Managing Bandwidth Allocation to a Plurality of Subscribers Utilizing Opportunistic Bandwidth

• US 20080279217A1
• Filed: 07/25/2008
• Published: 11/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Tech 5 SAS
• Original Assignee: Tech 5 SAS
• Inventors: Wall, William E., Rodriguez, Arturo A., Avila, Luis, McDonald, James F.
• Application Number:
  US12/179,767
• Publication Number:
  US 20080279217A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/468
• 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

In a resource manager, a method for managing bandwidth allocation to a plurality of subscribers utilizing opportunistic bandwidth including tracking a bandwidth utilization on multiple links, receiving a request for services along one of the links, and selecting a video data rate on the one of the links that meets available bandwidth.

Claims

1. 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 a bandwidth utilization on multiple links;

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

selecting a video data rate on the one of the links that meets available bandwidth.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of tracking comprises tracking the bandwidth utilization on the multiple links to a single subscriber and wherein the step of selecting comprises selecting the video data rate on the one of the links to the single subscriber that optimizes another video data rate on another one of the links to the one subscriber.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of selecting step comprises reducing the video data rate on one or more of the links to optimize video data rates to one or more of the other links.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of allocating bandwidth based on rules defined at a server.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of selecting comprises selecting the video data rate based upon a display type that meets the available bandwidth.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of selecting comprises selecting a non-real-time video data rate to reduce traffic load.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of selecting comprises tailoring the video data rate to correspond to a display type.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of selecting comprises reducing the video data rate on one or more of the links to optimize video data rates to one or more of the other links.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of utilizing a map to identify set-top boxes associated with each of the links.

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

tracking a bandwidth utilization on multiple links;

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

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

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of selecting step comprises selecting a reduced video data rate on at least one of the links to optimize video data rates to one or more of the other links.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of selecting comprises selecting a reduced video data rate on at least one of the links to optimize video data rates to the at least one of the links.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of tracking comprises tracking the bandwidth utilization on the multiple links to a single subscriber and wherein the step of selecting comprises selecting the video data rate on the one of the links to the single subscriber that optimizes another video data rate on another one of the links to the one subscriber.

14. A server device, comprising:

a resource manager configured with a processor to track a bandwidth utilization on multiple links, receive a request for services along one of the links, and select a video data rate on the one of the links that meets available bandwidth.

15. The server device of claim 14, wherein the resource manager is further configured to:

detect packets being dropped on at least one of the links as a result of oversubscription; and

select a video data rate on at least one the links to one of the subscribers to meet the available bandwidth.

16. The server device of claim 14, wherein the resource manager is further configured to select a reduced video data rate on at least one of the links to optimize video data rates to one or more of the other links.

17. The server device of claim 14, wherein the resource manager is further configured to allocate bandwidth based on rules defined at the server device.

18. The server device of claim 14, wherein the resource manager is further configured to select the video data rate based upon a display type that meets the available bandwidth.

19. The server device of claim 14, wherein the resource manager is further configured to select a non-real-time video data rate to reduce traffic load.

20. The server device of claim 14, wherein the resource manager is further configured to utilize a map to identify set-top boxes associated with each of the links, wherein the resource manager is further configured to update the bandwidth utilization of the set-top boxes in the map periodically.