Resource scheduling apparatus and method, program requesting method and system

• US 8,832,759 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2010
• Issued: 09/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Huawei Cloud Computing Technologies Company Limited (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Ji, Xiangyang, Liao, Yongxiong, Luo, Wei, Jia, Zengli
• Primary Examiner(s): Zhong, Jun Fei
• Application Number:
  US12/893,305
• Publication Number:
  US 20110023061A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,441 Days
• Field of Search: 725 86- 87, 725/91, 725 93-100, 370/468
• US Class Current: 725/95
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23805 Controlling the feeding rate to the network, e.g. by controlling the video pump
• 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 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/165 Centralised control of user terminal subsequent to an upstream request signal H04N7/17345; Registering at central by two-way working H04N7/17309

Abstract

A resource scheduling apparatus, a resource scheduling method, a program requesting method, a program requesting system, and a Set Top Box (STB) are provided. The resource scheduling method includes: distributing bandwidth greater than an inherent code rate of a program respectively requested by a user to a Video On Demand (VOD) program of the user within available bandwidth of a frequency point according to a received VOD user request; and reducing the bandwidth distributed to at least one VOD program to which bandwidth has been distributed according to the received VOD user request for currently requesting the program when the available bandwidth of the frequency point is smaller than an inherent code rate of a currently requested program, so that the available bandwidth of the frequency point is greater than or equal to the inherent code rate of the currently requested program. Thus, a transmission speed of the program and a utilization ratio of the bandwidth are increased.

Claims

1. A resource scheduling method, comprising:

distributing, by computer hardware implementing process(es), bandwidth to a Video On Demand (VOD) program according to a received VOD user request and according to a transmission speed corresponding to bandwidth distributed to the VOD program at each time and a transmission time corresponding to the transmission speed, wherein the bandwidth is greater than a bandwidth that is occupied by an inherent code rate of the VOD program and within available bandwidth of a radio frequency point; and

reducing, by the computer hardware, according to another received VOD user request as a currently requested VOD program, bandwidth distributed to at least one VOD program to which bandwidth has been distributed, when the available bandwidth of the radio frequency point is smaller than the bandwidth that is occupied by an inherent code rate of the currently requested VOD program, so that the available bandwidth of the radio frequency point is greater than or equal to the inherent code rate of the currently requested VOD program,

wherein the reducing the bandwidth of the at least one VOD program is according to a formula R₁T₁+R₂T₂ . . . +R_nT_n+XT_x≧

CT_c, wherein R₁ indicates a transmission speed corresponding to bandwidth distributed for a first time VOD program, T₁ indicates a transmission time corresponding to the transmission speed, R_n i indicates a transmission speed corresponding to bandwidth distributed for an nth time VOD program, T_n indicates a transmission time corresponding to the transmission speed R_n, X indicates a transmission speed after the bandwidth of the at least one VOD program is adjusted, T_x indicates transmission time required to complete the at least one VOD program transmission at the transmission speed X, C indicates an inherent code rate of the currently requested VOD program transmission, T_c indicates time required to complete the currently requested VOD program transmission at the inherent code rate C of the currently requested VOD program transmission.

2. The resource scheduling method according to claim 1, further comprising:

reducing a transmission speed of at least one VOD program when the bandwidth distributed to VOD programs is adjusted to make the bandwidth be equal to the bandwidth that is occupied by an inherent code rate of a respective corresponding VOD program.

3. The resource scheduling method according to claim 2, wherein the reducing the transmission speed of at least one VOD program comprises:

determining bandwidth that costs a maximum time for transmitting the VOD program data, and reducing a transmission speed of the bandwidth that costs the maximum time for transmitting the VOD program data.

4. The resource scheduling method according to claim 1, wherein the adjusted transmission speed X satisfies X*T_x+C*(T_z−

T₀)≧

C*T_x, T_x indicates transmission time required to complete the at least one VOD program transmission at the transmission speed X, T_z indicates time required to complete receiving the transmitted at least one VOD program at the inherent code rate of the at least one VOD program, T₀ is time consumed for playing the at least one VOD program corresponding to the received at least one VOD program, and C is the inherent code rate of the currently requested VOD program.

