ADAPTIVE RATE SHIFTING FOR DELIVERY OF VIDEO SERVICES TO SERVICE GROUPS

• US 20130239155A1
• Filed: 05/20/2013
• Published: 09/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ericsson AB (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Original Assignee: Ericsson Television Incorporated (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Alexander, James
• Granted Patent: US 9,407,945 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/95
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/613 for the control of the source by the destination control signals issued by the client directed to the server or network components specially adapted for selective content distribution H04N21/637
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/752 adapting media to network capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/756 adapting media to device capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23805 Controlling the feeding rate to the network, e.g. by controlling the video pump
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/239 Interfacing the upstream path of the transmission network, e.g. prioritizing client content requests hybrid fiber coaxial [HFC] networks for upstream channel allocation for video distribution H04L12/2801; flow control in data networks H04L47/10; real-time communication protocols in data switching networks H04L65/00; scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• 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 21/25808 Management of client data terminal profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/303
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64769 for rate control flow control in packet networks H04L47/10

Abstract

A video stream is provided to a set top box of a viewer to fulfill the viewer'"'"'s request for a video on-demand service. The video stream is encoded at one of a plurality of encoding rates selected by a Service Quality Manager based on parameters defined for a service group, which in various embodiments may comprise the viewer, or the viewer along with other customers serviced by a single QAM. The parameters used for determining the encoding rate may involve currently allocated bandwidth, the viewer'"'"'s service parameters, other customer'"'"'s service parameters, and historical data regarding encoding rate selection data. The encoding rate used to encode a stream may be modified during streaming in response to other service requests. The encoding rate may be shifted based on anticipated service requests from other members in the service group.

Claims

1. A system for determining an encoding rate for a digital video information stream, the system comprising:

a service quality server further comprising

at least one processor,

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, coupled to the at least one processor, including computer-readable instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, are configured to;

receive a video quality service parameter from a service profile of a customer, wherein the video quality service parameter indicates a level of video quality to be streamed to the customer,

determine whether, responsive to a previous request for video service, the customer is presently being provided with another digital video information stream, and if so, determine an associated encoding level of the another digital video information stream,

determine a level of resource allocation related to bandwidth on a shared transmission medium serving the customer,

determine an encoding rate from a plurality of encoding rates for the customer in response to a present request for video service,

provide authorization for a server comprising a session manager to provide the digital video information stream, wherein the digital video information stream is encoded at the encoding rate, and

update the level of resource allocation commensurate with the encoding rate used to encode the digital video information stream.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer-readable instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, are further configured to:

in response to a determination that the customer is being provided with another digital video information stream and to the present request for video service, reduce a quality of video encoding presently used for the another digital video stream.

3. The system for determining an encoding rate for a digital information stream of claim 1, wherein the computer-readable instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, are further configured to:

update the level of resource allocation commensurate with the encoding rate used to encode the digital video information stream and by taking into account the reduction of quality of the another digital video information stream.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an encoding rate manager including;

at least a second processor, and

a second memory, coupled to at least the second processor, including computer-readable instructions, when executed by at least the second processor, are configured to;

communicate with an encoder, wherein the encoder encodes the digital video information stream from a first encoding rate to a second encoding rate.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a session manager including;

at least a second processor, and

a second memory, coupled to at least the second processor, including computer-readable instructions, when executed by at least the second processor, are configured to;

inform the service quality manager whether the customer is presently being provided with another digital video information stream in response to the previous request for video service.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a historical usage database including data pertaining to prior encoding rates used to encode digital video information streams for the customer, wherein the computer-readable instructions, when executed by the at least one processor of the service quality server, are configured to query the historical usage database.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a resource allocation database for storing information of encoding rates presently allocated to a plurality of customers.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the encoding rate among the plurality of encoding rates is above a minimum encode rate indicated in a customer service profile of the customer.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the computer-readable instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, are further configured to update the level of resource allocation commensurate with the encoding rate used to the encode the digital video information stream does not exceed a threshold level associated with the customer service profile.

10. A method for selecting an encoding rate, comprising:

receiving a request for determining an encoding rate for a digital video information stream associated with a present request for video service from a customer, the present request for video service originating in response to the customer requesting a video service;

determining a video quality encoding level associated with a customer service profile associated with the customer;

determining whether the customer is presently being provided with another digital video information stream responsive to a previous request for video service from the customer;

determining a level of resource allocation related to bandwidth on a shared transmission medium serving the customer;

selecting the encoding rate from a plurality of encoding rates for the digital video information stream for the customer in response to the present request for video service from the customer;

providing authorization for a minimum encoding rate for the customer defined in a customer service profile;

providing the digital video information stream, wherein the digital video information stream is encoded at the encoding rate; and

updating the level of resource allocation commensurate with the encoding rate used to encode the digital video information stream.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

in response to a determination that the customer is being provided with another digital information stream and to the present request for video service, reducing a quality of video encoding presently used for the another digital video stream.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the updating further comprises:

updating the level of resource allocation commensurate with the encoding rate used to encode the digital video information stream and by taking into account the reduction of quality of the another digital video information stream.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

selecting a digital video file of a plurality of digital video files stored in a server, wherein each digital video file among the plurality of digital video files are of a common video program encoded at different encoding rates; and

streaming the digital file of the plurality of digital video files to the customer.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

querying a historical usage database including historical encoding rate usage data pertaining to previously-used encoding rates used to encode digital video information for the customer; and

determining the encoding rate using the historical encoding rate usage data.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the updating of the level of resource allocation records an encoding rate used for encoding the digital video information.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the encoding rate is above a minimum encoding rate defined for the customer in a customer service profile.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the server stores a plurality of digital video information streams encoded at different encoding rates associated with a common movie program.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein determining a level of resource allocation related to bandwidth on a shared transmission medium serving said customer further comprises determining a level of resource allocation to a service group comprising a plurality of customers.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the service group comprising the plurality of customers further comprises a set of customers sharing a common quadrature amplitude modulation (CAM) modulator.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein updating the level of resource allocation commensurate with the encoding rate used to encode the digital video information stream further comprises updating usage of the service group.