OPTIMIZING DATA RATE FOR VIDEO SERVICES

• US 20070053293A1
• Filed: 09/07/2005
• Published: 03/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tech 5 SAS
• Original Assignee: Scientific-Atlanta LLC (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Avila, Luis, Rodriguez, Arturo, Wall, William, McDonald, James
• Granted Patent: US 8,189,472 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/235
• 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 21/25808 Management of client data terminal profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/303
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25825 involving client display capabilities, e.g. screen resolution of a mobile phone optimising the visualisation of content during browsing in the Internet G06F16/9577; processing of terminal status or physical abilities in wireless networks H04W8/22; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• 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 21/4122 additional display device, e.g. video projector digital output for controlling a plurality of local displays G06F3/1423
• 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 21/6373 for rate control , e.g. request to the server to modify its transmission rate flow control in packet networks H04L47/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Optimizing data rates for video services on a broadband network. Different data rates can be delivered to a subscriber premises depending on the size of the display screen connected to a set-top box, the type of content being requested, or whether there is real-time viewing. Therefore, the data rate can be optimized to maximize the number of video streams that can be delivered to any one subscriber without causing a perceived reduction in video picture quality.

Claims

1. A method for optimizing bandwidth utilization to a subscriber premises, said method comprising the steps of:

ascertaining display attributes;

allocating bandwidth based upon said display attributes, and

maintaining a constant video quality perception.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said ascertaining step comprises ascertaining display size and said allocation step comprises decreasing the digital data rate as a result of said display size.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said ascertaining step comprises ascertaining display size and said allocation step comprises increasing the digital data rate as a result of said display of size.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said ascertaining step comprises ascertaining television type and model number.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said ascertaining step comprises ascertaining an aspect ratio of a television.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said ascertaining step comprises a settop implementing a discovery process to determine the type of display connected to said settop.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said ascertaining step comprises a settop requesting a video service and reporting a display type.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said ascertaining step comprises a settop reporting display type to a system resource manager.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of utilizing an identifying tag related to said display attributes to provide programming.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein said allocation step comprises a system resource manager selecting the video data rate based upon a display type.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein said allocation step comprises a system resource manager tracking bandwidth utilization on multiple links and selecting a video data rate based upon a display type on one of said links.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein said ascertaining step comprises ascertaining display attributes of a first display and ascertaining display attributes of a second display, and further comprising the step of viewing a first content type on said first display at a first data rate and viewing said first content type on said second display at a second data rate while maintaining a constant video quality perception between said first and second displays.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of ascertaining content type being viewed, wherein a video data rate is optimized based upon the combination of said display attributes and said content type.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of determining whether an incoming video signal to the subscriber is being recorded, but not simultaneously being viewed by the subscriber.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising the step of reducing the video data rate for storing content that is not simultaneously being viewed by the subscriber.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said step of reducing the video data rate comprises reducing the video data rate below a real-time data rate.

17. A method for optimizing bandwidth utilization to a subscriber premises, said method comprising the steps of:

ascertaining content type;

allocating bandwidth based upon said content type, and

maintaining a constant video quality perception.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein said allocation step comprises decreasing the digital data rate as a result of said content type.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein said allocation step comprises increasing the digital data rate as a result of said content type.

20. The method of claim 17 further comprising the step of ascertaining display attributes, wherein said video data rate is optimized based upon the combination of said display attributes and said content type.

21. The method of claim 17 wherein said ascertaining step comprises viewing a first content type on a first display at a first data rate and viewing said first content type on a second display at a second data rate while maintaining a constant video quality perception between said first and second displays.

22. A method for optimizing data rates for video services to a subscriber, said method comprising the steps of:

determining whether incoming video signals to the subscriber are being recorded;

determining whether content being recorded is being simultaneously viewed by the subscriber; and

reducing the video data rate for storing content that is not simultaneously being viewed by the subscriber.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein said step of reducing the video data rate for storing content comprises reducing the video data rate below a real-time data rate.

24. The method of claim 23 further comprising the step of utilizing a real-time play back rate.

25. The method of claim 22 further comprising the step of lengthening the time to complete storage in response to reducing the video data rate.

26. The method of claim 22 further comprising the step of giving priority to said incoming video signal to a set-top box over said incoming signal to a personal computer.

27. The method of claim 22 further comprising the step of giving priority to real-time service to one device over non-real-time service to another device.

28. A method for optimizing bandwidth utilization to a subscriber premises, said method comprising the steps of:

tuning to a first content type at a first data rate;

tuning to a second content type at a second data rate; and

maintaining a constant video quality perception on a display device when viewing either of said first and second content types on said display device.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein a subscriber toggles between said first and second content types on said display device.

30. The method of claim 28 further comprising the steps of viewing said first content on said display device and viewing said first content on another display device, wherein said display devices are different from one another while maintaining similar picture quality perception between said display devices.

31. The method of claim 28 further comprising the steps of:

determining whether content being recorded to a first STB is being simultaneously viewed by the subscriber from said first STB;

reducing the video data rate for storing content to said first STB that is not simultaneously being viewed by the subscriber from said first STB; and

maintaining the video data rate of said content to a second STB.

32. The method of claim 31 further comprising the step of utilizing a real-time play back rate from said first STB.

33. In a resource manager, a method for managing bandwidth allocation to a plurality of subscribers utilizing opportunistic bandwidth, said method comprising the steps of:

tracking bandwidth utilization on multiple links;

receiving a request for services along one of said links; and

selecting a data rate on said one link that meets available bandwidth.

34. The method of claim 33 wherein said tracking step comprises tracking bandwidth utilization on multiple links to a single subscriber and said selecting step comprises selecting a data rate on one said link to said single subscriber that optimizes another data rate on another said link to said one subscriber.

35. The method of claim 33 wherein said selecting step comprises reducing a data rate on one or more of said links to optimize data rates to one or more other of said links.

36. The method of claim 33 further comprising the step of allocating bandwidth based on rules defined at a server.

37. The method of claim 33 wherein said selecting step comprises selecting said video data rate based upon a display type that meets available bandwidth.

38. The method of claim 33 wherein said selecting step comprises selecting a non-real-time data rate to reduce the traffic load.

39. The method of claim 33 wherein said selecting step comprises tailoring said video data rate to correspond to a display type.

40. The method of claim 33 wherein said selecting step comprises reducing a data rate on one or more of said links to optimize data rates to one or more other of said links.

41. The method of claim 33 further comprising the step of utilizing a map to identify STBs associated with each said link.

42. In a resource manager, a method for managing bandwidth allocation to a plurality of subscribers to preclude oversubscription, said method comprising the steps of:

tracking bandwidth utilization on multiple links;

detecting packets being dropped on at least one of said links as a result of oversubscription; and

selecting a video data rate on at least one said link to one of said subscribers to meet available bandwidth.

43. The method of claim 42 wherein said selecting step comprises selecting a reduced data rate on at least one said link to optimize data rates to one or more other of said links.

44. The method of claim 42 wherein said selecting step comprises selecting a reduced data rate on at least one said link to optimize data rates to said at least one link.