System and method for providing caching and pre-fetch of assets/media
A system and method for routing and delivering pre-fetched assets/media, such as a digital image, is provided. The present invention is directed to a system that allows for two digital images to be pre-fetched or otherwise transferred concurrently from two separate source devices to virtually expand the bandwidth and increase the efficiency of the transfer. The system also allows image enhancements to be made in a distributed manner either by a source or destination device, or by both. The invention further provides a method of efficiently delivering multiple versions of a single image to a destination device. An asset ranking system is also provided that takes into consideration the frequency at which the digital image is accessed and the number of source devices that that the digital image is stored within.
1. A method programmed for execution in a computing environment for improved distribution of digital images between different computing devices and a destination device, wherein the different computing devices are in communication with the destination device through a network, the method comprising:
a) providing a first digital image stored in a memory of a first source computing device;
b) providing a second digital image stored in a memory of a second source computing device, wherein the first and second digital images are representative of the same image;
c) receiving or generating an instruction to transfer a digital version of the image to a destination device, wherein the instruction specifies a quality of the digital version of the image;
d) comparing the quality of the digital version of the image specified in the instruction with a quality of the first and second digital images stored in the memory of the first and second source computing devices, respectively;
e) determining whether to transfer the first digital image or the second digital image to the destination device utilizing criteria including determining which of the first and second digital images stored in the memory of the first and second source computing devices has the quality of the digital version of the image specified in the instruction; and
f) receiving either the first digital image from the first source computing device or the second digital image from the second source computing device based on the utilized criteria to efficiently transfer the digital version of the image to the destination device.
2. A method in accordance with claim 1 , further comprising:
comparing bandwidth available between each of the first and second source computing devices and the destination device, respectively;
wherein the criteria utilized in the step of determining whether to transfer the first digital image or the second digital image to the destination device further includes determining which is greater among the bandwidth available between the first and second source computing devices and the destination device.
3. A method in accordance with claim 1 , further comprising:
determining availability of the first source computing device and the second source computing device based on whether each of the first and second source computing devices are in a powered on state or a powered off state, respectively;
wherein the criteria utilized in the step of determining whether to transfer the first digital image or the second digital image to the destination device further includes determining which of the first and second source computing devices are in the powered on state.
4. A method in accordance with claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
determining the available locations of the first and second digital images; and
storing in a memory of the destination device the location of the first and second digital images on the first and second source computing devices, respectively.
5. A method programmed for execution in a computing environment for improved distribution of digital images between different computing devices and a destination device, wherein the different computing devices are in communication with the destination device through a network, the method comprising:
a) providing a first digital image stored in a memory of a first source computing device;
b) providing a second digital image stored in a memory of a second source computing device, wherein the first and second digital images are representative of the same image;
c) receiving or generating an instruction to transfer a digital version of the image to a destination device, wherein the instruction specifies a quality of the digital version of the image, wherein the quality of the digital version of the image specified in the instruction includes a specified resolution of the digital version of the image;
d) comparing the specified resolution with a resolution of the first and second digital images stored in the memory of the first and second source computing devices, respectively;
e) determining whether to transfer the first digital image or the second digital image to the destination device utilizing criteria including the quality of the digital version of the image specified in the instruction; and
f) receiving either the first digital image from the first source computing device or the second digital image from the second source computing device based on the utilized criteria to efficiently transfer the digital version of the image to the destination device.
6. A method programmed for execution in a computing environment for the improved delivery of a digital image to a destination device, the method comprising:
a) providing a first version and a second version of a digital image stored in a memory of one or more source computing devices;
b) receiving or generating an instruction to transfer the first and second versions of the digital image to a destination device;
c) determining if both the first and second versions of the digital image should be transferred from the one or more source computing devices to the destination device, or if only the first version of the digital image should be transferred from the one or more source computing devices to the destination device, and the destination device should enhance or modify the digital image to generate the second version of the digital image, based on at least one of:
i) bandwidth between the one or more source computing devices and the destination device, or
ii) enhancement processing capabilities of the one or more source computing devices and the destination device; and
d) based in the determination in step c), transferring both the first and second versions of the digital image from the one or more source computing devices to the destination device.
7. A method in accordance with claim 6 , wherein the first and second versions of the digital image are stored in a memory of the destination device.
8. A method in accordance with claim 6 , wherein one of the first and second versions is a black a white version, and wherein the other of the first and second versions is a special effects version.
9. A method programmed for execution in a computing environment for the improved delivery of a digital image to a destination device, the method comprising:
a) providing a first version and a second version of a digital image stored in a memory of one or more source computing devices;
b) receiving or generating an instruction to transfer the first and second versions of the digital image to a destination device;
c) determining if both the first and second versions of the digital image should be transferred individually from the one or more source computing devices to the destination device, or if only the first version of the digital image should be transferred from the one or more source computing devices to the destination device, and the destination device should enhance or modify the digital image to generate the second version of the digital image, based on at least one of:
i) bandwidth between the one or more source computing devices and the destination device, or
ii) enhancement processing capabilities of the one or more source computing devices and the destination device;
d) based in the determination in step c), transferring only the first version of the digital image from the one or more source computing devices to the destination device; and
e) enhancing or modifying the first version of the digital image to generate the second version of the digital image.
10. A method in accordance with claim 9 , wherein first and second versions of the digital image are stored in a memory of the destination device.
11. A method in accordance with claim 9 , wherein one of the first and second versions is a black and white version, and wherein the other of the first and second versions is a special effects version.
12. A method programmed for execution in a computing environment for improved distribution of digital images between different computing devices and a destination device, wherein the different computing devices are in communication with the destination device through a network, the method comprising:
a) providing a first digital image stored in a memory of a first source computing device;
b) providing a second digital image stored in a memory of a second source computing device, wherein the first and second digital images are representative of the same image;
c) receiving or generating an instruction to transfer a digital version of the image to a destination device;
d) comparing bandwidth available between each of the first and second source computing devices and the destination device, respectively;
e) determining whether to transfer the first digital image or the second digital image to the destination device utilizing criteria including determining which is greater among the bandwidth available between the first and second source computing devices and the destination device; and
f) receiving either the first digital image from the first source computing device or the second digital image from the second source computing device based on the utilized criteria to efficiently transfer the digital version of the image to the destination device.
13. A method in accordance with claim 12 , wherein the instruction specifies a quality of the digital version of the image, the quality of the digital version of the image specified in the instruction includes one or more of a specified resolution, size, user, and metadata tags of the digital version of the image, and the method further includes:
comparing the one or more of the specified resolution, size, user, and metadata tags of the digital version of the image with one or more of a resolution, size, user, and metadata tags of the first and second digital images stored in the memory of the first and second source computing devices, respectively;
wherein the criteria utilized in the step of determining whether to transfer the first digital image or the second digital image to the destination device further includes determining which of the first and second digital images stored in the memory of the first and second source computing devices matches the at least one of the specified resolution, size, user, and metadata tags of the digital version of the image.
14. A method in accordance with claim 13 , further comprising:
comparing availability of the first and second source computing devices based on whether each of the first and second source computing devices are in a powered on state or a powered off state, respectively;
wherein the criteria utilized in the step of determining whether to transfer the first digital image or the second digital image to the destination device further includes determining which of the first and second source computing devices are in the powered on state.