Multi-interface adaptive bit rate session management

• US 9,338,212 B2
• Filed: 04/10/2015
• Issued: 05/10/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hayes, Richard C., Shatzkamer, Kevin, Grayson, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): KAMARA, MOHAMED A
• Application Number:
  US14/683,158
• Publication Number:
  US 20150215367A1
• Time in Patent Office: 396 Days
• Field of Search: 370/252, 370/235, 370389-391, 370/312, 370467-468, 725/90, 725/109, 725/112, 709231-232
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5678 Traffic aspects, e.g. arbitration, load balancing, smoothing, buffer management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1066 Session management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0215 based on user or device properties, e.g. MTC-capable devices services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC] H04W4/70; wireless resource selection or allocation plan definition based on terminal or device properties H04W72/51
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0231 based on communication conditions dynamic wireless traffic scheduling definition based on channel quality criteria H04W72/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/06 Optimizing the usage of the radio link, e.g. header compression, information sizing , discarding information system modifying transmission characteristic according to link quality by modifying frame length H04L1/0007; dynamic adaptation of the packet size for flow control or congestion control H04L47/365
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/16 Involving different core network technologies, e.g. a packet-switched [PS] bearer in combination with a circuit-switched [CS] bearer
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

Systems and method are provided that allow an application layer client in a mobile device to manage multiple interfaces in a communication network. The multiple interfaces can include WiFi, cellular, Femto, WiMAX, Bluetooth, infrared, Ethernet, and other types of interfaces for communication in a network. The client on the mobile device can use intelligence and rules to determine how and when request fragments are communicated over the various interfaces available to the client. The intelligence can include parameters such as performance information for a particular interface and subscriber preferences. Based on this information the client can decide to use a combination of the interfaces to obtain multimedia content and render the content for display on the mobile device. By using a combination of interfaces and tracking the advantages and disadvantages of each interface, the client can make intelligent decisions in providing multimedia content to the user.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a first interface to communicate with a first communication network;

a second interface to communicate with a second communication network;

a processor to;

send, through the first interface, a first set of one or more adaptive bitrate (ABR) requests for one or more fragments of a multimedia file;

determine a playback time of the one or more fragments of the multimedia file;

form a second set of one or more ABR requests for one or more fragments of the multimedia file based on the determined playback time; and

send, through the second interface, the second set of one or more ABR requests.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a memory to store performance information associated with at least one of the first interface or the second interface.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein at least one of the first set or the second set of ABR requests is formed based on the performance information.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the performance information comprises a bandwidth associated with of at least one of the first interface or the second interface.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the performance information comprises a latency associated with of at least one of the first interface or the second interface.

6. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the performance information comprises metrics associated with past ABR requests, the metrics tracked by the apparatus.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a memory to store subscriber preference information; and

wherein at least one of the first set or the second set of ABR requests is formed based on the subscriber preference information.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the subscriber preference information indicates a preference for the first interface.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the subscriber preference information indicates a cost associated with at least one of the first interface or the second interface.

10. A method comprising:

sending, through a first interface, a first set of one or more adaptive bitrate (ABR) requests for one or more fragments of a multimedia file;

determining a playback time of the one or more fragments of the multimedia file;

forming a second set of one or more ABR requests for one or more fragments of the multimedia file based on the determined playback time; and

sending, through a second interface, the second set of one or more ABR requests.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising storing performance information associated with at least one of the first interface or the second interface.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein at least one of the first set or the second set of ABR requests is formed based on the performance information.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the performance information comprises a bandwidth associated with of at least one of the first interface or the second interface.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the performance information comprises a latency associated with of at least one of the first interface or the second interface.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the performance information comprises metrics associated with past ABR requests.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein at least one of the first set or the second set of ABR requests is formed based on subscriber preference information.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the subscriber preference information indicates a preference for the first interface.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the subscriber preference information indicates a cost associated with at least one of the first interface and the second interface.

19. At least one non-transitory medium comprising encoded logic that when executed is operable to:

send, through a first interface, a first set of one or more adaptive bitrate (ABR) requests for one or more fragments of a multimedia file;

determine a playback time of the one or more fragments of the multimedia file;

form a second set of one or more ABR requests for one or more fragments of the multimedia file based on the determined playback time; and

send, through a second interface, the second set of one or more ABR requests.

20. The medium of claim 19, wherein at least one of the first set or the second set of ABR requests is formed based on performance information associated with at least one of the first interface or the second interface.