Pre-caching video content to devices using LTE broadcast

• US 10,291,941 B2
• Filed: 03/09/2017
• Issued: 05/14/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lu, Rong, Silvestri, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Shepard, Justin E
• Application Number:
  US15/454,660
• Publication Number:
  US 20180262787A1
• Time in Patent Office: 796 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23106 involving caching operations prefetching while addressing of a memory level in which the access to the desired data or data block requires associative addressing means within memory systems or architectures G06F12/0862; caching at an intermediate stage in a data network H04L67/568
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26216 involving the channel capacity, e.g. network bandwidth admission control, resource allocation in open networks H04L12/5692; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; establishing a schedule or organising the servicing of application requests taking into account QoS H04L67/61
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26258 for generating a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlist, or scheduling item distribution according to such list retrieval of multimedia data based on playlists G06F16/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6131 involving transmission via a mobile phone network wireless downlink channel access H04W74/006
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64738 Monitoring network characteristics, e.g. bandwidth, congestion level data switched network analysis H04L41/14; monitoring functioning in data switched networks H04L43/0817; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a device including a processing system that receives items of media content; delivers the items over a network according to a schedule determined by a content delivery scheduling system; detects a level of broadcast network capacity utilization; and periodically generates and transmits to the scheduling system a forecast of network capacity utilization. A new forecast is generated and transmitted responsive to the network capacity utilization deviating from the forecast by more than a predetermined tolerance. A resource for delivering the items of media content is dynamically assigned to the processing system by the scheduling system in accordance with a current forecast. The items of media content comprise a queue accessible to the content delivery scheduling system; the queue is maintained by the scheduling system and is uniquely assigned to the processing system. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a processing system including a processor, items of media content for delivery to devices over a broadcast network;

delivering, by the processing system, the items of media content according to a schedule determined by a content delivery scheduling system in communication with the processing system;

detecting, by the processing system, a level of network capacity utilization of the broadcast network at the processing system;

generating, by the processing system, periodically at a predetermined interval a forecast of the level of network capacity utilization;

transmitting, by the processing system, the forecast to the content delivery scheduling system, wherein the forecast covers the interval beginning at a time of transmission of the forecast;

responsive to a deviation from the forecast, during the interval, of the detected level of network capacity utilization that exceeds a predetermined tolerance;

generating, by the processing system, a new forecast; and

transmitting, by the processing system, the new forecast,

wherein a resource for delivering the items of media content is dynamically assigned to the processing system by the content delivery scheduling system in accordance with a current forecast,

wherein the items of media content comprise a queue accessible to the content delivery scheduling system,

wherein the generating and transmitting of the forecast by the processing system are paused responsive to a first message from the content delivery scheduling system indicating that the queue is empty of items of media content, and are resumed responsive to a second message from the content delivery scheduling system that the queue has an item of media content,

wherein the resource for delivering the items of media content comprises a first portion of an available spectrum and corresponds to a long term evolution broadcast (LTE-B) spectrum, and wherein a second portion of the available spectrum corresponds to spectrum allocated to unicast traffic, and

wherein the resource is dynamically reassigned based on a detected second level of network capacity utilization of the unicast traffic at the processing system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the items of media content are delivered responsive to a command from the content delivery scheduling system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the broadcast network comprises a LTE-B network.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the processing system comprises an evolved node B (eNB).

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the content delivery scheduling system is remote from the eNB.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the items of media content are delivered to a client device that includes a mobile evolved multimedia broadcast multicast service (eMBMS) router.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the available spectrum is allocated such that the second portion of the available spectrum has priority relative to the first portion of the available spectrum, the first portion of the available spectrum accordingly comprising a portion not required for unicasting.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the queue is maintained by the content delivery scheduling system and is uniquely assigned to the processing system.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the items of media content are delivered to a digital video recorder (DVR) device that includes cache storage.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the queue is located in a cloud storage.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the items of media content are delivered to an adapter of a digital video recorder (DVR) device as an LTE-B broadcast, and wherein the adapter is configured to provide the at least one of the items of media content in a format suitable for DVR storage and playback.

12. A device comprising:

a processing system including a processor; and

a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, facilitate performance of operations comprising;

receiving items of media content for delivery to devices over a network;

delivering the items of media content according to a schedule determined by a content delivery scheduling system in communication with the processing system;

detecting a level of network capacity utilization of the network at the processing system;

generating periodically at a predetermined interval a forecast of the level of network capacity utilization;

transmitting the forecast to the content delivery scheduling system, wherein the forecast covers the interval beginning at a time of transmission of the forecast;

responsive to a deviation from the forecast, during the interval, of the detected level of network capacity utilization that exceeds a predetermined tolerance;

generating a new forecast; and

transmitting the new forecast,

wherein a resource for delivering the items of media content is dynamically assigned to the processing system by the content delivery scheduling system in accordance with a current forecast,

wherein the items of media content comprise a queue accessible to the content delivery scheduling system,

wherein the queue is maintained by the content delivery scheduling system and is uniquely assigned to the processing system,

wherein the resource for delivering the items of media content comprises a first portion of an available spectrum and corresponds to a long term evolution broadcast (LTE-B) spectrum, and wherein a second portion of the available spectrum corresponds to spectrum allocated to unicast traffic, and

wherein the resource is dynamically reassigned based on a detected second level of network capacity utilization of the unicast traffic at the processing system.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the generating and transmitting of the forecast are paused responsive to a first message from the content delivery scheduling system indicating that the queue is empty of items of media content, and are resumed responsive to a second message from the content delivery scheduling system that the queue has an item of media content.

14. The device of claim 12, wherein the items of media content are delivered responsive to a command from the content delivery scheduling system.

15. The device of claim 12, wherein the network has broadcast and unicast capabilities, and wherein the network comprises a LTE-B network.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the processing system comprises an evolved node B (eNB).

17. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processing system including a processor, facilitate performance of operations comprising:

receiving items of media content for delivery to devices over a network;

delivering the items of media content according to a schedule determined by a content delivery scheduling system in communication with the processing system;

detecting a level of network capacity utilization of the network at the processing system;

generating periodically at a predetermined interval a forecast of the level of network capacity utilization;

transmitting the forecast to the content delivery scheduling system, wherein the forecast covers the interval beginning at a time of transmission of the forecast;

responsive to a deviation from the forecast, during the interval, of the detected level of network capacity utilization that exceeds a predetermined tolerance;

generating a new forecast; and

transmitting the new forecast,

wherein a resource for delivering the items of media content is dynamically assigned to the processing system by the content delivery scheduling system in accordance with a current forecast,

wherein the items of media content comprise a queue accessible to the content delivery scheduling system,

wherein the items of media content are delivered responsive to a command from the content delivery scheduling system,

wherein the resource for delivering the items of media content comprises a first portion of an available spectrum and corresponds to a long term evolution broadcast (LTE-B) spectrum, and wherein a second portion of the available spectrum corresponds to spectrum allocated to unicast traffic, and

wherein the resource is dynamically reassigned based on a detected second level of network capacity utilization of the unicast traffic at the processing system.

18. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the generating and transmitting of the forecast are paused responsive to a first message from the content delivery scheduling system indicating that the queue is empty of items of media content, and are resumed responsive to a second message from the content delivery scheduling system that the queue has an item of media content.

19. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the queue is maintained by the content delivery scheduling system and is uniquely assigned to the processing system.

20. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the network comprises a LTE-B network.