Generating schedules for synchronizing bulk data transfers to end node devices in a multimedia network

Abstract

Promotions may be targeted to one or more device groups. A promotion/device group set relation is maintained for each promotion indicating the device groups to which each promotion should be sent. A device group corresponds to a statistically categorized group of end node devices (e.g. set top boxes) based on demographics or viewership history. A device group may be further subcategorized to include one or more transmission groups corresponding to the physical characteristics of the end node devices (e.g. hardware, memory capacity). A promotion server creates a package containing the promotion for each transmission group of the device group. If a package for a particular transmission group is already created and has sufficient available space, the promotion is simply added to the package. Therefore, a package created for a transmission group may hold promotions intended for different device groups even though not all of the promotions are targeted for the same devices. A schedule process then analyzes a set of packages, building a schedule for each end node device, ultimately assigning promotion identification, transmission times, port numbers, and/or multicast IP addresses for specific device groups. Schedule messages are then send out individually to each end node, so that the expected broadcast (multicast) message time, port, and IP address information is known by each device for each of the promotions which are intended for it to receive. The packaged promotions are then sent via bulk data transmission to the end nodes which is initiated by the generation and delivery of transmission requests to bulk data servers on the network.