Coordinating video delivery with radio frequency conditions

• US 9,774,894 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2012
• Issued: 09/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Dalela, Ashish, Hammer, Michael, Shatzkamer, Kevin, Morrow, Monique Jeanne, Tomsu, Peter, Vucetic, Vojislav
• Primary Examiner(s): Rahaman, Mohammed
• Assistant Examiner(s): ABIMBOLA, KEHINDE
• Application Number:
  US13/418,495
• Publication Number:
  US 20130243075A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,023 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/752 adapting media to network capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2343 involving reformatting operations of video signals for distribution or compliance with end-user requests or end-user device requirements video transcoding H04N19/40; media packet handling at the source H04L65/762
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/238 Interfacing the downstream path of the transmission network, e.g. adapting the transmission rate of a video stream to network bandwidth; Processing of multiplex streams hybrid fiber coaxial [HFC] networks for downstream channel allocation for video distribution H04L12/2801; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; real-time communication protocols in data switching networks H04L65/00; scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44209 Monitoring of downstream path of the transmission network originating from a server, e.g. bandwidth variations of a wireless network arrangements for maintenance or administration in data switching networks involving bandwidth and capacity management H04L41/0896
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6379 directed to encoder , e.g. for requesting a lower encoding rate

Abstract

System and methods for modifying streaming data based on radio frequency information is provided. As radio transceivers transition move to a shared resource or cloud model and the existing radio transceivers are split into a baseband unit and a remote radio head, radio frequency (RF) information including power levels, encoding, data rates, and bandwidth can be provided to video optimization server. The RF information can be provided more frequently to allow real-time modifications to streaming video data. Existing protocols are reactionary in nature and perceive changing channel conditions indirectly. By providing RF information from the baseband unit on a low latency channel, modifications to the video stream can be made before an impact would be noticed at the protocol level. Also, policy information can be used to influence the changes made to streaming data in addition to the RF information.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, from a video server, streaming video data that is destined for a mobile node at a video optimization server managing video compression of the streaming video data;

receiving, at the video optimization server, radio frequency (RF) information from a baseband unit that receives the RF information from a remote radio head, the RF information regarding the mobile node'"'"'s wireless power level;

modifying, by the video optimization server, video compression of the streaming video data based on a change in the mobile node'"'"'s wireless power level detected based on the RF information received at the video optimization server, wherein the video compression modification includes modifying a video codec rate to match an effective channel data rate of a radio link between the mobile node and the remote radio head;

transmitting the modified streaming video data to the mobile node through the baseband unit and remote radio head; and

,

receiving policy information regarding the mobile node at the video optimization server and modifying the streaming video data based on the policy information and the RF information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote radio head includes an RF antenna and circuitry for transmitting the streaming video data over radio frequencies and the baseband unit performs baseband processing.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote radio head and the baseband unit are both elements of a cloud radio access network (cloud RAN), where the remote radio head provides RF information to the baseband unit.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the video optimization server is implemented on a gateway and the gateway performs video compression on the streaming video data.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving RF information in an out-of-band service orchestration protocol that is used to manage resources among devices in a network.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising communicating with a policy server an ability to enforce policies based on available resources and received RF information.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising turning off video compression of the streaming video by the video optimization server in response to a determination that the bandwidth of the radio link exceeds the bandwidth requirements of the streaming video data.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the effective channel data rate is matched by rapidly switching between compressing the streaming video data and not compressing the streaming video data.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the RF information received at the video optimization server from the baseband unit that receives the RF information from the remote radio head comprises the mobile node'"'"'s encoding at the video server.

7. A network device comprising:

an interface configured to receive, from a video server, streaming video data that is destined for a mobile node and receive radio frequency (RF) information from a baseband unit that receives RF information from a remote radio head, the RF information regarding the mobile node'"'"'s wireless power level; and

,

a processor configured to receive the RF information and modify video compression of the streaming video data based on a change in the mobile node'"'"'s wireless power level detected based on the RF information, wherein the video compression modification includes modifying a video codec rate to match an effective channel data rate of a radio link between the mobile node and the remote radio heat;

wherein, policy information regarding the mobile node at the video optimization server is received and the streaming video data is modified based on the policy information and the RF information.

8. The network device of claim 7, wherein the remote radio head includes an RF antenna and circuitry for transmitting the streaming video data over radio frequencies and the baseband unit performs baseband processing.

9. The network device of claim 7, wherein the remote radio head and the baseband unit are both elements of a cloud radio access network (cloud RAN), where the remote radio head provides RF information to the baseband unit.

10. The network device of claim 7, wherein at the video optimization server is implemented on a gateway and the gateway performs video compression on the streaming video data.

11. The network device of claim 7, further comprising receiving RF information in an out-of-band service orchestration protocol that is used to manage resources among devices in a network.

12. The network device of claim 7, further comprising communicating with a policy server an ability to enforce policies based on available resources and received RF information.

13. A logic encoded on a non-transitory media that when executed is configured to:

receive, from a video server, streaming video data that is destined for a mobile node at a video optimization server managing video compression of the streaming video data;

receive radio frequency (RF) information from a baseband unit that receives the RF information from a remote radio head, the RF information regarding the mobile node'"'"'s wireless power level;

modify video compression of the streaming video data based on a change in the mobile node'"'"'s wireless power level detected based on the RF information received at the video optimization server, wherein the video compression modification includes modifying a video codec rate to match an effective channel data rate of a radio link between the mobile node and the remote radio head;

transmit the modified streaming video data to the mobile node through the baseband unit and remote radio head; and

,

receive policy information regarding the mobile node at the video optimization server and modify the streaming video data based on the policy information and the RF information.

14. The logic of claim 13, wherein the remote radio head and the baseband unit are both elements of a cloud radio access network (cloud RAN), where the remote radio head provides RF information to the baseband unit.

15. The logic of claim 13, wherein at the video optimization server is implemented on a gateway and the gateway performs video compression on the streaming video data.

16. The logic of claim 13, further comprising receiving RF information in an out-of-band service orchestration protocol that is used to manage resources among devices in a network.

17. The logic of claim 13, further comprising communicating with a policy server an ability to enforce policies based on available resources and received RF information.