APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR DELIVERY OF MULTICAST AND UNICAST CONTENT IN A CONTENT DELIVERY NETWORK

• US 20140282777A1
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Inventors: Gonder, Tom, Helms, William, Gould, Kenneth, Chen, David, Chen, John, Yu, Jian, Dang, Niem, Patel, Vipul
• Granted Patent: US 9,402,107 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/109
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/765 intermediate
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2225 Local VOD servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2408 Monitoring of the upstream path of the transmission network, e.g. client requests monitoring data switching networks utilization H04L43/0876; scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26616 for merging a unicast channel into a multicast channel, e.g. in a VOD application, when a client served by unicast channel catches up a multicast channel to save bandwidth data multicast over packet-switching network H04L12/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6405 Multicasting data broadcast and multicast in packet switching networks H04L12/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6408 Unicasting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64761 directed to the server

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for providing delivery of content to client devices of a network via both multicast and unicast mechanisms. In one embodiment, a system for use in a managed content delivery network is described to bridge multicast to unicast, so that the total network bandwidth consumption is significantly lower than a corresponding unicast-only delivery solution, yet which still provides improved quality of service and user viewing experience as compared to a multicast-only delivery solution. In addition, various exemplary aspects of the present disclosure are readily adapted for real-time multicast to unicast streaming of audio and data to, among other things, minimize network bandwidth usage, while maintaining the guaranteed delivery of unicast streams with little or no modification to the existing client device logic.

Claims

1. A method of providing content over a network having a plurality of users associated therewith, comprising:

providing delivery of content to client devices via both multicast and unicast mechanisms, so that a network bandwidth consumption associated with the content delivery is lower than a corresponding unicast-only delivery solution;

wherein said delivery comprises increased quality-of-service as compared to a corresponding multicast-only delivery solution.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the content comprises packetized content, and the network comprises a managed network having a substantially static topology.

3. A method of operating a content delivery network, comprising:

receiving a request is received from an IP-capable client device in communication with the network, the request indicating particular packetized content which is desired for display at the client device;

determining whether a multicast for the requested packetized content exists;

when said determination indicates that a multicast exists, joining the existing multicast;

processing a stream of the content of the multicast to a format capable of being utilized by the client device; and

causing delivery of the processed stream to the client device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the determining and the processing are performed by a gateway device associated with a premises with which the client device is associated.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the method further comprises, when a multicast for the content does not exist, causing a determination of whether the content is to be provided via a new multicast to be made.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the determination of whether the content is to be provided via a new multicast is made by a network entity, and is based at least in part on at least one of (i) a current number of requests for the content, (ii) one or more historical patterns, and/or (iii) an identity of the content and/or a provider thereof.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein when it is determined that the content is not to be provided as a new multicast, receiving the content as a unicast stream from a unicast server.

8. The method of claim 3, wherein when it is determined that the content is to be provided as a new multicast:

generating a single program transport stream (SPTS) including the content; and

causing switching of the SPTS into delivery via an multiple program transport stream (MPTS).

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising causing a gateway to join the new multicast and receive the MPTS.