METHODS AND APPARATUS TO PREDICT END OF STREAMING MEDIA USING A PREDICTION MODEL

• US 20160065441A1
• Filed: 08/29/2014
• Published: 03/03/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Original Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Inventors: Besehanic, Jan
• Granted Patent: US 9,948,539 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/147 for predicting network behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0894 Packet rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/106 using time related information in packets, e.g. by adding timestamps
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/83 based on usage prediction
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/60 Network streaming of media packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• 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 21/8456 by decomposing the content in the time domain, e.g. in time segments

Abstract

Methods and apparatus to predict end of streaming media using a prediction model are disclosed herein. Examples disclosed herein determine a bandwidth rate associated with streaming media presented in a streaming media application from a proxy. Examples disclosed herein also generate a prediction model based on characteristics of the bandwidth rate and determine an end time for the streaming media from the prediction model.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining a bandwidth rate associated with streaming media presented in a streaming media application from information received from a proxy;

generating a prediction model based on characteristics of the bandwidth rate; and

determining, via a processor, an end time for the streaming media from the prediction model.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

determining a type of the streaming media presented in the streaming media application; and

setting a minimum bandwidth threshold based on the type of the streaming media.

3. A method as defined in claim 2, wherein the type of the streaming media is at least one of video and audio.

4. A method as defined in claim 2, further comprising:

determining a decay factor for the prediction model based on the type of the streaming media.

5. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the bandwidth rate further comprises a timestamp associated with the bandwidth rate.

6. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein generating the prediction model further comprises:

calculating prediction model parameters by;

determining a mean value of the bandwidth rate;

determining an amplitude of the bandwidth rate; and

determining a standard deviation of the bandwidth rate.

7. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the bandwidth rate is not received from a media device presenting the streaming media or a streaming media distributor transmitting the streaming media to the media device.

8. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the proxy is intermediate to the streaming media application presenting the streaming media and a streaming media distributor transmitting the streaming media to the streaming media application.

9. A method as defined in claim 8, wherein the proxy is to:

route the streaming media from the streaming media distributor to the streaming media application;

determine the bandwidth rate; and

transmit the bandwidth rate to an audience measurement entity.

10. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting targeted media to the streaming media application at the end time for the streaming media.

11. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting a survey to the streaming media application at the end time for the streaming media.

12. A tangible computer readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a machine to, at least:

determine a bandwidth rate associated with streaming media presented in a streaming media application from information received from a proxy;

generate a prediction model based on characteristics of the bandwidth rate; and

determine an end time for the streaming media from the prediction model.

13. A computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 12, further comprising:

determine a type of the streaming media presented in the streaming media application; and

set a minimum bandwidth threshold based on the type of the streaming media.

14. A computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 13, wherein the type of the streaming media is at least one of video and audio.

15. A computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 13, further comprising:

determine a decay factor for the prediction model based on the type of the streaming media.

16. A computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 12, wherein the bandwidth rate further comprises a timestamp associated with the bandwidth rate.

17. A computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 12, wherein generating the prediction model further comprises:

calculate prediction model parameters by;

determining a mean value of the bandwidth rate;

determining an amplitude of the bandwidth rate; and

determining a standard deviation of the bandwidth rate.

18. A computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 12, wherein the bandwidth rate is not received from a media device presenting the streaming media or a streaming media distributor transmitting the streaming media to the media device.

19. A computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 12, wherein proxy is intermediate to the streaming media application presenting the streaming media and a streaming media distributor transmitting the streaming media to the streaming media application.

20. A computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 19, wherein the proxy is to:

route the streaming media from the streaming media distributor to the streaming media application;

determine the bandwidth rate; and

transmit the bandwidth rate to an audience measurement entity.

21. A computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 12, further comprising:

transmit targeted media to the streaming media application at the end time for the streaming media.

22. A computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 12, further comprising:

transmit a survey to the streaming media application at the end time for the streaming media.

23. An apparatus comprising:

a bandwidth recorder to determine a bandwidth rate associated with streaming media presented in a streaming media application from information received from a proxy;

a modeler to generate a prediction model based on characteristics of the bandwidth rate; and

a forecaster to determine an end time for the streaming media based on the prediction model.

24. An apparatus according to claim 23, further comprising:

an identifier to determine a type of the streaming media presented in the streaming media application; and

a threshold generator to set a bandwidth threshold based on the type of the streaming media.

25. An apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the type of streaming media is at least one of video and audio.

26. An apparatus according to claim 24, further comprising:

a parameter generator to determine a decay factor for the prediction model based on the type of the streaming media.

27. An apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the parameter generator is further to:

calculate prediction model parameters by;

determining a mean value of the bandwidth rate;

determining an amplitude of the bandwidth rate; and

determining a standard deviation of the bandwidth rate.

28. An apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the bandwidth rate is not received from a media device presenting the streaming media or a streaming media distributor transmitting the streaming media to the media device.

29. An apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the proxy is intermediate to the streaming media application presenting the streaming media and a streaming media distributor transmitting the streaming media to the streaming media application.

30. An apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the proxy is further to:

route the streaming media from a streaming media distributor to the streaming media application;

determine the bandwidth rate; and

transmit the bandwidth rate to an audience measurement entity.

31. An apparatus according to claim 23, further comprising:

an end of stream handler to transmit targeted media to the streaming media application at the end time for the streaming media.

32. An apparatus according to claim 31, wherein the end of stream handler is further to:

transmit targeted media to the streaming media application at the end time for the streaming media.