5. The resource scheduling method according to claim 1, further comprising:

distributing the bandwidth to other VOD programs that are transmitting, when the VOD stop request of the user is received or the transmission of the program is completed, wherein the bandwidth corresponds to the VOD program indicated in a VOD stop request of the user or the program whose transmission is completed.

6. The resource scheduling method according to claim 1, further comprising:

acquiring, by the computer hardware, reference information for distributing the bandwidth to VOD programs, wherein the reference information at least includes a speed of storing received program data by a Set Top Box STB.

7. A resource scheduling apparatus, comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable storage medium that stores program(s); and

computer hardware configured to implement, including configured by the program(s) to implement;

a bandwidth distribution module to distribute bandwidth to a Video On Demand (VOD) program according to a received VOD user request and according to a transmission speed corresponding to bandwidth distributed to the VOD program at each time and a transmission time corresponding to the transmission speed, wherein the bandwidth is greater than a bandwidth that is occupied by an inherent code rate of the VOD program and within available bandwidth of a radio frequency point; and

a bandwidth adjustment module to reduce, according to another received VOD user request as currently requested VOD program, bandwidth distributed to at least one VOD program to which bandwidth has been distributed when the available bandwidth of the radio frequency point is smaller than the bandwidth that is occupied by an inherent code rate of the currently requested VOD program, so that the available bandwidth of the radio frequency point is greater than or equal to the inherent code rate of the currently requested VOD program,

wherein the reducing the bandwidth of the at least one VOD program is according to the formula R₁T₁+R₂T₂ . . . +R_nT_n+XT_x≧

CT_c, wherein R₁ indicates a transmission speed corresponding to bandwidth distributed for a first time VOD program, T₁ indicates a transmission time corresponding to the transmission speed, R_n indicates a transmission speed corresponding to bandwidth distributed for an nth time VOD program, T_n indicates a transmission time corresponding to the transmission speed R_n, X indicates a transmission speed after the bandwidth of the at least one VOD program is adjusted, T_x indicates transmission time required to complete the at least one VOD program transmission at the transmission speed X, C indicates an inherent code rate of the currently requested VOD program transmission, T_c indicates time required to complete the currently requested VOD program transmission at the inherent code rate C of the currently requested VOD program transmission.

8. The resource scheduling apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the bandwidth adjustment module is further configured to reduce a transmission speed of at least one VOD program when the bandwidth distributed to VOD programs is adjusted to make the bandwidth be equal to the bandwidth that is occupied by an inherent code rate of a respective corresponding VOD program.

9. The resource scheduling apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the transmission speed X adjusted by the bandwidth adjustment module satisfies X*T_x+C*(T_z−

T₀)≧

C*T_x, T_x indicates transmission time required to complete the at least one VOD program transmission at the transmission speed X, T_z indicates time required to complete receiving the transmitted at least one VOD program at the inherent code rate of the at least one VOD program, T₀ is time consumed for playing the at least one VOD program corresponding to the received at least one VOD program, and C is the inherent code rate of the currently requested VOD program.

10. The resource scheduling apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the bandwidth distribution module is configured to distribute the bandwidth corresponding to the VOD program or the already transmitted program to other VOD programs transmitting the VOD program data when a VOD stop request of the user is received or the program is already transmitted.

11. The resource scheduling apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the computer hardware is further configured to implement a request receiving module to receive a distribution request for distributing the bandwidth to VOD programs and send the distribution request to the bandwidth distribution module.

12. The resource scheduling apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the computer hardware is further configured to implement an information acquisition module to acquire reference information for distributing the bandwidth to each VOD program, wherein the reference information at least comprises a speed of storing received program data.

