System for layering content for scheduled delivery in a data network

• US 20060023748A1
• Filed: 06/21/2005
• Published: 02/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Chandhok, Ravinder Paul (Rob), Oguz, Seyfullah Halit, Raveendran, Vijayalakshmi R., Saidi, Ben A.
• Application Number:
  US11/158,662
• Publication Number:
  US 20060023748A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/469
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/70 Media network packetisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/756 adapting media to device capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234327 by decomposing into layers, e.g. base layer and one or more enhancement layers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2662 Controlling the complexity of the video stream, e.g. by scaling the resolution or bitrate of the video stream based on the client capabilities
• 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

Abstract

System for layering content for scheduled delivery in a data network. A method is provided for transmitting content from a distribution server in a data network. The method includes encoding the content into a base layer and one or more enhancement layers, and transmitting the base layer. The method also includes receiving a request to receive one or more enhancement layers, and transmitting the one or more enhancement layers.

Claims

1. A method for transmitting content from a distribution server in a data network, the method comprising:

encoding the content into a base layer and one or more enhancement layers;

transmitting the base layer;

receiving a request for one or more enhancement layers; and

transmitting the one or more enhancement layers.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said encoding comprises encoding the content into the base layer and the one or more enhancement layers using a scalable encoding technique.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said transmitting the base layer comprises transmitting the base layer and a portion of the one or more enhancement layers.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said transmitting the base layer comprises transmitting the base layer and a portion of the one or more enhancement layers based on selected criteria.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said transmitting the base layer comprises transmitting the base layer and the portion of the one or more enhancement layers based on the selected criteria, wherein the selected criteria is selected from a set of criteria comprising resource availability, prior usage of content, consumption patterns, statistics, prearranged contracts, and terminal registration.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a plurality of requests wherein each request requests a respective portion of the one or more of the enhancement layers; and

transmitting the respective portions one or more enhancement layers to satisfy the plurality of requests.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said transmitting the base layer comprises transmitting the base layer over a wireless data network.

8. Apparatus for transmitting content from a distribution server in a data network, the apparatus comprising:

processing logic that operates to encode the content into a base layer and one or more enhancement layers;

transmitting logic that operates to transmit the base layer;

receiving logic that operates to receive a request for one or more enhancement layers; and

logic that operates to transmit the one or more enhancement layers.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said processing logic operates to encode the content into the base layer and the one or more enhancement layers using a scalable encoding technique.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said transmitting logic operates transmit the base layer and a portion of one or more enhancement layers.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said transmitting logic operates to transmit the base layer and a portion of one or more enhancement layers based on selected criteria.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said selected criteria is selected from a set of criteria comprising resource availability, prior usage of content, consumption patterns, statistics, prearranged contracts, and terminal registration.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising:

logic configured to receive a plurality of requests wherein each request requests a respective portion of the one or more of the enhancement layers; and

logic configured to transmit the respective portions of the one or more enhancement layers to satisfy the plurality of requests.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said data network is a wireless data network.

15. Apparatus for transmitting content from a distribution server in a data network, the apparatus comprising:

means for encoding the content into a base layer and one or more enhancement layers;

means for transmitting the base layer;

means for receiving a request for one or more enhancement layers; and

means for transmitting the one or more enhancement layers.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said means for encoding comprises means for encoding the content into the base layer and the one or more enhancement layers using a scalable encoding technique.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said means for transmitting the base layer comprises means for transmitting the base layer and a portion of the one or more enhancement layers.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said means for transmitting the base layer further comprises means for transmitting the base layer and a portion of one or more enhancement layers based on selected criteria.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said selected criteria is selected from a set of criteria comprising resource availability, prior usage of content, consumption patterns, statistics, prearranged contracts, and terminal registration.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

means for receiving a plurality of requests wherein each request requests a respective portion of the one or more of the enhancement layers; and

means for transmitting the respective portions of the one or more enhancement layers to satisfy the plurality of requests.

21. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said data network is a wireless data network.

22. A computer-readable media comprising instructions, which when executed by processing logic in a distribution server, operate to transmit content in a data network, the computer-readable media comprising:

instructions for encoding the content into a base layer and one or more enhancement layers;

instructions for transmitting the base layer;

instructions for receiving a request to transmit one or more enhancement layers; and

instructions for transmitting the one or more enhancement layers.

23. The computer-readable media of claim 22, wherein said instructions for encoding comprise instructions for encoding the content into the base layer and the one or more enhancement layers using a scalable encoding technique.

24. The computer-readable media of claim 22, wherein said instructions for transmitting the base layer comprise instructions for transmitting the base layer and a portion of one or more enhancement layers.

25. The computer-readable media of claim 22, wherein said instructions for transmitting the base layer comprise instructions for transmitting the base layer and a portion of one or more enhancement layers based on selected criteria.

26. The computer-readable media of claim 25, wherein said selected criteria is selected from a set of criteria comprising resource availability, prior usage of content, consumption patterns, statistics, prearranged contracts, and terminal registration.

27. The computer-readable media of claim 22, further comprising:

instructions for receiving a plurality of requests wherein each request requests a respective portion of the one or more of the enhancement layers; and

instructions for transmitting the respective portions of the one or more enhancement layers to satisfy the plurality of requests.

28. The computer-readable media of claim 22, wherein said data network is a wireless data network.

29. A method for operating a receiving terminal to receive content transmitted in a data network, the method comprising:

receiving a content base layer;

determining that one or more enhancement layers are required to render the content with enhanced quality;

transmitting a request for the one or more enhancement layers;

receiving the one or more enhancement layers; and

rendering the content using the base layer and the one or more enhancement layers to obtain the desired enhanced quality.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein said rendering comprises:

decoding the base layer and the one or more enhancement layers to produce decoded content, wherein the decoding reverses a scalable encoding technique used to encode the base layer and the one or more enhancement layers; and

rendering the decoded content to obtain the desired enhanced quality.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein said receiving the content base layer comprises receiving the content base layer and a portion of one or more enhancement layers.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein said receiving the base layer comprises receiving the base layer and a portion of one or more enhancement layers based on selected criteria.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein said selected criteria is selected from a set of criteria comprising resource availability, prior usage of content, consumption patterns, statistics, prearranged contracts, and terminal registration.

34. The method of claim 29, wherein said receiving terminal is a wireless device.

35. A receiving terminal that operates to receive content in a data network, the terminal comprising:

means for receiving a content base layer;

means for determining that one or more enhancement layers are required to render the content with enhanced quality;

means for transmitting a request for one or more enhancement layers;

means for receiving the one or more enhancement layers; and

means for rendering the content using the base layer and the one or more enhancement layers to obtain the desired enhanced quality.

36. The terminal of claim 35, wherein said means for rendering comprises:

means for decoding the base layer and the one or more enhancement layers to produce decoded content, wherein the decoding reverses a scalable encoding technique used to encode the base layer and the one or more enhancement layers; and

means for rendering the decoded content to obtain the desired enhanced quality.

37. The terminal of claim 35, wherein said means for receiving the content base layer comprises means for receiving the content base layer and a portion of one or more enhancement layers.

38. The terminal of claim 35, wherein said means for receiving the base layer comprises means for receiving the base layer and a portion of one or more enhancement layers based on selected criteria.

39. The terminal of claim 38, wherein said selected criteria is selected from a set of criteria comprising resource availability, prior usage of content, consumption patterns, statistics, prearranged contracts, and terminal registration.

40. The terminal of claim 35, wherein said terminal is a wireless device.