Systems and methods for combining variable bit rate data streams

• US 9,641,876 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2011
• Issued: 05/02/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cox Communications Incorporated (Cox Enterprises Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Cox Communications Incorporated (Cox Enterprises Incorporated)
• Inventors: Finkelstein, Jeffrey L., Kim, Sung-eun, Bing, Benny K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kassim, Khaled
• Application Number:
  US13/170,576
• Publication Number:
  US 20130003800A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,135 Days
• Field of Search: 370352, 370252
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23418 involving operations for analysing video streams, e.g. detecting features or characteristics television picture signal circuitry for scene change detection H04N5/147; filtering for image enhancement G06T5/00; methods or arrangements for recognising scenes G06V20/00; arrangements characterised by components specially adapted for monitoring, identification or recognition of video in broadcast systems H04H60/59
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23655 Statistical multiplexing, e.g. by controlling the encoder to alter its bitrate to optimize the bandwidth utilization

Abstract

Systems and methods for combining variable bit rate data streams are provided. A plurality of data streams may be identified by a service provider system that includes one or more computers. Each data stream may be a variable bit rate data stream. Based upon an analysis of the respective variable bit rates, the service provider system may determine a subset of the plurality of data streams to be combined. The subset of data streams may then be combined and output by the service provider system for transmission to one or more consumer devices.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

identifying, by a service provider system comprising one or more computers, a plurality of data streams, wherein each data stream has a corresponding variable bit rate;

determining, by the service provider system based upon an analysis of the corresponding variable bit rate;

a subset of the plurality of data streams to be combined, wherein the subset of the data streams is determined based at least in part on a total available bandwidth for combining data streams, and a threshold bandwidth associated with at least one of the data streams,

wherein determining the threshold bandwidth comprises;

determining, by the service provider system, an average bit rate for the data stream;

determining, by the service provider system, a standard deviation for the variable bit rate associated with the data stream; and

determining, by the service provider system, the threshold bandwidth based at least in part on the average bit rate and the standard deviation;

combining, by the service provider system, the subset of data streams; and

transmitting, using a first network interface of the one or more computers, associated with the service provider system, the combined subset of data streams to a second network interface associated with each of one or more consumer devices.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the subset of data streams to be combined comprises:

identifying, by the service provider system, the total available bandwidth for combining data streams;

determining, by the service provider system for each data stream, a respective threshold bandwidth; and

determining, by the service provider system based at least in part on the determined respective threshold bandwidth and the total available bandwidth, the subset of data streams.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the threshold bandwidth further comprises:

determining, by the service provider system, a weighting factor associated with a desired delay for transmitting the data stream; and

determining the threshold bandwidth based at least in part on the determined weighting factor.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein identifying the available bandwidth comprises identifying an available bandwidth associated with a plurality of bonded channels.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the subset of the plurality of data streams to be combined comprises determining a subset for a predetermined time period.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the subset of the plurality of data streams to be combined comprises determining a subset comprising data streams having different resolutions.

7. A system, comprising:

at least one memory configured to store computer-executable instructions; and

at least one processor configured to access the at least one memory and execute the computer-executable instructions to;

identify a plurality of variable bit rate data streams;

determine, based upon an analysis of the variable bit rates associated with the data streams;

a subset of the data streams to be combined, wherein the subset of the data streams to be combined is determined based at least in part on a total available bandwidth for combining data streams,

determine an average bit rate for the data streams,

determine a standard deviation for the variable bit rate associated with the data streams,

determine a threshold bandwidth associated with at least one of the data streams based at least in part on the average bit rate and the standard deviation;

direct the combination of the subset of data streams; and

direct the transmission of the combined subset of data streams using a first network interface associated with the at least one processor to a second network interface associated with each of one or more consumer devices.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine the subset of the data streams to be combined by executing the computer-executable instructions to:

identify the total available bandwidth for combining data streams;

determine, for each data stream, a respective threshold bandwidth; and

determine, based at least in part on the determined respective threshold bandwidth and the available bandwidth, the subset of data streams.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to determine the threshold bandwidth based at least in part upon a weighting factor associated with a desired delay for transmitting the data stream.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the identified available bandwidth comprises an available bandwidth associated with a plurality of bonded channels.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to determine the subset of the data streams for a predetermined time period.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the subset of the data streams to be combined comprises data streams having different resolutions.

13. A method, comprising:

identifying, by a service provider system comprising one or more computers, a data stream comprising a variable bit rate;

determining, by the service provider system, a threshold bandwidth for the data stream, wherein determining the threshold bandwidth comprises;

determining, by the service provider system, an average bit rate for the data stream;

determining, by the service provider system, a standard deviation for the variable bit rate associated with the data stream; and

determining, by the service provider system, the threshold bandwidth based at least in part on the average bit rate and the standard deviation; and

determining, by the service provider system based at least in part on the determined threshold bandwidth, whether the data stream should be added to a combined group of data streams, wherein the subset of the data streams to be added is determined based at least in part on an available bandwidth for combining data streams.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein determining whether the data stream should be added to a combined group of data streams comprises:

identifying, by the service provider system, the available bandwidth associated with the combined group of data streams; and

determining, by the service provider system, whether the threshold bandwidth exceeds the available bandwidth.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein determining the threshold bandwidth further comprises:

determining, by the service provider system, a weighting factor associated with a desired delay for transmitting the data stream; and

determining the threshold bandwidth based at least in part on the determined weighting factor.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein identifying the available bandwidth comprises identifying an available bandwidth associated with a plurality of bonded channels.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein determining whether the data stream should be added to a combined group of data streams comprises determining whether the data stream should be added for a predetermined period of time.