13. A program requesting method, comprising:

visiting an Electronic Program Guide (EPG) by using a decoding terminal, selecting a program, and sending Video On Demand (VOD) information;

scheduling, by middleware process(es) implemented by computer hardware, a code stream corresponding to the program according to the received VOD information, and sending program description information to the decoding terminal,

wherein the scheduling comprises;

distributing bandwidth to a Video On Demand (VOD) program according to a received VOD user request and according to a transmission speed corresponding to bandwidth distributed to the VOD program at each time and a transmission time corresponding to the transmission speed, wherein the bandwidth is greater than a bandwidth that is occupied by an inherent code rate of the VOD program and within available bandwidth of a radio frequency point; and

reducing, according to another received VOD user request as a currently requested VOD program, bandwidth distributed to at least one VOD program to which bandwidth has been distributed, when the available bandwidth of the radio frequency point is smaller than the bandwidth that is occupied by an inherent code rate of the currently requested VOD program, so that the available bandwidth of the radio frequency point is greater than or equal to the inherent code rate of the currently requested VOD program;

multiplexing and outputting, by computer hardware implementing process(es) of an Internet Protocol (IP) Quadrature Amplitude Modulator (IPQAM), the code stream corresponding to the requested program; and

decoding and storing, by the decoding terminal, the code stream corresponding to the program, according to the acquired program description information,

wherein the reducing the bandwidth of the at least one VOD program is according to a formula R₁T₁+R₂T₂ . . . +R_nT_n+XT_x≧

CT_c, wherein R₁ indicates a transmission speed corresponding to bandwidth distributed for a first time VOD program, T₁ indicates a transmission time corresponding to the transmission speed, R_n indicates a transmission speed corresponding to bandwidth distributed for an nth time VOD program, T_n indicates a transmission time corresponding to the transmission speed R_n, X indicates a transmission speed after the bandwidth of the at least one VOD program is adjusted, T_x indicates transmission time required to complete the at least one VOD program transmission at the transmission speed X, C indicates an inherent code rate of the currently requested VOD program transmission, T_c indicates time required to complete the currently requested VOD program transmission at the inherent code rate C of the currently requested VOD program transmission.

14. The program requesting method according to claim 13, further comprising:

reducing a transmission speed of at least one VOD program when the bandwidth distributed to VOD programs is adjusted to make the bandwidth be equal to an inherent code rate of a respective corresponding program.

15. The program requesting method according to claim 14, the reducing the transmission speed of at least one VOD program comprises:

determining bandwidth that cost a maximum time for transmitting the VOD program data, and reducing a transmission speed of the bandwidth that cost the maximum time for transmitting the VOD program data.

16. The program requesting method according to claim 13, wherein the adjusted transmission speed X satisfies X*T_x+C*(T_z−

T₀)≧

C*T_x, T_x indicates transmission time required to complete the at least one VOD program data transmission at the transmission speed X, T_z indicates time required to complete receiving the transmitted at least one VOD program at the inherent code rate of the at least one VOD program, T₀ is time consumed for playing the at least one VOD program corresponding to the received at least one VOD program, and C is the inherent code rate of the currently requested VOD program.

17. The program requesting method according to claim 13, further comprising:

distributing the bandwidth to other VOD programs that are transmitting, when the VOD stop request of the user is received or the transmission of the program is completed, wherein the bandwidth corresponds to the VOD program indicated in a VOD stop request of the user or the program whose transmission is completed.

18. A program demanding system, comprising:

an Electronic Program Guide (EPG) server, configured to provide EPG information, receive information of a selected program, and send Video On Demand (VOD) information;

a middleware implemented by computer hardware, including program(s) instructing the computer hardware, and connected to the EPG server,

the middleware configured to schedule a code stream corresponding to the program according to the received VOD information, and send program description information of the program to a decoding terminal, and to implement;

a bandwidth distribution module to distribute bandwidth to a Video On Demand (VOD) program according to a received VOD user request, wherein the bandwidth is greater than a bandwidth that is occupied by an inherent code rate of the VOD program and within available bandwidth of a radio frequency point; and

a bandwidth adjustment module to reduce, according to another received VOD user request as currently requested VOD program, bandwidth distributed to at least one VOD program to which bandwidth has been distributed when the available bandwidth of the radio frequency point is smaller than the bandwidth that is occupied by an inherent code rate of the currently requested VOD program, so that the available bandwidth of the radio frequency point is greater than or equal to the inherent code rate of the currently requested VOD program,

wherein the reducing the bandwidth of the at least one VOD program is according to a formula R₁T₁+R₂T₂ . . . +R_nT_n+XT_x≧

