System and method for regulating bandwidth in a multicast video transmission system

• US 8,533,764 B2
• Filed: 10/20/2008
• Issued: 09/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vertiv IT Systems, Inc. (Vertiv Holdings Co.)
• Original Assignee: Avocent Corporation (Vertiv Holdings Co.)
• Inventors: Lo, Lawrence
• Primary Examiner(s): Parry, Chris
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dubasky, Gigi L
• Application Number:
  US12/254,811
• Publication Number:
  US 20090241148A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,786 Days
• Field of Search: 725/74, 725/81, 725/133, 725/141, 725/153, 709232-235
• US Class Current: 725/81
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2807 Exchanging configuration information on appliance services in a home automation network arrangements for maintenance or administration involving network analysis for automatically determining the actual topology of a network H04L41/12; hardware or software tools for network management using graphical user interfaces H04L41/22; address allocation H04L61/50
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2838 Distribution of signals within a home automation network, e.g. involving splitting/multiplexing signals to/from different paths adaptations of television systems for transmission by electric cable for domestic distribution H04N7/106; hybrid transport H04L12/6418; home network arrangements specially adapted for distribution of digital video signals H04N7/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5014 using dynamic host configuration protocol [DHCP] or bootstrap protocol [BOOTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5061 Pools of addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4108 characterised by an identification number or address, e.g. local network address protecting specific internal or external computer components using identification number G06F21/73; network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming H04L61/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4122 additional display device, e.g. video projector digital output for controlling a plurality of local displays G06F3/1423
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43632 involving a wired protocol, e.g. IEEE 1394 high-speed IEEE 1394 serial bus H04L12/40052
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43637 involving a wireless protocol, e.g. Bluetooth, RF or wireless LAN [IEEE 802.11] arrangements for wireless networking or broadcasting of information in indoor or near-field type systems H04B10/114
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6405 Multicasting data broadcast and multicast in packet switching networks H04L12/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 IP

Abstract

A video transmitter can adaptively alter its transmission rate to plural receivers which receive video via multicast transmission. While the transmitter is initially in the “no tuning state”, the need for a video tune-up state change can be determined. If so, then the state can be set to “tuning up” and the retransmission rate can be increased. However, if “tuning-up” is no longer required, the state returns to the “no tuning” state” Likewise, the need for a video tune down slate change can be determined and the retransmission rate can be decreased. However, if the state is set to “tuning down” and “tuning down” is no longer required, the state is set such that “tuning down” is no longer true and the state returns to the “no tuning” state.

Claims

1. A video transmitter for communicating with plural video receivers for connecting to corresponding video display devices, the transmitter comprising:

rate meter for monitoring a current transmission bitrate and a current maximum retransmission bitrate; and

determining means for determining if state changes are needed to alter the current maximum retransmission bitrate of the transmitter, wherein the determining means performs the steps of;

determining if (a) a state of the transmitter is “

no tuning” and

(b) the current maximum retransmission bitrate has been greater than a video tune-up start threshold for at least a video tune-up interval;

setting the state of the transmitter to “

tuning up”

if conditions (a) and (b) are true;

determining if (c) the state of the transmitter is “

tuning up” and

(d) the current maximum retransmission bitrate is greater than a video tune-up stop threshold;

setting the state of the transmitter to “

no tuning”

if conditions (c) and (d) are true;

determining if (e) the state of the transmitter is “

no tuning” and

(f) the current maximum retransmission bitrate has been greater than a video tune-down start threshold for at least a video tune-down interval;

setting the state of the transmitter to “

tuning down”

if conditions (e) and (f) are true;

determining if (g) the state of the transmitter is “

tuning down” and

(h) the current maximum retransmission bitrate is less than a video tune-down stop threshold;

setting the state of the transmitter to “

no tuning”

if conditions (g) and (h) are true;

increasing the current maximum retransmission bitrate by a video tune-up step when the state of the transmitter is “

tuning up”

without changing the current transmission bitrate; and

decreasing the current maximum retransmission bitrate by a video tune-down step when the state of the transmitter is “

tuning down”

without changing the current transmission bitrate,

wherein the rate meter prevents retransmission of retransmission data from the video transmitter to the plural video receivers from exceeding the current maximum retransmission rate.

2. The video transmitter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the video transmitter communicates with the plural video receivers using a wireless communications interface.

3. The video transmitter as claimed in claim 2, wherein the wireless communications interface comprises a communications interface complying with an 802.11 family of wireless protocols.

4. A video system comprising:

plural video receivers for connecting to corresponding video display devices; and

a transmitter for communicating with the plural video receivers, the transmitter comprising;

a communications interface for communicating with the plural video receivers;

a rate meter for monitoring a current transmission bitrate and a current maximum retransmission bitrate;

determining means for determining if state changes are needed to alter a retransmission bitrate of the transmitter, wherein the determining means performs the steps of;

determining if (a) a state of the transmitter is “

no tuning” and

(b) the current maximum retransmission bitrate has been greater than a video tune-up start threshold for at least a video tune-up interval;

setting the state of the transmitter to “

tuning up”

if conditions (a) and (b) are true;

determining if (c) the state of the transmitter is “

turning up” and

(d) the current maximum retransmission bitrate is greater than a video tune-up stop threshold;

setting the state of the transmitter to “

no tuning”

if conditions (c) and (d) are true;

determining if (e) the state of the transmitter is “

no tuning” and

(f) the current maximum retransmission bitrate has been greater than a video tune-down start threshold for at least a video tune-down interval;

setting the state of the transmitter to “

tuning down”

if conditions (e) and (f) are true;

determining if (g) the state of the transmitter is “

tuning down” and

(h) the current maximum retransmission bitrate is less than a video tune-down stop threshold;

setting the state of the transmitter to “

no tuning”

if conditions (g) and (h) are true;

increasing the current maximum retransmission bitrate by a video tune-up step when the state of the transmitter is “

tuning up”

without changing the current transmission bitrate; and

decreasing the current maximum retransmission bitrate by a video tune-down step when the state of the transmitter is “

tuning down”

without changing the current transmission bitrate,

wherein the rate meter prevents retransmission of retransmission data from the video transmitter to the plural video receivers from exceeding the current maximum retransmission rate.

5. The video system as claimed in claim 4, wherein communications interface comprises a wireless communications interface.

6. The video system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the wireless communications interface comprises a communications interface complying with an 802.11 family of wireless protocols.