Method and apparatus for network bandwidth conservation

• US 9,300,999 B2
• Filed: 01/09/2012
• Issued: 03/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Inventors: LaJoie, Michael L.
• Primary Examiner(s): ALAM, MUSHFIKH I
• Application Number:
  US13/346,606
• Publication Number:
  US 20120180080A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,541 Days
• Field of Search: 725/74, 725/78
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/33 Arrangements for monitoring the users' behaviour or opinions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2801 Broadband local area networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23439 for generating different versions
• 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 21/2402 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 21/2407 Monitoring of transmitted content, e.g. distribution time, number of downloads arrangements for monitoring programmes for broadcast or for distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26216 involving the channel capacity, e.g. network bandwidth admission control, resource allocation in open networks H04L12/5692; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; establishing a schedule or organising the servicing of application requests taking into account QoS H04L67/61
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26241 involving the time of distribution, e.g. the best time of the day for inserting an advertisement or airing a children program
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26275 for distributing content or additional data in a staggered manner, e.g. repeating movies on different channels in a time-staggered manner in a near video on demand system
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44222 Analytics of user selections, e.g. selection of programs or purchase activity monitoring of user selections in data processing systems G06F11/34; arrangements for monitoring the user's behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33
• 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 7/17309 Transmission or handling of upstream communications

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for conserving bandwidth within a network based on two or more different service levels. In an exemplary embodiment, programming that is simulcast on two or more program channels is mapped to one physical channel during periods when the programming is scheduled at only one service level (e.g., standard definition), thereby conserving bandwidth on the network that would otherwise be consumed by the simultaneous broadcast on the two or more channels. When the programming service level becomes heterogeneous across the channels (e.g., SD and HD simulcast), physical channel(s) supporting the HD content are provided within a local service area only “on-demand” using, for example, a switched digital channel allocation. Accordingly, no HD broadcast occurs within a given area until at least one user requests it, thereby further conserving network bandwidth.

Claims

1. A method of bandwidth management in a content distribution network having a plurality of consumer premises equipment (CPE), said plurality of CPE being configured to receive standard definition (SD) and high definition (HD) content, said method comprising:

scheduling said SD content simultaneously to first and second user channels, said first user channel being associated with a first physical channel for delivering SD content;

mapping said second user channel to said first physical channel for delivering SD content;

receiving a request for HD content from one or more individual ones of said plurality of said CPE; and

in response to receiving said request, re-mapping said second user channel to a second physical channel for delivery of said HD content to said one or more individual ones of said plurality of CPE.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said request comprises said one or more individual ones of said plurality of CPE tuning to said second user channel.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said method further comprises:

receiving a request to tune away from said second user channel for delivery of said HD content from at least one of said one or more individual ones of said plurality of CPE; and

selectively re-mapping said second user channel to said first physical channel for delivery of SD content.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said network comprises a switched broadcast delivery network; and

said first and said second physical channels each comprise one or more quadrature amplitude modulated (QAM) channels.

5. A method of bandwidth management in a content distribution network comprising a plurality of consumer premises equipment (CPE), said method comprising:

receiving a request for a particular program from one or more individual ones of said plurality of CPE;

determining whether said one or more individual ones of said plurality of CPE are within a subset of said plurality of CPE associated with a specific service level entitling said ones of said subset to access high-definition (HD) content; and

when it is determined that said one or more individual ones of said plurality of CPE are within said subset, enabling said one or more individual ones of said plurality of CPE to access a multiplex, said multiplex comprising a plurality of substantially identical time-shifted copies of said particular program.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein durations of respective ones of time shifts between each of said individual ones of said plurality of said identical time-shifted copies of said program are identical.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein a duration of a time shift associated with one or more of said time-shifted copies is based at least in part on:

(i) a total running time of said program, and/or (ii) a bandwidth associated with a provision of a single HD stream.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein said request comprises said one or more individual ones of said plurality of CPE tuning to a logical channel associated with said particular content.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said method further comprises selectively tearing down said multiplex, said selectively tearing down being based at least in part on all of said one or more individual ones of said plurality of CPE tuning away from said logical channel associated with said particular content.

