MULTI-TIERED SCALABLE MEDIA STREAMING SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20100228862A1
• Filed: 03/09/2009
• Published: 09/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ARRIS Canada, Inc. (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ARRIS Canada, Inc. (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Myers, Robert Linwood
• Granted Patent: US 9,197,677 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1045 Proxies, e.g. for session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment

Abstract

Embodiments disclosed herein relate generally to systems and methods for delivering a scalable media stream from a media server to a media client, wherein thinning is performed at more than one location in the network between the media server and the media client. The system includes at least a session management node located close to the media server, and a client management node located close to the media client. The session management node receives the scalable media stream from the media sever and performs steady state thinning on the scalable media stream to produce a session media stream. The client management node receives a client input media stream, which is at least a portion of the scalable media stream, and performs dynamic thinning on the client input media stream to produce a client output media stream that is streamed to the media client.

Claims

1. A system for streaming a scalable media stream from a media server to a media client over a network, the system comprising:

(a) a session management node connected to the network, the session management node for;

(i) receiving the scalable media stream from the media server, and

(ii) performing steady state thinning on the scalable media stream to produce a session media stream; and

(b) a remote client management node connected to the network, the client management node for;

(i) receiving a client input media stream, the client input media stream being at least a portion of the session media stream,

(ii) performing dynamic thinning on the client input media stream to produce a client output media stream, the dynamic thinning being responsive to changes in network conditions between the client management node and the media client, and

(iii) transmitting the client output media stream to the media client.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the session management node further performs dynamic thinning on the scalable media stream, the dynamic thinning being responsive to changes in network conditions between the session management node and the client management node.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the system further comprises at least one intermediary management node, the at least one intermediary management node being situated between the client management node and the session management node, the intermediary management node for receiving at least a portion of the session media stream and for performing dynamic thinning on the at least a portion of the session media stream to produce the client input media stream, the dynamic thinning being responsive to changes in network conditions between the at least one intermediary management node and the client management node.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the session management node further performs dynamic thinning on the scalable media stream, the dynamic thinning being responsive to changes in network conditions between the session management node and the at least one intermediary management node.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein:

the system comprises a plurality of intermediary management nodes;

the client management node receives a request for the scalable media stream from the media client, selects one of the plurality of intermediary management nodes, and transmits the request to the selected intermediary management node;

the selected intermediary management node receives the request and transmits the request to the session management node; and

the session management node receives the request from the selected intermediary management node, transmits the request to the media server, and receives the scalable media stream in response to the request.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the client management node selects the intermediary management node using a preconfigured routing table.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the request from the media client includes a URL associated with the scalable media stream, and the client management node selects the intermediary management node using the preconfigured routing table and the URL associated with the scalable media stream.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the request from the media client includes a URL associated with the scalable media stream, and the client management node selects the intermediary management node using a dynamic routing table and the URL associated with the scalable media stream.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the session management node further acts as a media client when in communication with the media server, and the client management node acts as a media server when in communication with the media client.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the session management node further acts as an HTTP media client when in communication with the media server, and the client management node acts as an HTTP media server when in communication with the media client.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the session management node further acts as an RTP/RTSP client when in communication with the media server, and the client management node acts as an RTP/RTSP server when in communication with the media client.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the client management node performs dynamic thinning and stream policing on the client input media stream to produce the client output media stream.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein stream policing comprises at least one of rate shaping, quality of service, and forward error correction.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein steady state thinning is thinning performed to achieve a steady state operational point, the steady state operational point defining a resolution, frame rate and quality level for the scalable media stream.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the steady state operational point is based on at least one of an initial available network bandwidth between the session management node and the media client;

a resolution, frame rate and quality level specified by the media client;

a profile of the media client; and

a defined set of policies.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein dynamic thinning is thinning performed in response to dynamic feedback received from at least one of the session management node, the client management node, the media client and the network.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein dynamic thinning adjusts the steady state operational spot based on the dynamic feedback received.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the dynamic feedback indicates an available bandwidth.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the dynamic feedback comprises at least one RTCP message.

20. A method for streaming a scalable media stream from a media server to a media client over a network, the method comprising:

(a) receiving a request from the media client for the scalable media stream at a client management node;

(b) transmitting the request from the client management node to a session management node;

(c) receiving the request at the session management node;

(d) transmitting the request from the session management node to the media server;

(e) receiving the scalable media stream at the session management node in response to the request in (d);

(f) performing steady state thinning of the scalable media stream to produce a session media stream using the session management node;

(g) receiving a client input media stream at the client management node, the client input media stream being at least a portion of the session media stream;

(h) performing dynamic thinning on the client input media stream to produce a client output media stream using the client management node; and

(i) transmitting the client output media stream from the client management node to the media client.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein (f) comprises performing steady state thinning and dynamic thinning of the scalable media stream to produce a session media stream, the dynamic thinning being responsive to changes in network conditions between the session management node and the client management node.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein (b) comprises:

selecting one of a plurality of intermediary management nodes;

transmitting the request from the client management node to the selected intermediary management node;

receiving the request at the selected intermediary management node; and

transmitting the request from the selected intermediary management node to the session management node.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving at least a portion of the session media stream at the selected intermediary management node; and

performing dynamic thinning of the at least a portion of the session media stream to produce the client input media stream, the dynamic thinning being responsive to changes in network conditions between the selected intermediary management node and the client management node.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein (f) comprises performing steady state thinning and dynamic thinning of the scalable media stream to produce the session media stream, the dynamic thinning being responsive to changes in network conditions between the session management node and the selected intermediary management node.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein selecting one of the plurality of intermediary management nodes comprises selecting the intermediary management node based on a preconfigured routing table.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the request from the media client includes a URL associated with the scalable media stream, and selecting one of the plurality of intermediary management nodes comprises selecting the intermediary management node based on the preconfigured routing table and the URL associated with the scalable media stream.

27. The method of claim 22, wherein the request from the media client includes a URL associated with the scalable media stream, and selecting one of the plurality of intermediary management nodes comprises selecting the intermediary management node based on a dynamic routing table and the URL associated with the scalable media stream.

28. The method of claim 20, wherein the session management node acts as a media client when in communication with the media server, and the client management node acts as a media server when in communication with the media client.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the session management node acts as an HTTP media client when in communication with the media server, and the client management node acts as an HTTP media server when in communication with the media client.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein the session management node acts as an RTP/RTSP client when in communication with the media server, and the client management node acts as an RTP/RTSP server when in communication with the media client.

31. The method of claim 20, wherein (h) comprises performing dynamic thinning and stream policing on the client input media stream to produce the client output media stream using the client management node.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein stream policing comprises at least one of rate shaping, quality of service, and forward error correction.

33. The method of claim 20, wherein steady state thinning is thinning performed to achieve a steady state operational point, the steady state operational point defining a resolution, frame rate and quality level for the scalable media stream.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the steady state operational point is based on at least one of

an initial available network bandwidth between the session management node and the media client;

a resolution, frame rate and quality level specified by the media client;

a profile of the media client; and

a defined set of policies.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein dynamic thinning is thinning performed in response to dynamic feedback received from at least one of the session management node, the client management node, the media client and the network.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein dynamic thinning comprises adjusting the steady state operational spot based on the dynamic feedback received.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the dynamic feedback indicates an available bandwidth.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the dynamic feedback comprises at least one RTCP message.