ABR VIDEO WHITE SPOT COVERAGE SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20150256581A1
• Filed: 03/07/2014
• Published: 09/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ericsson AB (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Original Assignee: Ericsson Television Incorporated (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Kolhi, Johan, Huber, Michael, Phillips, Chris, Kastanis, Diomedes
• Granted Patent: US 9,813,474 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/752 adapting media to network capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/762 at the source reformatting of additional data in video distribution servers H04N21/2355
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/5681 Pre-fetching or pre-delivering data based on network characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2662 Controlling the complexity of the video stream, e.g. by scaling the resolution or bitrate of the video stream based on the client capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4126 The peripheral being portable, e.g. PDAs or mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4524 involving the geographical location of the client retrieval from the Internet by querying based on geographical locations G06F16/9537; systems specially adapted for using geographical information in broadcast systems H04H60/70; protocols in which the network application is adapted for the location of the user terminal in communication control or processing H04L67/52; services making use of the location of users or terminals in wireless networks H04W4/02; locating users or terminals in wireless networks H04W64/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6373 for rate control , e.g. request to the server to modify its transmission rate flow control in packet networks H04L47/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A scheme for managing ABR streaming of content in a wireless radio network environment that may have radio white spot areas. Upon determining that the wireless UE device executing an ABR client application is in a radio white spot area, the current ABR streaming session may be suspended at a particular segment. Thereafter, playback of other content locally cached at the wireless UE device may be commenced in lieu of the ABR media segments. When the wireless UE device exits the radio white spot area, the ABR streaming session may be resumed from a point adjacent to the particular segment where the ABR streaming session was suspended.

Claims

1. A radio white spot coverage method for a wireless user equipment (UE) device engaged in an adaptive bitrate (ABR) streaming session, the method comprising:

determining that the wireless UE device is in a radio white spot area;

suspending the ABR streaming session at a particular segment;

commencing playback of other content locally cached at the wireless UE device;

determining that the wireless UE device is exiting the radio white spot area; and

resuming the ABR streaming session from a point adjacent to the particular segment where the ABR streaming session was suspended.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

before suspending the ABR streaming session, continuing to play back lower bitrate media segments of the ABR streaming session downloaded into the wireless UE device'"'"'s ABR buffer as the wireless UE device traverses the radio white spot area.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, further comprising:

providing a notification that the wireless UE device is in the radio white spot area and the ABR streaming session is being suspended due to a quality condition relative to the radio white spot area.

4. The method as recited in claim 3, further comprising:

providing a notification that the wireless UE device is exiting the radio white spot area and that the ABR streaming session is being resumed.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the other content locally cached at the wireless UE device comprises advertisement content.

6. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the advertisement content comprises at least one of location-based advertisements relative to the radio white spot area and advertisements relevant with respect to demographic information of a user of the wireless UE device.

7. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the advertisement content is pre-populated into the wireless UE device'"'"'s cache based on anticipated radio white spot areas likely to encountered by the wireless UE device.

8. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the advertisement content is pre-populated into the wireless UE device'"'"'s cache when the wireless UE device is in an area having sufficient radio signal quality outside the radio white spot area.

9. A wireless user equipment (UE) device, comprising:

a cache for storing advertisements downloaded from a network entity while the wireless UE device is in radio coverage area having sufficient signal quality for supporting an overall bandwidth rate that is greater than a bandwidth rate necessary for facilitating an adaptive bitrate (ABR) streaming session of content encoded at a highest bitrate;

an ABR buffer for storing media segments encoded at different bitrates pursuant to an ABR streaming session;

an ABR client player configured to play back content out of the ABR buffer; and

one or more processors coupled to a persistent memory having program instructions for controlling the ABR client player to play stored advertisements instead of media segments when the wireless UE device is in a radio white spot area.

10. The wireless UE device as recited in claim 9, wherein the persistent memory includes program instructions configured to:

save an existing state relative to a current media segment of the ABR streaming session responsive to receiving a notification that the wireless UE device is in the radio white spot area; and

move the advertisements stored in the cache to the ABR buffer for playback by the ABR client player while the wireless UE device is in the radio white spot area.

11. The wireless UE device as recited in claim 10, wherein the persistent memory includes program instructions configured to:

complete playing back an advertisement currently being played by the ABR client player upon receiving a notification that the wireless UE device is exiting the radio white spot area; and

resume playing back the ABR streaming session at a media segment relative to the saved existing state.