10. Network apparatus configured for bandwidth management in a content distribution network, said network configured to have a plurality of consumer premises equipment (CPE) associated therewith, said plurality of CPE configured to receive standard definition (SD) and high definition (HD) content streams, and said network apparatus comprising:

one or more interfaces, said interfaces configured to provide said SD and HD content streams to said plurality CPE via said content distribution network;

a storage device; and

a processor, said processor configured to run at least one computer program thereon, said computer program comprising a plurality of instructions which are configured to, when executed, cause said network apparatus to;

schedule said SD content streams to be delivered simultaneously via a first user channel and a second user channel, said first user channel configured to be associated to a first physical channel configured to deliver SD content, and said second user channel configured to be associated to a second physical channel configured to deliver HD content;

map said second user channel to said first physical channel;

receive a request for said HD content stream from one or more individual ones of said plurality of said CPE; and

in response to said receipt of said request for said HD content stream, re-map said second user channel to said second physical channel for delivery of said HD content stream.

11. The network apparatus of claim 10, wherein said SD content stream is simultaneously scheduled to be delivered via said first and second user channels within a first time period.

12. The network apparatus of claim 11, wherein said SD content stream is distributed over said first physical channel within said first time period irrespective of whether one or more individual ones of said plurality of CPE tune to said first or second user channels within said first time period.

13. The network apparatus of claim 10, wherein said HD content stream is scheduled to be delivered via said second user channel within a second time period, and said second physical channel is allocated for delivery of said HD content only after a first user sends said request for said HD content stream to said network apparatus within said second time period.

14. The network apparatus of claim 13, wherein said request comprises an indication that said first user has tuned to said second user channel within said second time period, and said plurality of instructions further configured to cause said network apparatus to send information regarding said allocated second physical channel to second users which have requested said HD content stream.

15. The network apparatus of claim 13, wherein said plurality of instructions are further configured to, when executed, cause said network apparatus to:

receive a second request from one or more individual ones of said plurality of CPE to tune away from said second user channel within said second time period; and

selectively re-map said second user channel to said first physical channel for delivery of said SD content stream.

16. The network apparatus of claim 13, wherein said plurality of instructions are further configured to, when executed, cause said network apparatus to selectively tear down said second physical channel, said selective tear down being based at least in part on a determination that no current requests for said HD content stream remain.

17. Network apparatus configured for bandwidth management in a content distribution network comprising a plurality of consumer premises equipment (CPE) associated therewith, said network apparatus comprising:

one or more interfaces, said interfaces configured to provide first and second content streams to said plurality CPE via said content distribution network;

a storage device; and

a processor, said processor configured to run at least one computer program thereon, said computer program comprising a plurality of instructions which are configured to, when executed, cause said network apparatus to;

receive a request for a particular program from one or more individual ones of said plurality of CPE;

determine whether said one or more individual ones of said plurality of CPE are within a subset of said plurality of CPE associated with a high definition (HD) service level;

when it is determined that said one or more individual ones of said plurality of CPE are within said subset of said plurality of CPE associated with said HD service level, enable said one or more individual ones of said plurality of CPE to access a multiplex, said multiplex comprising a plurality of substantially identical time-shifted copies of said particular program; and

schedule said requested particular program pursuant to a standard definition (SD) service level, and a simulcast of said multiplex pursuant to said HD service level.

18. The network apparatus of claim 17, wherein durations of respective ones of time shifts between each of said individual ones of said plurality of said identical time-shifted copies of said program are identical.

19. The network apparatus of claim 17, wherein a duration of a time shift associated with one or more of said time-shifted copies is based on at least one of:

(i) a total run time of said program, and/or (ii) a bandwidth associated with delivery of a single HD stream.

20. The network apparatus of claim 17, wherein said request comprises an indication that said one or more individual ones of said plurality of CPE have tuned to a logical channel associated with said particular content.

21. The network apparatus of claim 20, wherein said plurality of instructions are further configured to, when executed, cause said network apparatus to selectively tear down said multiplex, said selectively tear down being based at least in part on a determination that no current requests for said logical channel associated with said particular content remain.

22. The network apparatus of claim 17, wherein said plurality of instructions art further configured to, when executed, cause said network apparatus to:

carry, on a first physical channel, said requested particular program presented pursuant to said first service level, and

assign a second physical channel to carry said multiplex comprising said plurality of substantially identical time-shifted copies of said particular program.