DEVICE WITH VIDEO BUFFER MODELING AND METHODS FOR USE THEREWITH

• US 20120110167A1
• Filed: 09/13/2011
• Published: 05/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NetScout Systems Texas, LLC (NetScout Systems Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Avvasi Inc (NetScout Systems Incorporated)
• Inventors: Joch, Anthony Peter, Ford, Nicholas, Kordasiewicz, Roman Czeslaw, Goertz, Kevin
• Granted Patent: US 9,485,298 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/142 using statistical or mathematical methods
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5067 Customer-centric QoS measurements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/065 related to network devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/08 Monitoring or testing based on specific metrics, e.g. QoS, energy consumption or environmental parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/12 Network monitoring probes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/752 adapting media to network capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2401 Monitoring of the client buffer

Abstract

A device includes a frame data analyzer that generates buffer increment data based on frame data sent from the media server to the media client and further based on acknowledgement data sent from the media client to the media server. A playback data generator generates playback data based on frame data buffer contents and further based on player state data. A frame buffer model generator generates a buffer fullness indicator and the frame data buffer contents, based on the buffer increment data and the playback data. A player state generator generates the player state data, based on the buffer fullness indicator and further based on media client data, media server data and player command data.

Claims

1. A device for use in a system that analyzes media session data communicated via a network between a media server and a media client, the device comprising:

a frame data analyzer that generates buffer increment data based on frame data sent from the media server to the media client and further based on acknowledgement data sent from the media client to the media server;

a playback data generator that generates playback data based on frame data buffer contents and further based on player state data;

a frame buffer model generator, coupled to the frame data analyzer and the playback data generator, that generates a buffer fullness indicator and the frame data buffer contents, based on the buffer increment data and the playback data; and

a player state generator, coupled to the frame buffer model generator, that generates the player state data, based on the buffer fullness indicator and further based on media client data, media server data and player command data.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the buffer fullness indicator indicates an estimate of an amount of frame data stored in a buffer of the media client.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein the frame data analyzer generates the buffer increment data when the frame data and the acknowledgement data indicate a particular video frame sent from the media server to the media client has arrived at the media client;

and

wherein the frame buffer model generator increases the estimate of the amount of frame data stored in the buffer of the media client in response to the buffer increment data.

4. The device of claim 2 wherein the playback data generator generates the playback data that indicates the playback of a particular media frame when the playback state data indicates a playback state;

and

wherein the frame buffer model generator decreases the estimate of the amount of frame data stored in the buffer of the media client in response to the playback data.

5. The device of claim 2 wherein the playback state data indicates a playback state when the estimate of the amount of frame data stored in the buffer of the media client increases to a first threshold;

wherein the playback state data indicates a stall state when the estimate of the amount of frame data stored in the buffer of the media client decreases to a second threshold; and

wherein the first threshold is generated based on at least one of;

media server data and the media client data.

6. The device of claim 1 further comprising:

a viewing behavior analyzer, coupled to the frame data buffer module generator and the playback data generator, that generates viewing behavior data based on the frame data and the playback data; and

a key performance index (KPI) report generator coupled to the viewing behavior analyzer the frame buffer model generator and the player state generator, that generates KPI report data based on the viewing behavior data, the buffer fullness indicator and the player state data.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein the media client data includes at least one of:

default media client data;

specific media client data corresponding to the media client; and

hypothetical media client data.

8. The device of claim 1 further comprising:

a session optimization analyzer, coupled to the frame buffer model generator and the player state generator, that generates session optimization data based on the buffer fullness indicator and the player state data.

9. The device of claim 1 further comprising:

a session quality analyzer, coupled to the playback state generator, that generates session quality data based on the playback state data.

10. The device of claim 1 further comprising:

a session quality analyzer, coupled to the playback state generator, that generates a playback duration and a stall duration corresponding to the media session based on the playback state data and generates session quality data based on the playback duration and the stall duration; and

a session optimization analyzer, coupled to the frame buffer model generator and the player state generator, that generates session optimization data based on session quality data, the buffer fullness indicator and the player state data.

11. The device of claim 1 wherein the frame data analyzer detects a seek operation and generates seek notification data in response thereto;

wherein the player state generator generates player state data to indicate the seek operation.

12. The device of claim 1 wherein the frame data analyzer detects at least one spurious flow of a plurality of media traffic flows, wherein the at least one spurious flow is not used for playback.

13. The device of claim 1 wherein the frame data analyzer detects the at least one spurious flow based on a look-ahead of frame arrival information for the plurality of media traffic flows.

14. The device of claim 1 wherein the frame data analyzer detects a stream switch operation from a first media traffic flow to a second media traffic flow and generates stream switch notification data in response thereto.

15. A method for use in a system that analyzes media session data communicated via a network between a media server and a media client, the device comprising:

generating buffer increment data based on frame data sent from the media server to the media client and further based on acknowledgement data sent from the media client to the media server;

generating playback data based on frame data buffer contents and further based on player state data;

generating a buffer fullness indicator and the frame data buffer contents, based on the buffer increment data and the playback data; and

generating the player state data, based on the buffer fullness indicator and further based on media client data, media server data and player command data.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the buffer fullness indicator indicates an estimate of an amount of frame data stored in a buffer of the media client.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the buffer increment data is generated when the frame data and the acknowledgement data indicate a particular video frame sent from the media server to the media client has arrived at the media client;

and

wherein generating the buffer fullness indicator includes increasing the estimate of the amount of frame data stored in the buffer of the media client in response to the buffer increment data.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the playback data indicates the playback of a particular media frame when the playback state data indicates a playback state;

and

wherein generating the buffer fullness indicator includes decreasing the estimate of the amount of frame data stored in the buffer of the media client in response to the playback data.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein the playback state data indicates a playback state when the estimate of the amount of frame data stored in the buffer of the media client increases to a first threshold;

wherein the playback state data indicates a stall state when the estimate of the amount of frame data stored in the buffer of the media client decreases to a second threshold; and

wherein the first threshold is generated based on at least one of;

media server data and the media client data.

20. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

generating viewing behavior data based on the frame data and the playback data; and

generating key performance indicator (KPI) report data based on the viewing behavior data, the buffer fullness indicator and the player state data.

21. The method of claim 15 wherein the media client data includes at least one of:

default media client data;

specific media client data corresponding to the media client; and

hypothetical media client data.

22. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

generating session optimization data based on the buffer fullness indicator and the player state data.

23. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

generating session quality data based on the playback state data.

24. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

generating a playback duration and a stall duration corresponding to the media session based on the playback state data;

generating session quality data based on the playback duration and the stall duration; and

generating session optimization data based on session quality data, the buffer fullness indicator and the player state data.