12. The wireless UE device as recited in claim 9, further comprising a HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) server for facilitating playback of the advertisements stored in the cache by the ABR client player based on manifest files received from a ABR stream delivery server wherein the manifest files are configured to contain location pointers to the cached advertisements.

13. An adaptive bitrate (ABR) stream delivery server for facilitating ABR streaming sessions in a wireless radio network environment, comprising:

one or more processors;

an outage area request module operating under control of the one or more processors and configured to request anticipated video outage areas with respect to a wireless user equipment (UE) device, the anticipated video outage areas being based on the wireless UE device'"'"'s current location and estimated direction of travel in the wireless radio network environment;

an advertisement request module operating under control of the one or more processors for obtaining advertisement content from an advertisement server, wherein the advertisement content is relevant with respect to the anticipated video outage areas of the wireless UE device; and

a delivery module operating under control of the one or more processors and configured to;

effectuate delivery of ABR media segments encoded at different bitrates and associated manifest files to the wireless UE device pursuant to an ABR streaming session when the wireless UE device is not in a video outage area;

effectuate delivery of the advertisement content to the wireless UE device for local storage thereat; and

provide manifest files to the wireless UE device containing location pointers to the locally stored advertisements for playback by the wireless UE device'"'"'s ABR client when the wireless UE device is in a video outage area.

14. The ABR stream delivery server as recited in claim 13, further including a notification module operating in conjunction with the delivery module for facilitating delivery of a video-encoded notification message to the wireless UE device, upon determining that the wireless UE device is in the video outage area, that the ABR streaming session to the wireless UE device is being suspended and one or more advertisements will be played back while the wireless UE device is in the video outage area.

15. The ABR stream delivery server as recited in claim 14, wherein the video-encoded notification message further includes an estimation of outage time associated with the video outage area.

16. The ABR stream delivery server as recited in claim 14, wherein the notification module is further operative for facilitating delivery of a video-encoded notification message to the wireless UE device, upon determining that the wireless UE device is exiting the video outage area, that the ABR streaming session to the wireless UE device is being resumed.

17. The ABR stream delivery server as recited in claim 13, further including an interface for communicating with one or more base stations disposed in the wireless radio network environment.

18. A method for pre-populating advertisements in a wireless radio network environment operative to effectuate adaptive bitrate (ABR) streaming sessions, the method comprising:

determining that a manifest file associated with a wireless UE device'"'"'s current ABR streaming session is unencrypted, wherein the wireless UE device is associated with a vehicle traveling in a geographical area of the wireless radio network environment;

parsing the manifest file for determining ABR profile bitrates used for encoding different media segments of the current ABR streaming session;

determining that the wireless UE device'"'"'s overall bandwidth exceeds a highest bitrate indicated in the manifest file;

determining at least one of a location and direction of travel associated with the wireless UE device;

determining that the wireless UE device is headed in a direction likely to encounter a video outage area;

obtaining location coordinates of the video outage area and calculating an estimated time for traversing the video outage area;

obtaining advertisements relevant to the video outage area wherein the advertisements are estimated to last for a duration required to traverse the video outage area; and

controlling delivery of the advertisements to the wireless UE device at a delivery rate based on an amount by which the wireless UE device'"'"'s overall bandwidth exceeds the highest bitrate indicated in the manifest file of the current ABR streaming session.

19. The method as recited in claim 18, further comprising requesting an encoded notification message to be played at the wireless UE device when the wireless UE device enters the video outage area, the encoded notification message for indicating that the wireless UE device is in the video outage area that lasts for a specific time duration.

20. The method as recited in claim 18, further comprising, upon determining that the manifest file associated with the wireless UE device'"'"'s current ABR streaming session is encrypted, refraining from pre-populating of advertisements into the wireless UE device.

21. The method as recited in claim 18, further comprising:

verifying, upon determining that that the wireless UE device'"'"'s overall bandwidth does not exceed a highest bitrate indicated in the manifest file, whether the wireless UE device is still active; and

if not, refraining from pre-populating of advertisements into the wireless UE device.

22. The method as recited in claim 18, further comprising:

verifying, upon determining that that the wireless UE device'"'"'s overall bandwidth does not exceed a highest bitrate indicated in the manifest file, whether the wireless UE device is still active; and

if so, waiting for a period of time before determining again whether the wireless UE device'"'"'s overall bandwidth exceeds a highest bitrate indicated in the manifest file of the current ABR streaming session.

23. The method as recited in claim 18, further comprising:

verifying, upon determining that that the wireless UE device is not headed in a direction likely to encounter a video outage area, whether the wireless UE device is still active; and

if not, refraining from pre-populating of advertisements into the wireless UE device.

