Dynamic content delivery routing and related methods and systems

• US 10,368,109 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2016
• Issued: 07/30/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dish Technologies LLC (Dish Network Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Dish Technologies LLC (Dish Network Corporation)
• Inventors: Major, Robert Drew
• Primary Examiner(s): Pendleton, Brian T
• Assistant Examiner(s): Johnson, Frank
• Application Number:
  US15/392,241
• Publication Number:
  US 20170188059A1
• Time in Patent Office: 944 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/16 Circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/03184 Details concerning the metric
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0876 Network utilisation, e.g. volume of load or congestion level
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0888 Throughput
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/63 Routing a service request depending on the request content or context
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2187 Live feed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23103 using load balancing strategies, e.g. by placing or distributing content on different disks, different memories or different servers storage management G06F3/0604; allocation of resources considering the load in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/505; techniques for rebalancing the load in a distributed system G06F9/5083; access to distributed or replicated servers, e.g. load balancing, in data networks H04L67/1001
• 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 21/23116 involving data replication, e.g. over plural servers synchronization of replicated data G06F11/1658; error detection or correction by means of data replication G06F11/2053; replication in distributed file systems G06F16/10; replication in distributed file systems G06F16/27; replication or mirroring of data in data networks H04L67/1095
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23406 involving management of server-side video buffer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23439 for generating different versions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/237 Communication with additional data server
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/238 Interfacing the downstream path of the transmission network, e.g. adapting the transmission rate of a video stream to network bandwidth; Processing of multiplex streams hybrid fiber coaxial [HFC] networks for downstream channel allocation for video distribution H04L12/2801; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; real-time communication protocols in data switching networks H04L65/00; scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2387 Stream processing in response to a playback request from an end-user, e.g. for trick-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2402 Monitoring of the downstream path of the transmission network, e.g. bandwidth available traffic monitoring in data switching networks H04L43/00; monitoring data switching networks utilization H04L43/0876
• 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 21/2747 Remote storage of video programs received via the downstream path, e.g. from the server
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/278 : Content descriptor database or directory service for end-user access details of content or meta data based information retrieval of video data in video databases G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 : embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• 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 21/4334 : Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4383 : Accessing a communication channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44004 : involving video buffer management, e.g. video decoder buffer or video display buffer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44209 : Monitoring of downstream path of the transmission network originating from a server, e.g. bandwidth variations of a wireless network arrangements for maintenance or administration in data switching networks involving bandwidth and capacity management H04L41/0896
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4621 : Controlling the complexity of the content stream or additional data, e.g. lowering the resolution or bit-rate of the video stream for a mobile client with a small screen arrangements for using the results of monitoring on user's side in broadcast systems H04H60/65; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 : Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4825 : using a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlists
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6106 : specially adapted to the downstream path of the transmission network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6131 : involving transmission via a mobile phone network wireless downlink channel access H04W74/006
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 : IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64707 : for transferring content from a first network to a second network, e.g. between IP and wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64723 : Monitoring of network processes or resources, e.g. monitoring of network load traffic related reporting in data switching networks H04L43/062
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6581 : Reference data, e.g. a movie identifier for ordering a movie or a product identifier in a home shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 : Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8456 : by decomposing the content in the time domain, e.g. in time segments

Abstract

Systems, devices, and methods for streaming media content over a network are provided. One exemplary method of streaming media content over a network involves transmitting one or more portions of the media content to a client device via a delivery route between a content delivery source and the network, determining a performance metric associated with the transmitting of the one or more portions via the delivery route, and dynamically adjusting the delivery route between the content delivery source and the network based at least in part on the performance metric.

Claims

1. A method of streaming media content over a network, the method comprising:

transmitting one or more portions of the media content from a remote storage digital video recorder (RS-DVR) system to a client device using a first delivery route from a networking component to the client device via a first backbone provider network of a plurality of different backbone provider networks coupled to the networking component, wherein the networking component is coupled between the RS-DVR system and the plurality of different backbone provider networks and the one or more portions of the media content are marked as non-cacheable;

determining a performance metric associated with the transmitting of the one or more portions via the first backbone provider network;

identifying, by the RS-DVR system, an alternative backbone provider network of the plurality of different backbone provider networks when the first backbone provider network fails to achieve a desired level of performance based on the performance metric, wherein the alternative backbone provider network is different from the first backbone provider network; and

instructing, by the RS-DVR system, the networking component coupled between the RS-DVR system and the plurality of different backbone provider networks to transmit a subsequent portion of the media content from the RS-DVR system to the client device using a different delivery route from the networking component to the client device via the alternative backbone provider network instead of the first backbone provider network, wherein the subsequent portion of the media content is marked as non-cacheable.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying the first backbone provider network based on a routing table.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

determining the performance metric comprises determining a bandwidth associated with the transmitting of the one or more portions via the first delivery route; and

identifying the alternative backbone provider network comprises selecting the alternative backbone provider network between the RS-DVR system and the network when the bandwidth is less than a threshold.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the alternative backbone provider network comprises the RS-DVR system selecting the alternative backbone provider network based on performance data associated with one or more of the plurality of different backbone provider networks.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the alternative backbone provider network comprises the RS-DVR system selecting the alternative backbone provider network based on a location of the client device.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the one or more portions of the media content comprises the transmitting the one or more portions of the media content to the client device via the first backbone provider network using a modified transport layer protocol.

