APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR IDENTIFYING AND CHARACTERIZING LATENCY IN A CONTENT DELIVERY NETWORK
First Claim
1. A method for providing data relating to interaction of a client device of a content distribution network with one or more portions of content provided over said network, said method comprising:
- determining a latency attributable to said device;
determining a latency attributable to a path within said network which said content must take to be provided to said device;
utilizing said latency attributable to said device and said latency attributable to said network path to determine a aggregate latency specific to said device;
collecting data relating to interaction of said device with said one or more portions of said content; and
accounting for said aggregate latency with respect to said data.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for identification and characterization of latency in a content delivery network. In one embodiment, interaction of users with content is recorded via the collection of a plurality of tuning records; the latency is then utilize to adjust the timing on the tuning records to account for lapses in time for sending these from between entities of the network and the user devices, and for processing occurring at the devices as required. The latency is determined by taking into account an experimentally or manufacturer-derived device specific latency component, and a network latency component. The network latency component is determined in one variant by sending a message to the device from the network requesting a current system time (or other response). Once the timing of the tuning records is adjusted, these tuning records may be relied upon as being accurate representations of subscriber interaction with content on a second-by-second basis. Accordingly, tuning records may be obtained and analyzed for content which lasts for very short periods of time (e.g. advertisements).
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Citations
32 Claims
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1. A method for providing data relating to interaction of a client device of a content distribution network with one or more portions of content provided over said network, said method comprising:
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determining a latency attributable to said device; determining a latency attributable to a path within said network which said content must take to be provided to said device; utilizing said latency attributable to said device and said latency attributable to said network path to determine a aggregate latency specific to said device; collecting data relating to interaction of said device with said one or more portions of said content; and accounting for said aggregate latency with respect to said data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for accounting for an asynchronization between an entity for providing content in a content delivery network and a plurality of devices for receiving said content therefrom, said asynchronization being unique for each of said plurality of devices, said method comprising:
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determining values for a latency attributable to respective ones of said plurality of devices, respectively; determining values for a latency attributable to respective network paths taken for the delivery of said content to each of said plurality of devices; and for each of said plurality of devices, utilizing said latency attributable thereto, and said latency attributable to said respective one of said network paths, to determine composite latencies unique to each of said plurality of devices.
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10. A method for determining a system latency specific to an individual one of a plurality of devices in a content delivery network, said method comprising:
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collecting a value for latency attributable to said individual one of said plurality of devices; sending a message requiring a response to said individual one of said plurality of devices at a first time; receiving, in response to said message said response from said individual one of said plurality of devices, said response indicating a second time; and applying at least one algorithm to; determine a portion of the difference between said second and said first time attributable to a one-way traversal of said network to said individual one device; and combine said portion of said difference with said value for latency attributable to said individual one of said plurality of devices to obtain a system latency for that individual one device. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. Consumer premises equipment (CPE) for use in a content delivery network, said CPE comprising:
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at least one first interface configured to communicate with said content delivery network; a storage apparatus; and a digital processor, said digital processor configured to run at least one computer program thereon, said program being configured to, when executed; determine a measure of time which said CPE is out of synchronization to at least one entity of said network; collect a plurality of records, each of said plurality of records indicating; a time of collection of said record; and a descriptor of an interaction of a user of said CPE with one or more content elements; and re-synchronize said collected plurality of records by adjusting said time of said collection for each of said records by said measure of time. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A network apparatus for determining amounts of time by which records collected by a user device must be adjusted to account for latency in a content delivery network, said network apparatus comprising:
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at least one first interface configured to communicate at least said user device; a storage apparatus; and a digital processor, said digital processor configured to run at least one computer program thereon which is configured to, when executed; obtain a first value representative of processing delay at said user device; derive a second value associated with a transmission delay between said network apparatus and said user device; and utilize said first and said second values to calculate a third value, said third value representing a unique amount of time individual ones of said records collected at said user device must be adjusted. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A method of obtaining data relating to content, comprising:
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delivering content to a plurality of users of a network; obtaining data relating to interactions of said users with said delivered content; and adjusting said data so that it accurately reflects the timing of said interactions relative to delivery of said content. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32)
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Specification