Methods, systems and storage medium for managing bandwidth of segmented content

• US 20050177618A1
• Filed: 12/22/2003
• Published: 08/11/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Zimler, Randy, Whited, William
• Application Number:
  US10/744,063
• Publication Number:
  US 20050177618A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/61 taking into account QoS or priority requirements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2385 Channel allocation H04N21/266 takes precedence; Bandwidth allocation H04N21/24 takes precedence ; allocation of channels according to the instantaneous demands of the users in time-division multiplex systems H04J3/1682; admission control, resource allocation in open networks H04L12/5692; arrangements for maintenance or administration in data switching networks involving bandwidth and capacity management H04L41/0896; negotiating bandwidth in wireless networks H04W28/16
• 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 21/63345 by transmitting keys key distribution for secret or secure communication H04L9/08; network support of key management H04L63/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8456 by decomposing the content in the time domain, e.g. in time segments
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8549 Creating video summaries, e.g. movie trailer retrieval in video databases by using presentations in form of a video summary G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A method of distributing segmented content to a consumer. The method includes receiving a request from a consumer for segmented content. Segments of the segmented content are classified as primary content and secondary content. A segment of primary content is delivered to a consumer at a first bandwidth along with at least one segment of secondary content at a second bandwidth, the second bandwidth being lower than the first bandwidth.

Claims

1. A method of distributing segmented content to a consumer, the method comprising:

receiving a request from a consumer for segmented content;

classifying segments of said segmented content as primary content and secondary content;

delivering to said consumer a segment of primary content at a first bandwidth along with at least one secondary content segment at a second bandwidth, said second bandwidth lower than said first bandwidth.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

delivering preliminary content prior to delivering said primary content, said preliminary content having a quality less than or equal to a quality of said primary content.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein:

said preliminary content includes a movie trailer.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein:

a predetermined amount of primary content is delivered prior to delivery of said secondary content.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein:

delivering said secondary content at a second bandwidth includes delivering a plurality of segments of secondary content simultaneously.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

identifying a new segment as said primary content.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein:

said identifying said new segment as said primary content occurs when said consumer selects said new segment for viewing.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein:

said identifying said new segment as said primary content occurs when said segment of primary content is completely delivered.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the segmented content includes at least one of video, audio and consumer-generated content.

19. The method of claim 6 wherein:

identifying said new segment as said primary content includes designating a secondary content segment as primary content when said consumer selects said new segment for viewing.

20. The method of claim 6 wherein:

identifying said new segment as said primary content includes designating a secondary content segment as primary content when said segment of primary content is completely delivered.

9. A system of distributing segmented content to a consumer, the system comprising:

a content storage device;

a controller generating a request for segmented content, said controller classifying segments of said segmented content as primary content and secondary content;

a content distribution network including at least one network element, said network element delivering to said controller a segment of primary content at a first bandwidth along with at least one segment of secondary content at a second bandwidth, said second bandwidth lower than said first bandwidth.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein:

said network element delivers preliminary content to said controller prior to delivering said primary content, said preliminary content having a quality less that a quality of said primary content.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein:

said preliminary content includes a movie trailer.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein:

said network element delivers a predetermined amount of said primary content prior to delivery of said secondary content.

13. The system of claim 10 wherein:

said network element delivers a plurality of segments of said secondary content simultaneously.

14. The system of claim 10 wherein:

said controller identifies a new segment as said primary content.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein:

said controller identifies said new segment as said primary content when said consumer selects said new segment for viewing.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein:

said controller identifies said new segment as said primary content when said segment of primary content is completely delivered.

17. A storage medium encoded with machine-readable computer program code for distributing segmented content to a consumer, the storage medium including instructions for causing a controller to implement a method comprising:

receiving a request from a consumer for segmented content;

classifying segments of said segmented content as primary content and secondary content;

delivering to a consumer storage device a segment of primary content at a first bandwidth along with at least one segment of secondary content at a second bandwidth, said second bandwidth lower than said first bandwidth.

21. A controller distributing segmented content to a consumer, the controller implementing a process comprising:

generating a request for segmented content, said controller classifying segments of said segmented content as primary content and secondary content;

receiving a segment of primary content at a first bandwidth along with at least one segment of secondary content at a second bandwidth, said second bandwidth lower than said first bandwidth.

22. The controller of claim 21 wherein the process further comprises:

identifying a new segment as said primary content.

23. The controller of claim 22 wherein the process further comprises:

identifying said new segment as said primary content when said consumer selects said new segment for viewing.

24. The controller of claim 22 wherein the process further comprises:

identifying said new segment as said primary content when said segment of primary content is completely delivered.

25. The controller of claim 22 wherein:

identifying said new segment as said primary content includes designating a secondary content segment as primary content when said consumer selects said new segment for viewing.

26. The controller of claim 22 wherein:

identifying said new segment as said primary content includes designating a secondary content segment as primary content when said segment of primary content is completely delivered.