entirety of the media content size, the centralized control center including an encryption module stored in memory and executable by a processor to encrypt individual segments with encryption keys;a plurality of intermediate servers that mirror the individual encrypted segments from a staged set of individual encrypted segments; andat least one client computer that: sends requests for the media content to the centralized control center,receives the individual encrypted segments in the set from an intermediate server of the plurality of intermediate servers in communication with the requesting client computer, andreassembles the individual encrypted segments into the media content for media playback, and includes: a broadcasting module stored in memory and executable by a processor to broadcast a pulse prior to receiving individually encrypted segments, anda request processing module stored in memory and executable by the processor to select the intermediate server based on responses to the pulse for subsequent receipt of the individual encrypted segments in the set. 2. The system according to claim 1, further comprising: the plurality of intermediate servers queuing requests from a plurality of client computers; andthe centralized control center multicasting the individual encrypted segments to the at least one client computer. 3. The system according to claim 1, in which a codec is executed at each requesting client computer to decode the individual encrypted segments. 4. The system according to claim 1, in which media content delivery is balanced in an intermediate server of the plurality of intermediate servers via the centralized control center. 5. The system according to claim 1, in which media playback is enabled at each requesting client computer prior to receipt of the individual encrypted segments. 6. The system according to claim 1, in which flexible media playback is provided at each requesting client computer comprising functions selected from a group comprising pause, rewind, fast-forward, skip forward, skip backward, chapter stops, and a shuttle bar. 7. The system according to claim 1, in which a pulse is broadcasted from each client computer prior to receiving the individual encrypted segments, and in which the intermediate server is selected based on responses to the pulse. 8. The system according to claim 1, in which the individual encrypted segments from the staged set are mirrored to a plurality of client computers, and the individual encrypted segments are received from one of an intermediate server of the plurality of intermediate servers and a client computer in communication with the requesting client computer. 9. The system according to claim 1, in which individual encrypted segments comprising an initial portion of the media content are staged to a plurality of client computers, and individual encrypted segments comprising a remaining portion of the media content are sent to a plurality of client computers upon request. 10. A method for providing load balanced secure media content delivery in a distributed computing environment, comprising: segmenting and encrypting media content into a set of individual encrypted segments at a centralized control center;mirroring the individual encrypted segments from a staged complete set of the individual encrypted segments to a plurality of intermediate servers;receiving requests from client computers for the media content at the centralized control center;receiving each individual encrypted segment in the set from an intermediate server of the plurality of intermediate servers in communication with the requesting client computer;reassembling the individual encrypted segments into the media content for media playback;queuing requests from a plurality of client computers on at least one intermediate server; andmulticasting the individual encrypted segments to the requesting client computers. 11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the encrypting into the individual encrypted segments uses encryption keys. 12. The method according to claim 10, further comprising: executing a codec at each requesting client computer to decode the individual encrypted segments. 13. The method according to claim 10, further comprising: balancing media content delivery in an intermediate server via the centralized control center. 14. The method according to claim 10, further comprising: enabling media playback at each requesting client computer prior to receipt of the individual encrypted segments. 15. The method according to claim 10, further comprising: providing flexible media playback at each requesting client computer comprising functions selected from a group comprising pause, rewind, fast-forward, skip forward, skip backward, chapter stops, and a shuttle bar. 16. The method according to claim 10, further comprising: broadcasting a pulse from each requesting client computer prior to receiving the individual encrypted segments; andselecting the intermediate server based on responses to the pulse. 17. The method according to claim 10, further comprising: mirroring the individual encrypted segments from the staged complete set to a plurality of client computers; andreceiving the individual encrypted segments in the set from an intermediate server of the plurality of intermediate servers and a client computer in communication with the requesting client computer. 18. The method according to claim 10, further comprising: staging the individual encrypted segments comprising an initial portion of the media content to a plurality of client computers; andsending the individual encrypted segments comprising a remaining portion of the media content to the plurality of client computers upon request. 19. A system for providing load balanced, secure media content delivery in a distributed computing environment, the system comprising: a centralized control center that segments and encrypts media content into a set of individual encrypted segments, each segment being either variable or fixed in size, each segment being a portion of or an entirety of the media content size, the centralized control center including an encryption module stored in memory and executable by a processor to encrypt individual segments to encryption keys; andat least one client computer that: sends requests for the media content to the centralized control center,receives the individual encrypted segments in the set, andreassembles the individual encrypted segments into the media content for media playback, executes a codec to decode the individual encrypted segments, and includes a broadcasting module stored in memory and executable by a processor to broadcast a pulse prior to receiving the individually encrypted segments. 20. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having embodied thereon a program, the program executable by a processing unit to perform a method for providing load balanced secure media content delivery in a distributed computing environment, the method comprising: segmenting and encrypting media content into a set of individual encrypted segments at a centralized control center, each segment being either variable or fixed in size;mirroring the individual encrypted segments from a staged complete set of the individual encrypted segments to a plurality of intermediate servers;receiving requests from one or more client computers for the media content at the centralized control center;receiving each individual encrypted segment in the set from an intermediate server of the plurality of intermediate servers in communication with the one or more requesting client computer;reassembling the individual encrypted segments into the media content for media playback; andexecuting a codec at each requesting client computer to decode the individual encrypted segments. 21. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 20, further comprising: queuing requests from a plurality of client computers on at least one of one such intermediate server; andmulticasting the individual encrypted segments to the one or more client computers. 22. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 20, wherein the encrypting individual encrypted segments uses encryption keys.