Method to optimize the data stream between a router and a multimedia unit

• US 20070201477A1
• Filed: 02/12/2007
• Published: 08/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nagravision SA (Kudelski SA)
• Original Assignee: Nagravision SA (Kudelski SA)
• Inventors: Le Buhan, Corinne, Ippach, Holger, Uldry, Marc
• Granted Patent: US 8,427,965 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/392
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/765 intermediate
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/643 Communication protocols network streaming protocols, e.g. real-time transport protocol [RTP] or real-time control protocol [RTCP], H04L65/65
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64738 Monitoring network characteristics, e.g. bandwidth, congestion level data switched network analysis H04L41/14; monitoring functioning in data switched networks H04L43/0817; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10

Abstract

Even if high speed are available between the router and the multimedia unit through the IP line (up to 24 Mbits/sec), this is still the bottleneck in term of data transfer. Indeed in practice the vast majority of IP users have access speed between 2 to 5 Mbits/sec and the development of other services (telephony, videoconference, push VOD, game) are bandwidth consuming. It is now an object of the invention to propose a solution to reduce the data flow between the router and the multimedia unit over IP line.

This is achieved by a method to optimize the data stream between a router and a multimedia unit, the router receiving at least one data stream forming a service and comprising several sub-streams from which part of them are alternatively used by the multimedia unit, the method comprising the steps of:

• • defining a set of data representing the multimedia unit'"'"'s profile,
  • transmitting this set of data to the router,
  • filtering by the router the unnecessary sub-stream according the given profile,
  • sending the remaining sub-streams to the multimedia unit.

Claims

1. Method to optimize the data stream between a router and a multimedia unit, the router receiving at least one data stream forming a service and comprising several sub-streams from which only a subset are useful to the multimedia unit, the method comprising the steps of:

defining a set of data representing the multimedia unit'"'"'s profile,

transmitting this set of data to the router,

filtering by the router the unnecessary sub-streams according to the given profile,

sending the remaining sub-streams to the multimedia unit.

2. The method of claim 1 in which the data stream comprises information data describing the meaning of the sub-streams (PID) defining a service, wherein the multimedia unit performs the steps of:

determining the sub-streams identifier of said service matching the multimedia unit'"'"'s profile based on the information data,

sending to the router information allowing the router to send the selected sub-streams related to said service.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the information sent to the router contains a list of sub-streams identifier to be filtered by the router'"'"'s filter.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the information sent to the router contains a list of sub-streams identifier to be allowed for sending by the router'"'"'s filter.

5. The method of claim 1 in which the data stream comprises information data describing the meaning of the sub-streams (PID) defining a service, wherein the router performs the following steps:

receiving from the multimedia unit at least a part of the current multimedia unit'"'"'s profile,

selecting the sub-streams identifier of said service matching the multimedia unit'"'"'s profile based on the information data,

setting the router'"'"'s filter according to the selected sub-streams.

6. The method of claim 1 in which the data stream is managed by a management center, the method comprising the following steps:

sending from the multimedia unit at least a part of the current multimedia unit'"'"'s profile to the management center,

selecting by the management center the sub-streams identifier (PID) of said service matching the multimedia unit'"'"'s profile,

sending the selected sub-streams identifier to the router,

setting the router'"'"'s filter according to the selected sub-streams.

7. The method of claim 1 in which the data stream is managed by a management center, the method comprising the following steps:

selecting by the management center the sub-streams identifier of a plurality of services matching the multimedia unit'"'"'s profile,

sending the selected sub-stream identifiers to the router,

storing in the router'"'"'s database, for a given multimedia unit, the sub-stream identifiers in relation with a service,

receiving from the multimedia unit a request to access a given service,

loading from the router'"'"'s database the set of sub-streams identifier related to this service,

setting the router'"'"'s filter according to the selected sub-streams.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein it comprises the following steps:

sending by the multimedia unit at least a part of the current multimedia unit'"'"'s profile to the management center related to a given service,

selecting by the management center the sub-streams identifier of said service matching said multimedia unit'"'"'s profile,

sending the selected sub-stream identifiers of said service to the router,

setting the router'"'"'s filter for said service according to the selected sub-streams.

9. The method of claim 7, in which the data stream comprises information data describing the meaning of the sub-streams defining a service, wherein it comprises the following steps:

sending by the multimedia unit at least a part of the current multimedia unit'"'"'s profile to the router related to a given service,

determining the sub-streams identifier of said service matching the multimedia unit'"'"'s profile based on the information data,

setting the router'"'"'s filter for said service according to the selected sub-streams.