Adaptive rate shifting for delivery of video services to service groups
First Claim
1. A system for determining an encoding rate for an MPEG based digital video information stream comprising:
- a service quality manager server comprising a processor configured to determine an encoding rate of a digital video information stream for a customer comprising a viewer of a cable system, said processor configured to;
receive a video quality service parameter from a service profile of said customer wherein said video quality service parameter indicates a level of video quality to be streamed to said customer,determine whether said customer is presently being provided with another digital video information stream in response to a previous video on-demand request, and if so, determining an associated encoding level of said another digital video information stream,determining a level of resource allocation related to bandwidth on a shared transmission medium serving said customer,determining one from a plurality of encoding rates for said viewer in response to a present request for video on-demand service,reducing the quality of video encoding presently used for said another digital video information stream being provided to said customer in response to the present request for a video on-demand service when it is determined that said customer is presently being provided with said another digital video information stream;
providing authorization for a VOD Server comprising a VOD Session manager to provide said digital video information stream, wherein said digital video information stream is encoded at said encoding rate, andupdating said level of resource allocation commensurate with said encoding rate used to encode said MPEG based digital video information stream and by taking into account the reduction of quality of said another digital video information stream.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A video stream is provided to a set top box of a viewer to fulfill the viewer'"'"'s request for a video on-demand service. The video stream is encoded at one of a plurality of encoding rates selected by a Service Quality Manager based on parameters defined for a service group, which in various embodiments may comprise the viewer, or the viewer along with other customers serviced by a single QAM. The parameters used for determining the encoding rate may involve currently allocated bandwidth, the viewer'"'"'s service parameters, other customer'"'"'s service parameters, and historical data regarding encoding rate selection data. The encoding rate used to encode a stream may be modified during streaming in response to other service requests. The encoding rate may be shifted based on anticipated service requests from other members in the service group.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A system for determining an encoding rate for an MPEG based digital video information stream comprising:
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a service quality manager server comprising a processor configured to determine an encoding rate of a digital video information stream for a customer comprising a viewer of a cable system, said processor configured to; receive a video quality service parameter from a service profile of said customer wherein said video quality service parameter indicates a level of video quality to be streamed to said customer, determine whether said customer is presently being provided with another digital video information stream in response to a previous video on-demand request, and if so, determining an associated encoding level of said another digital video information stream, determining a level of resource allocation related to bandwidth on a shared transmission medium serving said customer, determining one from a plurality of encoding rates for said viewer in response to a present request for video on-demand service, reducing the quality of video encoding presently used for said another digital video information stream being provided to said customer in response to the present request for a video on-demand service when it is determined that said customer is presently being provided with said another digital video information stream; providing authorization for a VOD Server comprising a VOD Session manager to provide said digital video information stream, wherein said digital video information stream is encoded at said encoding rate, and updating said level of resource allocation commensurate with said encoding rate used to encode said MPEG based digital video information stream and by taking into account the reduction of quality of said another digital video information stream. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for selecting an encoding rate comprising the steps of:
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receiving a request for determining an encoding rate for an MPEG based digital video information stream associated with a video on-demand request from a viewer, said request originating in response to said viewer requesting a video on-demand service; determining a video quality encoding level associated with a customer service profile associated with said viewer; determining whether said customer is presently being provided with another digital video information stream in response to a previous video on-demand request from said customer; determining a level of resource allocation related to bandwidth on a shared transmission medium serving said customer; selecting said encoding rate from a plurality of encoding rates for said MPEG based digital video information stream for said viewer in response to a present request from said viewer for said video on-demand service; reducing the quality of video encoding presently used for another digital video information stream being provided to said customer in response to a present request for a video on-demand service when it is determined that said customer is presently being provided with said another digital video information stream; providing authorization for a minimum encoding rate for said customer is defined in a customer service profile, and comprising a VOD Session manager to provide said digital video information stream, wherein said digital video information stream is encoded at said encoding rate, and updating said level of resource allocation commensurate based on said encoding rate used to encode said MPEG based digital video information stream and by taking into account the reduction of the quality of said another digital video information stream. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification