Re-headerer system and method

Abstract

A re-headerer media packaging and serving system and method are provided herein.

1 . A computer-implemented method for packaging digital media, the method comprising:
 obtaining, by a packaging computer, a first set of metadata associated with a first media distributor and a distinct second set of metadata associated with a second media distributor;   preparing, by said packaging computer, a body-portion of a first distribution-file, said first-distribution-file body-portion comprising digital-media data;   preparing, by said packaging computer, a header-portion of said first-distribution-file, said first-distribution-file header-portion comprising said first set of metadata;   storing said first-distribution-file header-portion and said first-distribution-file body-portion in a digital-media repository;   preparing, by said packaging computer, a header-portion of a second distribution-file, said second-distribution-file header-portion comprising said second set of metadata; and   storing in said digital-media repository only said header-portion of said second-distribution-file.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving a request for said second-distribution-file from a client device;   obtaining said second-distribution-file header-portion from said digital-media repository;   obtaining said first-distribution-file body-portion from said digital-media repository;   delivering to said client device said second-distribution-file according to said second-distribution-file header-portion and said first-distribution-file body-portion.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein obtaining said first-distribution-file body-portion comprises:
 retrieving said first distribution-file from said digital-media repository; and   identifying a location of said first-distribution-file body-portion within said first distribution-file.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein delivering to said client device said second-distribution-file comprises sending to said client device a file stream comprising said second-distribution-file header-portion and said first-distribution-file body-portion. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said first media distributor comprises a dummy distributor and said first set of metadata comprises a set of default metadata values. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said storing said first-distribution-file header-portion and said first-distribution-file body-portion comprises storing said first distribution-file. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said first distribution-file and said second distribution-file comprise a time-based-digital-media file. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said first-distribution-file header-portion and said second-distribution-file header-portion further comprise a shared third set of metadata associated with said digital-media data. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining that a body-portion of said second-distribution-file duplicates said first-distribution-file body-portion stored in said digital-media repository. 
     
     
         10 . A computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by a processor, perform the method of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         11 . A computing apparatus comprising a processor and a memory, the memory including instructions that, when executed by the processor, perform the method of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         12 . A computer-implemented method for delivering digital media for a plurality of distributors by a media-serving computer, the method comprising:
 receiving, by the media-serving computer from a client device, a request for digital-media content, said request being associated with a first distributor of the plurality of distributors;   retrieving, from a digital-media repository, a body-portion of a first distribution-file, said first-distribution-file body-portion comprising digital media-data corresponding to said requested digital-media content;   obtaining, by the media-serving computer, a header-portion of a second distribution-file, said second-distribution-file header-portion corresponding to said requested digital-media content, said second-distribution-file header-portion including metadata associated with said first distributor;   delivering, by the media-serving computer to said client device, said second distribution-file comprising said distribution-file header-portion and said first-distribution-file body-portion, wherein said second distribution-file is associated with said first distributor.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein delivering said second distribution-file comprises sending a digital-media file-stream associated with said first distributor, said digital-media file-stream comprising said second-distribution-file header-portion and said first-distribution-file body-portion. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 receiving a second request for said digital-media content from a second client device, said second request being associated with a second distributor of the plurality of distributors;   obtaining a header-portion of a third distribution-file corresponding to said requested digital-media content, said third-distribution-file header-portion including metadata associated with said second distributor;   delivering to said second client device said third distribution file according to said third-distribution-file header-portion and said first-distribution-file body-portion   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said first distribution-file further comprises a header-portion including metadata associated with a dummy distributor. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein obtaining said second-distribution-file header-portion comprises selecting said second-distribution-file header-portion from among a plurality of alternative distribution-file header-portions stored in a header repository, said plurality of alternative distribution-file header-portions being respectively combinable with said first-distribution-file body-portion to form a plurality of digital-media distribution-files. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein obtaining said second-distribution-file header-portion comprises:
 obtaining metadata associated with said first distributor;   generating said second-distribution-file header-portion according to said obtained metadata and said first-distribution-file body-portion; and   storing said second-distribution-file header-portion in a header repository.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 in response to receiving said request for said digital-media content, said request being associated with said first distributor, identifying a second distributor that can share said digital-media content with said first distributor;   obtaining second metadata associated with said second distributor;   pre-generating a third distribution-file header-portion according to said second metadata and said first-distribution-file body-portion; and   storing said third distribution-file header-portion in said header repository.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said wherein said first distribution-file comprises a time-based-digital-media file. 
     
     
         20 . A computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by a processor, perform the method of  claim 12 . 
     
     
         21 . A computing apparatus comprising a processor and a memory, the memory including instructions that, when executed by the processor, perform the method of  claim 12 .