ADAPTIVE VIDEO QUALITY SUBSTITUTION

• US 20120131601A1
• Filed: 11/23/2010
• Published: 05/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: MCDYSAN, David E., O'CALLAGHAN, Daniel J., LEIDEN, Stevan H., PASKO, Douglas M., RATHKE, John E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,856,813 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23805 Controlling the feeding rate to the network, e.g. by controlling the video pump
• 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 21/2541 Rights Management protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10; security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25808 Management of client data terminal profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/303

Abstract

A computing device, in a video content delivery network, intercepts requested video content prior to delivery of the requested video content to a customer premise device of the network, and receives subscription and authentication information of a customer associated with the customer premise device. The computing device receives video content provider information, and validates the requested video content based on the subscription and authentication information and the video content provider information. The computing device receives capability information associated with the customer premise device, and receives bandwidth information associated with the network. The computing device determines a quality of video content, to provide to the customer premise device, based on the customer premise device capability information and the network bandwidth information, and provides, to the customer premise device, video content with the determined quality.

Claims

1. A method implemented by a computing device in a network that delivers video content, the method comprising:

intercepting, by the computing device, requested video content prior to delivery of the requested video content to a customer premise device of the network;

receiving, by the computing device, subscription and authentication information of a customer associated with the customer premise device;

receiving, by the computing device, video content provider information;

validating, by the computing device, the requested video content based on the subscription and authentication information and based on the video content provider information;

receiving, by the computing device, capability information associated with the customer premise device;

receiving, by the computing device, bandwidth information associated with the network;

determining, by the computing device, a quality of video content, to provide to the customer premise device, based on the customer premise device capability information and based on the network bandwidth information; and

providing, by the computing device and to the customer premise device, video content with the determined quality.

2. The method of claim 1, where the computing device is provided in one or more of:

a super head end (SHE) of the network, or

a video hub office (VHO) of the network.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining copyright information associated with the requested video content; and

validating the requested video content based on one or more of;

the copyright information,

the subscription and authentication information, or

the video content provider information.

4. The method of claim 3, where the copyright information includes reproduction rights, as set forth by the Digital Entertainment Content Ecosystem (DECE) consortium, associated with the requested video content.

5. The method of claim 1, where the video content includes over the top (OTT) video content.

6. The method of claim 1, where the subscription and authentication information includes one or more of:

a subscription of the customer for video content, or

information used to authenticate the customer for receipt of the requested video content.

7. The method of claim 1, where the video content provider information includes a price charged for the requested video content by a provider of the requested video content.

8. The method of claim 1, where the customer premise device capability information includes a level of quality of video content capable of being received by the customer premise device.

9. The method of claim 1, where the network bandwidth information includes bandwidth of the network that is available for delivering the requested video content to the customer premise device.

10. The method of claim 1, where determining a quality of video content includes:

adding differentials to the requested video content to create higher quality video content than the requested video content; and

replacing the requested video content with the higher quality video content.

11. The method of claim 1, where determining a quality of video content includes:

subtracting differentials from the requested video content to create lower quality video content than the requested video content; and

replacing the requested video content with the lower quality video content.

12. The method of claim 1, where providing video content with the determined quality includes:

providing, to the customer premise device, higher quality video content than the requested video content; and

utilizing the increase in quality of the requested video content for charging the customer.

13. The method of claim 1, where providing video content with the determined quality includes:

providing, to the customer premise device, lower quality video content than the requested video content.

14. A computing device provided in a network that delivers video content, where the computing device comprises:

a memory to store a plurality of instructions; and

a processor to execute instructions in the memory to;

intercept requested over the top (OTT) video content prior to delivery of the requested OTT video content to a customer premise device of the network,

receive subscription and authentication information of a customer associated with the customer premise device,

receive OTT video content provider information,

validate the requested OTT video content based on the subscription and authentication information and based on the OTT video content provider information,

receive capability information associated with the customer premise device,

receive bandwidth information associated with the network,

determine a quality of OTT video content, to provide to the customer premise device, based on the customer premise device capability information and based on the network bandwidth information, and

provide, to the customer premise device, OTT video content with the determined quality.

15. The computing device of claim 14, where the computing device is provided in one or more of:

a super head end (SHE) of the network, or

a video hub office (VHO) of the network.

16. The computing device of claim 14, where the processor is further to execute instructions in the memory to:

determine copyright information associated with the requested OTT video content, and

validate the requested OTT video content based on one or more of;

the copyright information,

the subscription and authentication information, or

the OTT video content provider information.

17. The computing device of claim 16, where the copyright information includes reproduction rights, as set forth by the Digital Entertainment Content Ecosystem (DECE) consortium, associated with the requested OTT video content.

18. The computing device of claim 14, where the subscription and authentication information includes one or more of:

a subscription of the customer for OTT video content, or

information used to authenticate the customer for receipt of the requested OTT video content.

19. The computing device of claim 14, where the OTT video content provider information includes a price charged for the requested OTT video content by a provider of the requested OTT video content.

20. The computing device of claim 14, where the customer premise device capability information includes a level of quality of OTT video content capable of being received by the customer premise device.

21. The computing device of claim 14, where the network bandwidth information includes bandwidth of the network that is available for delivering the requested OTT video content to the customer premise device.

22. The computing device of claim 14, where, when determining a quality of OTT video content, the processor is further to execute instructions in the memory to:

add differentials to the requested OTT video content to create higher quality OTT video content than the requested OTT video content, and

replace the requested OTT video content with the higher quality OTT video content.

23. The computing device of claim 14, where, when determining a quality of OTT video content, the processor is further to execute instructions in the memory to:

subtract differentials from the requested OTT video content to create lower quality OTT video content than the requested OTT video content, and

replace the requested OTT video content with the lower quality OTT video content.

24. The computing device of claim 14, where, when providing OTT video content with the determined quality, the processor is further to execute instructions in the memory to one of:

provide, to the customer premise device, higher quality OTT video content than the requested OTT video content, or

provide, to the customer premise device, lower quality OTT video content than the requested OTT video content.

25. A system, comprising:

one or more devices to;

intercept requested video content prior to delivery of the requested video content to a customer premise device of a network,

receive subscription and authentication information of a customer associated with the customer premise device,

receive video content provider information,

determine copyright information associated with the requested video content,

validate the requested video content based on one or more of the copyright information, the subscription and authentication information, or the video content provider information,

receive capability information associated with the customer premise device,

receive bandwidth information associated with the network,

determine a quality of video content, to provide to the customer premise device, based on the customer premise device capability information and based on the network bandwidth information, and

provide, to the customer premise device, video content with the determined quality.