METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR FORMAT SELECTION FOR NETWORK OPTIMIZATION

• US 20120272285A1
• Filed: 04/23/2012
• Published: 10/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Inventors: Brooks, Paul D., Rieger, Remi
• Granted Patent: US 9,491,498 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/146
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23439 for generating different versions
• 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 21/2405 Monitoring of the internal components or processes of the server, e.g. server load allocation of resources in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/50; performance measurement of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26216 involving the channel capacity, e.g. network bandwidth admission control, resource allocation in open networks H04L12/5692; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; establishing a schedule or organising the servicing of application requests taking into account QoS H04L67/61
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64792 Controlling the complexity of the content stream, e.g. by dropping packets intermediate media network packet handling H04L65/765; proxy provisioning conversion or adaptation for reducing the amount or size of exchanged application data H04L67/5651; negotiation of resources in wireless networks H04W28/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38

Abstract

Method and apparatus for optimizing network bandwidth utilization by delivering to users only the minimum number of programs required by service provider policies. In one embodiment, the method comprises switching some users from lower quality versions of programs to higher quality versions of the same programs, and removing those lower quality versions of programs from a given service group. In another embodiment, some users are switched from higher quality versions of programs to lower quality versions of those same programs, and the higher quality versions of programs removed from a given service group.

Claims

1-32. -32. (canceled)

33. A method of operating a network for the distribution of a plurality of content to a plurality of client devices, said method comprising:

storing a plurality of content, individual ones of said plurality of content each having a plurality of encoding profiles associated therewith, each of said encoding profiles comprising a different encoding of an associated individual one of said plurality of content;

selecting from among said plurality of encoding profiles associated to an individual one of said plurality of content a particular encoding profile, said selection based at least in part on an aspect of said individual one of said plurality of content; and

delivering said individual one of said plurality of content to said plurality of client devices according to said particular encoding profile via said network.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein said encoding profiles comprise a plurality of bitrate profiles, and said individual one of said plurality of content is delivered to said plurality of client devices exclusively according to said particular profile.

35. The method of claim 33, further comprising:

controllably switching at least some devices receiving said individual one of said plurality of content from said network according to a first one of said encoding profiles to said particular encoding profile, said switching being based at least in part on one or more operational conditions associated with said network; and

removing at least said individual one of said plurality of content according to said first one of said encoding profiles from programming being delivered over said network.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein:

said network comprises a broadcast switched architecture (BSA) network, and said removing comprises switching off said individual one of said plurality of content according to said first one of said encoding profiles for at least a portion of a given service group; and

said one or more operational conditions associated with said network comprises a bandwidth constraint.

37. The method of claim 33, wherein said first one of said encoding profiles comprises a lower bitrate version of said individual one of said plurality of programs, and said particular encoding profile comprises a higher bitrate version of said individual one of said plurality of programs.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein said aspect of said individual one of said plurality of content comprises the content having a high rate of motion.

39. The method of claim 33, wherein said first one of said encoding profiles comprises a higher bitrate version of said individual one of said plurality of programs, and said particular encoding profile comprises a lower bitrate version of said bitrate profile.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein said nature of said individual one of said plurality of content comprises content having a low rate of motion.

41. A method of operating a content distribution network, comprising:

making available a plurality versions of a program, each version comprising a respective encoding profile;

identifying at least one geographic region and a persistent network condition associated with said at least one geographic region; and

based at least in part on said identifying, selecting one of said plurality of versions for delivery over said network.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein said encoding profiles comprise at least (i) a low bitrate version of the program, and (ii) a high bitrate version of the program, each of said low and high bitrate versions encoded according to the same encoding scheme.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein said low and high bitrate versions correspond to a standard definition (SD) version and a high definition (HD) version of same program, respectively.

44. The method of claim 41, wherein:

identifying said persistent network condition comprises identifying a bandwidth surplus that is insufficient to accommodate a first version of said program having a first bitrate profile without removal of at least a second version of said program having a second bitrate profile; and

said selecting comprises;

(i) selecting said first version of said program; and

(ii) consolidating a plurality of tuners of said network onto said first version of said program so as to permit removal of at least said second version of said program from delivery.

45. The method of claim 41, wherein:

identifying said persistent network condition comprises identifying a bandwidth deficiency; and

said selecting comprises;

(i) selecting a first version of said program having a first bitrate profile; and

(ii) consolidating a plurality of tuners of said network onto said first version of said program so as to permit removal of at least a second version of said program having a second bitrate profile from delivery, said second bitrate profile comprising a high bitrate version of the program.

46. The method of claim 41, wherein:

said identifying said persistent network condition comprises identifying a bandwidth surplus that is sufficient to accommodate a version of said program having a high bitrate profile; and

said selecting comprises selecting said version of said program having said high bitrate profile for delivery.

47. The method of claim 41, wherein said identifying comprises identifying a future bandwidth surplus.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein said identifying is based at least in part on said predictive analysis.

49. The method of claim 47, wherein said predictive analysis comprises analysis of historical bandwidth consumption or allocation data.

50. A method of utilizing bandwidth on a content distribution network, comprising:

generating a plurality of different bitrate profile versions of a program;

evaluating bandwidth available on said network to identify at least one projected bandwidth surplus or deficiency;

evaluating a number and configuration of a plurality of client devices within a particular service area or group requesting said program; and

selectively substituting a first one of said plurality of different bitrate profile versions of said program for a second one of said plurality of different bitrate profile versions of said program that is delivered over said network, said selective substitution being based at least in part on said acts of evaluating bandwidth and evaluating a number and configuration.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein performance of said act of selectively substituting substantially consumes said surplus or substantially mitigates said deficiency.

52. The method of claim 50, wherein:

said act of evaluating a configuration of said plurality of client devices comprises identifying individual ones of said plurality of client devices capable of utilizing said second one of said plurality of different bitrate profile versions of said program; and

said method further comprises causing at least a portion of said plurality of client devices within said particular service area requesting said program to tune to said program rendered in said second one of said plurality of different bitrate profile versions, thereby reducing instances of duplicate programming delivery in said network.

53. The method of claim 50, wherein:

when said evaluating indicates a projected deficiency, said act of selectively substituting comprises substituting a down-rated version of said program as compared to said first one of said plurality of different bitrate profile versions; and

when said evaluating indicates a projected surplus, said act of selectively substituting comprises substituting an up-rated version of said program as compared to said first one of said plurality of different bitrate profile versions.