CT_c, wherein R₁ indicates a transmission speed corresponding to bandwidth distributed for a first time VOD program, T₁ indicates a transmission time corresponding to the transmission speed, R_n indicates a transmission speed corresponding to bandwidth distributed for an nth time VOD program, T_n indicates a transmission time corresponding to the transmission speed R_n, X indicates a transmission speed after the bandwidth of the at least one VOD program is adjusted, T_x indicates transmission time required to complete the at least one VOD program transmission at the transmission speed X, C indicates an inherent code rate of the currently requested VOD program transmission, T_c indicates time required to complete the currently requested VOD program transmission at the inherent code rate C of the currently requested VOD program transmission;

a VOD server, connected to the middleware, the middleware controls the VOD server to extract and output program data corresponding to the VOD information according to the received VOD information, and outputs the program description information corresponding to the VOD information; and

an Internet Protocol Quadrature Amplitude Modulator (IPQAM) implemented by computer hardware, including program(s) instructing the computer hardware, and connected to the VOD server, configured to multiplexes and outputs the received program data.

19. The program demanding system according to claim 18, further comprising:

a decoding terminal, connected to the IPQAM and the EPG server, and configured to decode and output the VOD program data according to the received program description information; and

a storage device, connected to the decoding terminal, and configured to store the VOD program data received by the decoding terminal.

20. The program demanding system according to claim 18, wherein the middleware comprises the bandwidth distribution module and the bandwidth adjustment module.

21. An Set Top Box (STB), comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable storage medium that stores program(s); and

computer hardware configured to implement, including configured by the program(s) to implement;

a receiving module to receive and output program data of a Video On Demand (VOD) program requested by a user of the STB and sent for the STB at a speed greater than or equal to an inherent code rate of the VOD program,

wherein bandwidth occupied by the output program data is within available bandwidth of a radio frequency point and is distributed according to a transmission speed corresponding to bandwidth distributed to the VOD program at each time and a transmission time corresponding to the transmission speed, and

wherein the bandwidth distributed to the VOD program requested by the user is reduced according to another VOD program request as other currently requested VOD program, when the available bandwidth of the radio frequency point is smaller than the bandwidth that is occupied by an inherent code rate of the other currently requested VOD program, so that the available bandwidth of the radio frequency point is greater than or equal to the inherent code rate of the other currently other requested VOD program, the reducing of the bandwidth of the VOD program is according to a formula R₁T₁+R₂T₂ . . . +R_nT_n+XT_x≧

CT_c, wherein R₁ indicates a transmission speed corresponding to bandwidth distributed for a first time VOD program, T₁ indicates a transmission time corresponding to the transmission speed, R_n indicates a transmission speed corresponding to bandwidth distributed for an nth time VOD program, T_n indicates a transmission time corresponding to the transmission speed R_n, X indicates a transmission speed after the bandwidth of the VOD program is adjusted, T_x indicates transmission time required to complete the VOD program transmission at the transmission speed X, C indicates an inherent code rate of the other currently requested VOD program transmission, T_c indicates time required to complete the other currently requested VOD program transmission at the inherent code rate C of the other currently requested VOD program transmission;

a storage module to receive and store the VOD program data transmitted by using the speed greater than or equal to the inherent code rate of the program; and

a play module to play the VOD program data.

22. The STB according to claim 21, wherein the computer hardware is further configured to implement a processing capability reporting module to acquire processing capability information of the STB and send out the processing capability information, wherein the processing capability information of the STB includes a speed of storing received program data.