Method and apparatus for pay-per-quality of service for bandwidth consumption in a video system
First Claim
1. A method for pay-per-quality of service for bandwidth consumption in a video system, the method comprises:
- monitoring bandwidth utilization of at least one connection in the video system;
receiving a request to access a video program via the at least one connection from a client device of the video system;
determining whether the bandwidth utilization exceeds a bandwidth threshold;
when the bandwidth utilization exceeds the bandwidth threshold, providing an indication of viewing-cost options regarding access to the video program to the client device;
receiving a response to the indication from the client device; and
processing the request to access the video program based on the response.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for controlling access to a video system based on bandwidth consumption include processing that begins as the server monitors bandwidth utilization of connections within the video system. The processing continues when the server receives a request to access a video program via the connection from a client device of the video system. The processing then continues as the server determines whether the bandwidth utilization exceeds a bandwidth threshold. If the bandwidth utilization exceeds the bandwidth threshold, the server provides an indication of viewing-cost options regarding access to the video program to the client device. The processing then continues as the client selects one of the viewing-cost options and provides the selected option to the server. The processing then continues as the server processes the request to access the video program based on the client response.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A method for pay-per-quality of service for bandwidth consumption in a video system, the method comprises:
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monitoring bandwidth utilization of at least one connection in the video system;
receiving a request to access a video program via the at least one connection from a client device of the video system;
determining whether the bandwidth utilization exceeds a bandwidth threshold;
when the bandwidth utilization exceeds the bandwidth threshold, providing an indication of viewing-cost options regarding access to the video program to the client device;
receiving a response to the indication from the client device; and
processing the request to access the video program based on the response. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method for a client device within a video system to process pay-per-quality of service, the method comprises:
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receiving a video program having a first quality level;
determining whether the client device has subscribed to receive the video program at the first quality level; and
when the client device has not subscribed to receive the video program at the first quality level, converting video quality of the video program from the first quality level to a video quality subscribed to by the client device. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for pay-per-quality of service for bandwidth consumption in a video system, the method comprises:
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sending, by a client device of the video system, a request to access a video program to server of the video system;
determining, by the server, whether the request can be fulfilled without restriction based on bandwidth utilization of the video system;
when the request cannot be fulfilled without restriction, providing, by the server, an indication of viewing-cost options regarding access to the video program to the client device;
selecting, by the client device, one of the viewing-cost options to produce a selected option;
providing, by the client device, the selected option to the server; and
processing, by the server, the request to access the video program based on the selected option. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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15. An apparatus for pay-per-quality of service for bandwidth consumption in a video system, the apparatus comprises:
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processing module; and
memory operably coupled to the processing module, wherein the memory includes operational instructions that cause the processing module to;
monitor bandwidth utilization of at least one connection in the video system;
receive a request to access a video program via the at least one connection from a client device of the video system;
determine whether the bandwidth utilization exceeds a bandwidth threshold;
when the bandwidth utilization exceeds the bandwidth threshold, provide an indication of viewing-cost options regarding access to the video program to the client device;
receive a response to the indication from the client device; and
process the request to access the video program based on the response. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A client device within a video system comprises:
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processing module; and
memory operably coupled to the processing module, wherein the memory includes operational instructions that cause the processing module to;
receive a video program having a first quality level;
determine whether the client device has subscribed to receive the video program at the first quality level; and
when the client device has not subscribed to receive the video program at the first quality level, convert video quality of the video program from the first quality level to a video quality subscribed to by the client device. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. An apparatus for pay-per-quality of service for bandwidth consumption in a video system, the apparatus comprises:
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processing module; and
memory operably coupled to the processing module, wherein the memory includes operational instructions that cause the processing module to;
send, as a client device of the video system, a request to access a video program to server of the video system;
determine, as the server, whether the request can be fulfilled without restriction based on bandwidth utilization of the video system;
when the request cannot be fulfilled without restriction, provide, as the server, an indication of viewing-cost options regarding access to the video program to the client device;
select, as the client device, one of the viewing-cost options to produce a selected option;
provide, as the client device, the selected option to the server; and
process, as the server, the request to access the video program based on the selected option. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28)
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Specification