Managing linear multimedia content delivery

• US 9,516,103 B2
• Filed: 10/05/2015
• Issued: 12/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Piepenbrink, David J., Chow, Lee M., Sofos, James T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Joshi, Suraj
• Application Number:
  US14/875,401
• Publication Number:
  US 20160028800A1
• Time in Patent Office: 428 Days
• Field of Search: 709/221
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/185 with management of multicast group membership
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4679 Arrangements for the registration or de-registration of VLAN attribute values, e.g. VLAN identifiers, port VLAN membership
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0882 Utilisation of link capacity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/125 by balancing the load, e.g. traffic engineering
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1008 based on parameters of servers, e.g. available memory or workload monitoring of computer activity G06F11/30

Abstract

Users are assigned to virtual groups. Virtual groups are associated with server assets. Achieving load-balancing during the delivery of linear multimedia content, for example, may be achieved through reassigning users to different virtual groups. Server assets can include server clusters that are assigned to the virtual groups. New hardware can be added to server assets without having to directly associate users to the new hardware.

Claims

1. A multimedia load management method, comprising:

assigning a first server to a first virtual group and a second virtual group;

assigning a client device to the first virtual group;

monitoring loading of virtual groups including the first virtual group and the second virtual group; and

responsive to detecting a request for a linear multimedia program from the client device;

unicasting a first portion of the linear multimedia program to the client device from the first server; and

multicasting a second portion of the linear multimedia program to the client device from a multicast replicator; and

responsive to detecting unequal loading among the virtual groups, reassigning the client device to the second virtual group and to a server other than the first server in the second virtual group.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

iteratively reassigning the client device until loading of each virtual group is substantially equal.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

altering which particular servers are assigned to a particular virtual group without altering which particular client devices are assigned to the particular virtual group.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

caching the first portion of the linear multimedia program at the first server.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending a server identifier to the client device, wherein the server identifier identifies a network address of a server to which the client device is assigned; and

responsive to the reassigning of the client device, sending an updated server identifier to the client device.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

periodically sending updated server identifiers to the client device, wherein the updated server identifiers identify a server to which the client device is currently assigned.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein periodically sending the updated server identifiers includes staggering the sending of individual updated server identifiers with respect to one another.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said assigning comprises assigning a first client device dynamically to the first virtual group and assigning a second client device statically to the first virtual group wherein the second client device is not eligible for re-assigning to a different virtual group in response to a change in the loading.

9. A non-transitory computer readable medium including computer readable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations including:

assigning a first server to a first virtual group and a second virtual group;

assigning a client device to the first virtual group;

monitoring loading of virtual groups including the first virtual group and the second virtual group; and

responsive to detecting a request for a linear multimedia program from the client device;

unicasting a first portion of the linear multimedia program to the client device from the first server; and

multicasting a second portion of the linear multimedia program to the client device from a multicast replicator; and

responsive to detecting unequal loading among the virtual groups, reassigning the client device to the second virtual group and to a server other than the first server in the second virtual group.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the operations include:

altering which particular servers are assigned to a particular virtual group without altering which particular client devices are assigned to the particular virtual group.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the operations include:

caching the first portion of the linear multimedia program at the first server.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the operations include:

sending a server identifier to the client device, wherein the server identifier identifies a network address of a server to which the client device is assigned; and

responsive to the reassigning of the client device, sending an updated server identifier to the client device.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the operations include:

periodically sending updated server identifiers to the client device, wherein the updated server identifiers identify a server to which the client device is currently assigned.

10. The computer readable medium of 9, wherein the operations include:

iteratively reassigning the client device until loading of each virtual group is substantially equal.

15. A computer system, comprising:

a processor;

non-transitory computer readable media including computer readable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations including;

assigning a first server to a first virtual group and a second virtual group;

assigning a client device to the first virtual group;

monitoring loading of virtual groups including the first virtual group and the second virtual group; and

responsive to detecting a request for a linear multimedia program from the client device;

unicasting a first portion of the linear multimedia program to the client device from the first server; and

multicasting a second portion of the linear multimedia program to the client device from a multicast replicator; and

responsive to detecting unequal loading among the virtual groups, reassigning the client device to the second virtual group and to a server other than the first server in the second virtual group.

16. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the operations include:

iteratively reassigning the client device until loading of each virtual group is substantially equal.

17. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the operations include:

altering which particular servers are assigned to a particular virtual group without altering which particular client devices are assigned to the particular virtual group.

18. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the operations include:

caching the first portion of the linear multimedia program at the first server.

19. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the operations include:

sending a server identifier to the client device, wherein the server identifier identifies a network address of a server to which the client device is assigned; and

responsive to the reassigning of the client device, sending an updated server identifier to the client device.

20. The computer system of claim 19, wherein the operations include:

periodically sending updated server identifiers to the client device, wherein the updated server identifiers identify a server to which the client device is currently assigned.