Method for connection acceptance control and rapid determination of optimal multi-media content delivery over network
First Claim
1. A method of bandwidth allocation for delivery of stored digital content from at least one server device to at least one client device by way of a network, the method comprising the steps of:
- a) prescribing a control variable which represents a target flow rate from the server device to each client device;
b) determining time-varying constraints on the flow rate of the content;
c) determining a cost function of the control variables for all clients; and
d) prescribing bandwidth to all clients based upon the value of the control variables that maximize the cost function.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of bandwidth allocation for delivery of stored digital content from at least one server device to at least one client device by way of a network is disclosed. The method begins by prescribing a control variable which represents a target flow rate from the server device to each client device. Next, time-varying constraints on the flow rate of the content are determined. A cost function of the control variable for each client is determined. The cost function corresponds to a maximized value of the control variable. Finally, bandwidth is prescribed to each client based upon the value of the control variable maximized by the cost function. In this respect, the method achieves optimal allocation of bandwidth between the server and the respective clients.
113 Citations
38 Claims
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1. A method of bandwidth allocation for delivery of stored digital content from at least one server device to at least one client device by way of a network, the method comprising the steps of:
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a) prescribing a control variable which represents a target flow rate from the server device to each client device;
b) determining time-varying constraints on the flow rate of the content;
c) determining a cost function of the control variables for all clients; and
d) prescribing bandwidth to all clients based upon the value of the control variables that maximize the cost function. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 38)
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28. A system for allocating bandwidth between a server device and at least one client device, the system comprising:
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a call acceptance module operative to receive an incoming request for service;
a flow regulator configured to deliver content at a modulated target flow rate, the content being delivered between the server device and a respective client device when a call is accepted by the call acceptance module; and
a flow optimizer configured to modulate the target flow rate of the flow regulator in order to optimize the aggregate flow of content.
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36. A method of bandwidth allocation for delivery of stored digital content from at least one server device to at least one client device by way of a network, the method comprising the steps of:
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a) prescribing a control variable which represents a target flow rate from the server to each client device based upon the amount of buffer of the client;
b) determining time-varying constraints on the flow rate of the content;
c) determining a cost function of the control variables for all clients in response to the size of the client'"'"'s buffer; and
d) prescribing bandwidth to all clients based upon the value of the control variables that maximized the cost function.
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37. A method for apportioning a given total flow rate (bandwidth) among a plurality of sessions for clients, the method comprising the steps of:
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a) computing a sum of minimum flow rate constraints for each session;
b) computing a sum of flow rate ranges for all active clients;
c) computing a difference between the given total flow rate and a sum of the flow rate minima;
d) computing a factor as the ratio of the difference over the sum of the flow rate ranges;
e) if the factor exceeds 1, setting the flow rate to the maximum allowed client flow rate; and
f) if the factor is less than 1, computing the flow rate by multiplying the client range by the factor and then adding the result to the minimum allowed client flow rate.
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Specification