Systems and methods for adaptive scheduling and dynamic bandwidth resource allocation management in a digital broadband delivery system

• US 6,986,156 B1
• Filed: 06/09/2000
• Issued: 01/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Triton US VP Acquisition, Co.
• Original Assignee: Scientific-Atlanta Incorporated (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Jerding, Dean F., Rodriguez, Arturo A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Srivastava, Vivek
• Application Number:
  US09/590,521
• Time in Patent Office: 2,041 Days
• Field of Search: 725/97, 725/95, 725/96, 725/91, 725/86, 725/87, 725/101, 725/103, 725/104, 725/100, 725/45, 725/46, 725/47, 370/229, 370/230, 370/235, 370/237, 370/238, 375/240, 375/240.01, 375/240.15
• US Class Current: 725/95
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/10 Arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast or the distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/38 Arrangements for distribution where lower stations, e.g. receivers, interact with the broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/42 Arrangements for resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/06 Arrangements for scheduling broadcast services or broadcast-related services
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/46 for recognising users' preferences
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/66 for using the result on distributors' side
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 17/04 for receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2385 Channel allocation H04N21/266 takes precedence; Bandwidth allocation H04N21/24 takes precedence ; allocation of channels according to the instantaneous demands of the users in time-division multiplex systems H04J3/1682; admission control, resource allocation in open networks H04L12/5692; arrangements for maintenance or administration in data switching networks involving bandwidth and capacity management H04L41/0896; negotiating bandwidth in wireless networks H04W28/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2393 involving handling client requests scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/262 Content or additional data distribution scheduling, e.g. sending additional data at off-peak times, updating software modules, calculating the carousel transmission frequency, delaying a video stream transmission, generating play-lists scheduling strategies for dispatcher in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/4881; arrangements for scheduling broadcast services or broadcast-related services H04H60/06; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; establishing a time schedule or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/62
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26208 the scheduling operation being performed under constraints
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8166 involving executable data, e.g. software arrangements for executing specific programs G06F9/44; broadcasting computer programmes in broadcast systems H04H20/91; involving the movement of software or configuration parameters H04L67/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17309 Transmission or handling of upstream communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17336 : Handling of requests in head-ends
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17354 : in an intermediate station common to a plurality of user terminals

Abstract

A technique for allocating bandwidth in a digital broadband delivery system (DBDS) using a bandwidth allocation manager to dynamically assign a content delivery mode to a plurality of digital transmission channels based on an allocation criteria received from a subscriber is disclosed herein. The bandwidth allocation manager determines a bandwidth allocation schedule for a predetermined bandwidth based on allocation criteria comprising a criteria received from a subscriber. The allocation criteria received from the subscriber may comprise a subscriber reservation request which is processed by the bandwidth allocation manager to determine the bandwidth allocation schedule.

Claims

1. A method implemented by a programmable network manager coupled to at least one server and at least one television set-top terminal (STT) via a bi-directional communication network, the method comprising the steps of:

allocating a first amount of network bandwidth equivalent to the amount of bandwidth required to transmit concurrently a first set of broadcast transmissions of at least one video program for the duration of a first time interval with a first start interval time and a first end interval time;

allocating a second amount of network bandwidth equivalent to the amount of bandwidth required to transmit concurrently a second set of broadcast transmissions of at least one video program for the duration of the first time interval;

transmitting a first broadcast transmission of the first video program over the first amount of network bandwidth during the first time interval;

transmitting a second broadcast transmission of the first video program over the first amount of network bandwidth during the first time interval, the start time of the second broadcast transmission delayed from the start time of the first broadcast transmission;

configuring the second amount of network bandwidth for the duration of the first time interval exclusively for at least one dedicated transmission of any portion of the at least one video program from the at least one server to the at least one STT;

providing the first and second broadcast transmissions of the first video program to a first STT and a second STT during the first time interval;

receiving a viewer input from the first STT during the first time interval, the viewer input being configured to select a dedicated transmission of the first video program to the first STT; and

responsive to receiving the viewer input, establishing a first dedicated network session between the at least one server and the first STT and providing a dedicated transmission of the first video program to the first STT over a transmission channel in the second amount of network bandwidth for the duration of a second time interval with a second start interval time and a second end interval time.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the dedicated transmission of the first video program comprises a different playback mode of the first video program.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the dedicated transmission of the first video program comprises a different formatted version of the first video program.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first video program is provided to the first STT via a tuner in the first STT.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the dedicated transmission of the first video program during the second time interval corresponds to the duration of a presentation of a different playback mode of the first video program.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the second start interval time is after the first start interval time.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the second amount of network bandwidth is smaller than the first amount of network bandwidth.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first end interval time is after the second end interval time.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the start time of the first broadcast transmission over the first amount of network bandwidth is substantially equal to the first start interval time.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein a third time interval with a third start interval time substantially equal to the first end interval time and a third end interval time immediately follows the first time interval, wherein the configuration of the second amount of network bandwidth for the duration of the third time interval is different than the configuration for the duration of the first time interval.

11. A method implemented by a programmable network manager coupled to at least one server and at least one television-set-top terminal (STT) via a bi-directional communication network, the method comprising the steps of:

enabling a first delivery mode and a second delivery mode of a first video program to the at least one STT for the duration of a first time interval with a first start interval time and a first end interval time;

configuring the first delivery mode as a first broadcast transmission of the first video program to the at least one STT for the duration of the first time interval;

configuring the second delivery mode of the first video program as a dedicated transmission from the at least one server to a respective at least one STT for the duration of the first time interval;

configuring the at least one STT to receive the first video program during the first time interval;

receiving a first input from a first STT at a first input time, the first input being configured to request delivery of a first video program during the first time interval with a first level of random access functionality, where the first level of random access functionality is configured to operate in the second delivery mode;

responsive to receiving the first input, providing the first video program to the first STT during the first time interval via the first delivery mode;

receiving a second input from the first STT during the first time interval, the second input being configured to select a different playback mode of the first video program; and

responsive to receiving the second input, establishing a dedicated network session between the at least one server and the first STT and providing the different playback mode of at least a portion of the first video program to the first STT via the second delivery mode for the duration of a second time interval with a second start interval time and a second end interval time.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the first video program is also provided to a second STT in the first delivery mode during at least a portion of the first time interval.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein responsive to receiving a third input from the first STT for normal playback of the first video program, terminating the dedicated network session between the at least one server and the first STT.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein responsive to receiving a third input from the first STT, providing a normal playback mode of the first video program to the first STT in the second delivery mode.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein responsive to receiving a third input from the first STT for normal playback of the first video program, providing the first video program to the first STT in the first delivery mode.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the first start interval time is after first put time.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the first input time is during the first time interval.