14. The method of claim 1, the RS-DVR system storing the media content at a plurality of different bitrates and the performance metric comprising a bandwidth associated with the first backbone provider network, wherein identifying the alternative backbone provider network comprises the RS-DVR system selecting the alternative backbone provider network when the bandwidth associated with the first backbone provider network is less than a bandwidth for streaming the media content at a lowest available bitrate of the plurality of different bitrates.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first backbone provider network comprises a default delivery route dictated by a routing table based on respective geographic or network locations of the RS-DVR system and the client device; and

identifying the alternative backbone provider network comprises;

identifying a subset of the plurality of different backbone provider networks available for transmitting data from a location of the RS-DVR system based on the routing table, wherein the first backbone provider network is excluded from the subset of the plurality of different backbone provider networks; and

selecting, from among the subset of the plurality of different backbone provider networks, a previously used backbone provider network with the best performance as the alternative backbone provider network.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first backbone provider network comprises a default delivery route dictated by a routing table based on respective geographic or network locations of the RS-DVR system and the client device; and

identifying the alternative backbone provider network comprises;

identifying a subset of the plurality of different backbone provider networks available for transmitting data from a location of the RS-DVR system based on the routing table, wherein the first backbone provider network is excluded from the subset of the plurality of different backbone provider networks; and

randomly selecting the alternative backbone provider network from among the subset of the plurality of different backbone provider networks.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the different delivery route from the networking component to the client device via the alternative backbone provider network compensates for a lack of edge caching.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the networking component comprises a router downstream of the RS-DVR system.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the networking component and the RS-DVR system are physically collocated at a data center; and

the first delivery route and the different delivery route provide an initial delivery path from the data center to the network.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the RS-DVR system receives the media content from an origin content server or live stream encoder and records the media content on behalf of a user of the client device.

6. A system comprising:

a networking component coupled to a network via a plurality of different backbone provider networks; and

a remote storage digital video recorder (RS-DVR) system coupled to the network via the networking component, wherein the RS-DVR system and the networking component are cooperatively configured to transmit one or more portions of media content marked as non-cacheable over the network to a client device on the network using a first delivery route from the networking component via a first backbone provider network of the plurality of different backbone provider networks and transmit a subsequent portion of the media content marked as non-cacheable over the network to a the client device using a different delivery route from the networking component via an alternative backbone provider network of the plurality of different backbone provider networks instead of the first backbone provider network based on a performance metric associated with the transmitting of the one or more portions via the first backbone provider network, wherein the RS-DVR system instructs the networking component to transmit the subsequent portion to the client device using the different delivery route including the alternative backbone provider network when the first backbone provider network fails to achieve a desired level of performance based on the performance metric associated with the transmitting of the one or more portions marked as non-cacheable via the first backbone provider network.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the RS-DVR system determines the performance metric.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the RS-DVR system stores performance data associated with one or more of the plurality of different backbone provider networks and selects the alternative backbone provider network based on the performance data.

9. The system of claim 6, the performance metric comprising a bandwidth associated with the transmitting of the one or more portions via the first backbone provider network, wherein the RS-DVR system instructs the networking component to utilize the alternative backbone provider network when the bandwidth is less than a threshold.

10. A method of streaming media content over a network, the method comprising:

receiving, at a remote storage digital video recorder (RS-DVR) system, requests for the media content from a client device on the network;

transmitting, by the RS-DVR system, one or more portions of the media content to the client device using a first delivery route from a networking component coupled to the RS-DVR system via a first backbone provider network of a plurality of different backbone provider networks coupled to the networking component, wherein the networking component is coupled between the RS-DVR system and the plurality of different backbone provider networks and the one or more portions of the media content are marked as non-cacheable;

determining a performance metric associated with the transmitting of the one or more portions via the first backbone provider network; and

transmitting, by the RS-DVR system, a subsequent portion of the media content to the client device using a different delivery route from the networking component via an alternative backbone provider network of the plurality of different backbone provider networks between the RS-DVR system and the network based on the performance metric, wherein;

the alternative backbone provider network is different from the first backbone provider network;

the subsequent portion of the media content is marked as non-cacheable; and

transmitting the subsequent portion comprises the RS-DVR system instructing the networking component between the RS-DVR system and the network to transmit the subsequent portion to the client device using the different delivery route including the alternative backbone provider network instead of the first backbone provider network.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein transmitting the one or more portions of the media content comprises the RS-DVR system transmitting the one or more portions of the media content to the client device via the first backbone provider network using a modified transport layer protocol.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

determining a second performance metric associated with the transmitting of the subsequent portion via the alternative backbone provider network; and

transmitting, by the RS-DVR system, a second subsequent portion of the media content to the client device using a third delivery route from the networking component via a third backbone provider network between the RS-DVR system and the network based on the second performance metric, wherein the third delivery route is different from the first delivery route and the different delivery route.