VIDEO DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM REDUCING VIDEO DATA TRAFFIC AND A METHOD THEREFOR

• US 20140026173A1
• Filed: 06/26/2013
• Published: 01/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: OKI Electric Industry Company Limited
• Original Assignee: OKI Electric Industry Company Limited
• Inventors: TAKEZAWA, Masayuki, UEDA, Yoshihiro
• Granted Patent: US 9,009,771 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/109
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2183 Cache memory caches in web servers or browsers G06F16/9574; intermediate storage and caching in data networks H04L67/568
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23106 involving caching operations prefetching while addressing of a memory level in which the access to the desired data or data block requires associative addressing means within memory systems or architectures G06F12/0862; caching at an intermediate stage in a data network H04L67/568
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/60 Network structure or processes for video distribution between server and client or between remote clients; Control signalling between clients, server and network components; Transmission of management data between server and client , e.g. sending from server to client commands for recording incoming content stream; Communication details between server and client
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8456 by decomposing the content in the time domain, e.g. in time segments

Abstract

In a video distribution apparatus, a memory caches segments of video data into which video data received from a communication network is sectioned on a basis of a predetermined unit and stores video identifying information of the segments of video data. A distribution controller derives, upon receipt of a cache distribution request from the network, video identifying information contained in a cache distribution request. A relay controller obtains segments of video data associated with the video identifying information from the memory to transfer the obtained segments of video data to a requester at a transfer rate defined on the segments of video data in the vicinity of a source of the video data. The video can be distributed at a transfer rate close to a transfer rate defined by a content distribution server while the video traffic can be diminished.

Claims

1. A video distribution apparatus comprising:

a memory caching a segment of video data into which video data received from a communication network is sectioned on a basis of a predetermined unit, and storing at least video identifying information identifying the segment of video data;

a distribution controller operative in response to a cache distribution request received from the network for deriving the video identifying information contained in the cache distribution request, and controlling relay distribution on the basis of the obtained video identifying information; and

a relay controller receiving the cache distribution request to supply the received cache distribution request to said distribution controller, and obtaining the segment of video data associated with the video identifying information from said memory to transfer the obtained segment of video data to a requester at a transfer rate defined on the segment of video data in a vicinity of a source of the video data.

2. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said distribution controller derives transmission information of the segment of video data in the vicinity of the source included in the cache distribution request, and

said relay controller transfers the segment of video data at a transfer rate based on the transmission information derived by said distribution controller.

3. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said memory stores reception time and a size of the segment of video data in the vicinity of the source,

said distribution controller calculates the transfer rate in the vicinity of the source on the basis of the reception time and the size of the segment of video data associated with the video identifying information, and

said relay controller transfers the segment of video data at the transfer rate calculated by said distribution controller.

4. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a video distribution program which controls a computer to cache in a memory a segment of video data into which video data received from a communication network is sectioned on a basis of a predetermined unit and to store at least video identifying information identifying the segment of video data, said program further controlling the computer to function as:

a distribution controller operative in response to a cache distribution request received from the network for deriving the video identifying information contained in the cache distribution request, and controlling relay distribution on the basis of the obtained video identifying information; and

a relay controller receiving the cache distribution request to supply the received cache distribution request to said distribution controller, and obtaining the segment of video data associated with the video identifying information from said memory to transfer the obtained segment of video data to a requester at a transfer rate defined on the segment of video data in a vicinity of a source of the video data.

5. A video distribution method in a video distribution apparatus, said apparatus comprising:

a memory caching a segment of video data into which video data received from a communication network is sectioned on a basis of a predetermined unit, and storing at least video identifying information identifying the segment of video data;

a distribution controller operative in response to a cache distribution request received from the network for deriving the video identifying information contained in the cache distribution request, and controlling relay distribution on the basis of the obtained video identifying information; and

a relay controller receiving the cache distribution request to supply the received cache distribution request to said distribution controller, and obtaining the segment of video data associated with the video identifying information from said memory to transfer the obtained segment of video data to a requester at a transfer rate defined on the segment of video data in a vicinity of a source of the video data,

said method comprising;

receiving the cache distribution request by said relay controller, and supplying the received cache distribution request to said distribution controller;

obtaining by said distribution controller the video identifying information contained in the cache distribution request and controlling relay distribution on the basis of the obtained video identifying information;

reading out by said distribution controller from said memory the cached segment of video data associated with the obtained video identifying information; and

transferring by said relay controller the read-out segment of video data to a requester at a transfer rate defined on the segment of video data in the vicinity of a source of the video data.

6. A cache controlling apparatus receiving video data near a source of the video data, comprising:

a cooperation controller dividing the received video data into at least one segment of video data on a basis of a predetermined unit, and obtaining video identifying information identifying the segment of video data;

a memory storing the video identifying information of the segment of video data in association with reception time and a size of the segment of video data,

said cooperation controller determining whether or not said memory contains the video identifying information matching the obtained video identifying information, and outputting a control signal representative of a result of determination; and

a relay controller operative in response to the control signal for transmitting, when said memory contains the video identifying information matching the obtained video identifying information, a cache distribution request containing at least the video identifying information.

7. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a cache control program which controls a computer to function as a cache controlling apparatus receiving video data near a source of the video data, said apparatus comprising:

a cooperation controller dividing the received video data into at least one segment of video data on a basis of a predetermined unit, and obtaining video identifying information identifying the segment of video data;

a memory storing the video identifying information of the segment of video data in association with reception time and a size of the segment of video data,

said cooperation controller determining whether or not said memory contains the video identifying information matching the obtained video identifying information, and outputting a control signal representative of a result of determination; and

a relay controller operative in response to the control signal for transmitting, when said memory contains the video identifying information matching the obtained video identifying information, a cache distribution request containing at least the video identifying information.

8. A cache control method in a cache controlling apparatus receiving video data near a source of the video data, said apparatus comprising:

a cooperation controller dividing the received video data into at least one segment of video data on a basis of a predetermined unit, and obtaining video identifying information identifying the segment of video data;

a memory storing the video identifying information of the segment of video data in association with reception time and a size of the segment of video data,

said cooperation controller determining whether or not said memory contains the video identifying information matching the obtained video identifying information, and outputting a control signal representative of a result of determination; and

a relay controller operative in response to the control signal for transmitting, when said memory contains the video identifying information matching the obtained video identifying information, a cache distribution request containing at least the video identifying information,

said method comprising;

receiving by said relay controller the video data, and supplying the received video data to said cooperation controller;

deriving by said calculator the video identifying information of the segment of video data;

determining by said operation controller whether or not said memory contains the video identifying information matching the obtained video identifying information, and outputting the control signal representative of a result of determination;

storing by said relay controller in said memory, when said cooperation controller determines that said memory does not contain the video identifying information matching the obtained video identifying, the video identifying information of the segment of video data in association with reception time and a size of the segment; and

transmitting by said relay controller, when said memory contains the video identifying information matching the obtained video identifying information, the cache distribution request containing at least the video identifying information.

9. A video distribution system comprising a cache controlling apparatus receiving video data near a source of the video data and a video distribution apparatus arranged near a requester of video distribution, wherein

said cache controlling apparatus comprises:

a cooperation controller dividing the received video data into at least one segment of video data on a basis of a predetermined unit, and obtaining video identifying information identifying the segment of video data;

an information memory storing the video identifying information of the segment of video data in association with reception time and a size of the segment of video data,

said cooperation controller determining whether or not said information memory contains the video identifying information matching the obtained video identifying information, and outputting a control signal representative of a result of determination; and

a first relay controller operative in response to the control signal for transmitting, when said information memory contains the video identifying information matching the obtained video identifying information, a cache distribution request containing at least the video identifying information,

said video distribution apparatus comprising;

a cache memory caching the segment of video data, when received from a communication network, and storing at least the video identifying information identifying the segment of video data;

a distribution controller operative in response to a cache distribution request received from the network for deriving the video identifying information contained in the cache distribution request, and controlling relay distribution on the basis of the obtained video identifying information; and

a second relay controller receiving the cache distribution request to supply the received cache distribution request to said distribution controller, and obtaining the segment of video data associated with the video identifying information from said cache memory to transfer the obtained segment of video data to a requester at a transfer rate defined on the segment of video data in a vicinity of a source of the video data.

10. A video distribution method in a video distribution system comprising a cache controlling apparatus receiving video data near a source of the video data and a video distribution apparatus arranged near a requester of video distribution, wherein

said cache controlling apparatus comprises:

a cooperation controller dividing the received video data into at least one segment of video data on a basis of a predetermined unit, and obtaining video identifying information identifying the segment of video data;

an information memory storing the video identifying information of the segment of video data in association with reception time and a size of the segment of video data,

said cooperation controller determining whether or not said information memory contains the video identifying information matching the obtained video identifying information, and outputting a control signal representative of a result of determination; and

a first relay controller operative in response to the control signal for transmitting, when said information memory contains the video identifying information matching the obtained video identifying information, a cache distribution request containing at least the video identifying information,

said video distribution apparatus comprising;

a cache memory caching the segment of video data, when received from a communication network, and storing at least the video identifying information identifying the segment of video data;

a distribution controller operative in response to a cache distribution request received from the network for deriving the video identifying information contained in the cache distribution request, and controlling relay distribution on the basis of the obtained video identifying information; and

a second relay controller receiving the cache distribution request to supply the received cache distribution request to said distribution controller, and obtaining the segment of video data associated with the video identifying information from said cache memory to transfer the obtained segment of video data to a requester at a transfer rate defined on the segment of video data in a vicinity of a source of the video data,

said method comprising;

receiving by said first relay controller the video data, and supplying the received video data to said cooperation controller;

deriving by said calculator the video identifying information of the segment of video data;

determining by said operation controller whether or not said information memory contains the video identifying information matching the obtained video identifying information, and outputting the control signal representative of a result of determination;

storing by said first relay controller in said information memory, when said cooperation controller determines that said information memory does not contain the video identifying information matching the obtained video identifying information, the video identifying information of the segment of video data in association with reception time and a size of video data;

transmitting by said first relay controller, when said information memory contains the video identifying information matching the obtained video identifying information, the cache distribution request containing at least the video identifying information;

receiving the cache distribution request by said second relay controller, and supplying the received cache distribution request to said distribution controller,

obtaining by said distribution controller the video identifying information contained in the cache distribution request and controlling relay distribution on the basis of the obtained video identifying information;

reading out by said distribution controller from said cache memory the cached segment of video data associated with the obtained video identifying information; and

transferring by said second relay controller the read-out segment of video data to the requester at a transfer rate defined on the segment of video data in the vicinity of the source of the video data.