Apparatus and methods for managing delivery of content in a network with limited bandwidth using pre-caching

Abstract

Apparatus and methods for managing provision of content to devices in a content delivery network. In one exemplary embodiment, content with a high probability of viewership is sent to consumer premises equipment (CPE) during off-peak periods and stored prior to viewing. An application is utilized to manage decisions related to content provision. The computer program will identify content that is likely to be of interest users associated with respective CPE, and schedule provision of that content in advance of viewing. Then, the system will develop a plan for optimal scheduling of transmission of content to CPEs, often including the use of trickle downloads. The scheduling plan is based collected statistical and historical data on network resource demand to make scheduling decisions. The system allows for the shifting of bandwidth utilization from periods of high demand to those of low demand, and increased performance with regard to user experienced latency.

1 .- 35 . (canceled) 
     
     
         36 . A network apparatus operable in a content delivery network, the network apparatus comprising:
 a processor apparatus; and   a non-transitory computer-readable apparatus comprising a storage medium, the storage medium comprising a computer program, the computer program having a plurality of instructions configured to, when executed by the processor apparatus, enable the network apparatus to:
 obtain prediction data indicative of a probability of interest of a user associated with a client device, the client device configured to receive content from the content delivery network; 
 based on the prediction data, identify content as having an elevated probability of viewership; 
 responsive to at least one demand criterion being met, schedule transmission of at least a portion of the identified content to a storage apparatus disposed within the content delivery network, the transmission to the storage apparatus configured to occur at a first transfer rate, the storage apparatus being configured for access initiated by the client device; and 
 responsive to the at least one demand criterion not being met, transmit the at least portion of the identified content to the client device at a second transfer rate different than the first transfer rate. 
   
     
     
         37 . The network apparatus of  claim 36 , wherein the plurality of instructions are further configured to, when executed by the processor apparatus, cause the network apparatus to, based on the at least one demand criterion being met, subsequent to the transmission to the storage apparatus, cause retrieval of the at least portion of the identified content by the client device. 
     
     
         38 . The network apparatus of  claim 36 , wherein the at least one demand criterion being met comprises a demand for network resources in at least a portion of the content delivery network meeting or exceeding a prescribed threshold value, and the storage apparatus comprises an edge cache apparatus. 
     
     
         39 . The network apparatus of  claim 38 , wherein the plurality of instructions are further configured to, when executed by the processor apparatus, cause the network apparatus to adjust the first transfer rate based at least on one or more of (i) a then-current level of the demand for network resources, or (ii) a predicted level of the demand for network resources. 
     
     
         40 . The network apparatus of  claim 38 , wherein the plurality of instructions are further configured to, when executed by the processor apparatus, cause the network apparatus to schedule the transmission of the at least portion of the identified content to the storage apparatus further based on a predicted or speculated reduction in the demand for network resources. 
     
     
         41 . The network apparatus of  claim 38 , wherein the plurality of instructions are further configured to, when executed by the processor apparatus, cause the network apparatus to schedule the transmission of the at least portion of the identified content to the storage apparatus further based on the demand for network resources falling below a second prescribed threshold. 
     
     
         42 . The network apparatus of  claim 36 , wherein the first transfer rate comprises a transfer rate that is lower than the second transfer rate. 
     
     
         43 . The network apparatus of  claim 42 , wherein the second transfer rate comprises a transfer rate associated with or determined at least in part by a real-time presentation of content. 
     
     
         44 . The network apparatus of  claim 36 , wherein the scheduled transmission of the identified content comprises transmission of the identified content in at least partly incomplete form, the at least partly incomplete form enabling at least one of: (i) frustration of user access of the identified content, or (ii) reduced quality previewing of the identified content. 
     
     
         45 . The network apparatus of  claim 36 , wherein the scheduling of the transmission to the storage apparatus comprises scheduling of the at least portion of the identified content to a second client device configured for data communication within the content delivery network. 
     
     
         46 . An network apparatus operable within a content delivery network, the apparatus comprising:
 a data interface configured for communication with a network entity and one or more client devices;   a processor apparatus in data communication with the data interface; and   a non-transitory computer-readable apparatus comprising one or more storage media, the storage media comprising at least one computer program, the at least one computer program comprising a plurality of instructions configured to, when executed by the processor apparatus, cause the network apparatus to:
 responsive at least to a change in at least one operational condition of the content delivery network, receive content data from the network entity at a first rate of transmission, the received content data having been selected for delivery to at least one of the one or more client devices based at least on data relating to a likelihood or probability of interest associated with the at least one client device or a user thereof; 
 cause storage of the content data on the storage media; and 
 responsive at least to a second change in the at least one operational condition of the content delivery network, cause delivery at least a portion of the stored content data to the at least one client device at a second rate of transmission that is greater than the first rate of transmission. 
   
     
     
         47 . The network apparatus of  claim 43 , wherein the likelihood or probability of interest comprises data generated based at least on one or more of (i) a request by the user, (ii) historical activity of a user relating to the received content data, or (iii) user demographics. 
     
     
         48 . The network apparatus of  claim 43 , wherein the change in the at least one operational condition of the content delivery network is detected based at least on one or more of (i) a change in time of day, or (ii) an increase in utilization of network capacity of the content delivery network. 
     
     
         49 . The network apparatus of  claim 43 , wherein the second change in the at least one operational condition of the content delivery network comprises demand for one or more network resources falling below a predetermined threshold. 
     
     
         50 . The network apparatus of  claim 43 , wherein the plurality of instructions are further configured to, when executed by the processor apparatus, cause the network apparatus to deliver the at least portion of the stored content data to the at least one client device further responsive to a user request to retrieve the at least portion. 
     
     
         51 . A method of operating a content delivery network, the method comprising:
 identifying content as having a probability of viewership (poV) higher than a prescribed level, the identifying based at least on data relating to a user associated with a first client device;   based on a network parameter of the content delivery network meeting a predetermined criterion, scheduling a transmission of at least a portion of the poV content to a storage entity configured for data communication with the first client device, the scheduled transmission being configured to occur at a first transmission rate when the network parameter fails to meet the predetermined criterion; and   enabling the storage entity to provide the at least portion of the poV content to the first client device at a second transmission rate.   
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 51 , further comprising, subsequent to the network parameter failing to meet the predetermined criterion, rescheduling the transmission responsive to the network parameter meeting the predetermined criterion during the scheduled transmission at the first transmission rate. 
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 51 , the scheduling of the transmission of the at least portion of the poV content to the storage entity comprises enabling transmission of the at least portion of the poV content to an edge cache of the content delivery network. 
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein the network parameter comprises demand for one or more network resources of the content delivery network. 
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 51 , further comprising generating the data relating to the user associated with the first client device, the generating of the data comprising determining one or more of:
 one or more requests by the user relating to the identified content;   a match between (i) information associated with the identified content, and (ii) user history relating to the identified content; or   psychographic data associated with the user.