24. The method as recited in claim 18, further comprising generating a manifest playlist for the advertisements to be transmitted to the wireless UE device.

25. A method operating at an adaptive bitrate (ABR) stream delivery server for facilitating ABR streaming sessions in a wireless radio network environment, the method comprising:

determining that a wireless user equipment (UE) device engaged in an ABR streaming session has entered a video outage area;

updating a manifest file to reference at least one of an encoded notification message that the wireless UE device is out of video coverage and one or more advertisements stored locally within the wireless UE device; and

transmitting the updated manifest file to the wireless UE device, whereupon an ABR client executing on the wireless UE device is operative to play back at least one of the encoded notification message and one or more advertisements while the wireless UE device is within the video outage area.

26. The method as recited in claim 25, wherein the one or more advertisements comprise advertisements relevant with respect to at least one of the video outage area and demographic information pertaining to a user of the wireless UE device.

27. The method as recited in claim 25, wherein the encoded notification message further contains a message as to how long the video outage is expected to continue.

28. A method operating at a wireless user equipment (UE) device including an ABR client engaged in a streaming session, the method comprising:

receiving a notification that the wireless UE device is in a video outage area of a wireless radio network environment;

continuing to play back media segments of the streaming session from an ABR buffer associated with the ABR client;

determining whether the ABR buffer is drained;

if so, saving a next media segment'"'"'s existing state based on the streaming session'"'"'s manifest; and

commencing play back of one or more advertisements stored in a local cache of the wireless UE device.

29. The method as recited in claim 28, wherein the one or more advertisements comprise advertisements relevant with respect to at least one of the video outage area and demographic information pertaining to a user of the wireless UE device.

30. The method as recited in claim 28, further comprising presenting a message to a user of the wireless UE device that the wireless UE device is in a video outage area.

31. The method as recited in claim 28, further comprising moving the one or more advertisements from the local cache to the ABR buffer for play back by the ABR client.

32. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing instructions stored thereon which, when executed by one or more processors of an adaptive bitrate (ABR) stream delivery server, facilitate ABR streaming sessions in a wireless radio network environment, the non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising:

a code portion for determining that a wireless user equipment (UE) device engaged in an ABR streaming session has entered a video outage area;

a code portion for updating a manifest file to reference at least one of an encoded notification message that the wireless UE device is out of video coverage and one or more advertisements stored locally within the wireless UE device;

a code portion for transmitting the updated manifest file to the wireless UE device, whereupon an ABR client executing on the wireless UE device is operative to play back at least one of the encoded notification message and one or more advertisements instead of playing back media segments of the ABR streaming session while the wireless UE device is within the video outage area; and

a code portion, upon determining that that wireless UE device is exiting the video outage area, for effectuating delivery of media segments of the ABR streaming session to the wireless UE device, whereupon the ABR client is operative to resume play back of the ABR streaming session.

33. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 32, wherein the one or more advertisements comprise advertisements relevant with respect to at least one of the video outage area and demographic information pertaining to a user of the wireless UE device.

34. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 32, wherein the encoded notification message further contains a message as to how long the video outage is expected to continue.

35. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing instructions stored thereon which, when executed by one or more processors of an wireless user equipment (UE) device, facilitate ABR streaming sessions in a wireless radio network environment, the non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising:

a code portion, responsive to receiving a notification that the wireless UE device is in a video outage area of a wireless radio network environment, wherein the wireless UE device is engaged in an ABR streaming session, for continuing to play back media segments of the ABR streaming session from an ABR buffer associated with the ABR client;

a code portion for determining whether the ABR buffer is drained;

a code portion, upon determining that the ABR buffer is drained, for saving a next media segment'"'"'s existing state based on the ABR streaming session'"'"'s manifest;

a code portion for facilitating play back of one or more advertisements stored in a local cache of the wireless UE device; and

a code portion, upon receiving a notification that that wireless UE device is exiting the video outage area, for resuming the ABR streaming session.

36. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 35, wherein the one or more advertisements comprise advertisements relevant with respect to at least one of the video outage area and demographic information pertaining to a user of the wireless UE device.

37. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 35, further comprising a code portion for presenting a message to a user of the wireless UE device that the wireless UE device is in a video outage area and that the ABR streaming session is being suspended for a particular time duration.

38. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 37, further comprising a code portion for presenting a message to a user of the wireless UE device that one or more advertisements will be played while the wireless UE device is in the video outage.

39. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 38, further comprising a code portion for moving the one or more advertisements from the local cache to the ABR buffer for play back by the ABR client.