System and method for dynamically determining multimedia transmission based on communication bandwidth

• US 9,001,885 B2
• Filed: 10/03/2011
• Issued: 04/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Genesis Star Management Limited
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chen, Yihsiu, Foladare, Mark J., Goldman, Shelley B.
• Primary Examiner(s): PHILIPPE, GIMS S
• Application Number:
  US13/251,989
• Publication Number:
  US 20120023256A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,282 Days
• Field of Search: 37524001-24029, 709/233, 715/735, 370/468, 370/252
• US Class Current: 375/240.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/38 by adapting coding or compression rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/752 adapting media to network capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26216 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 21/64769 for rate control flow control in packet networks H04L47/10

Abstract

A system and method is provided for dynamically adjusting one or more characteristics of a multimedia transmission between a content provider and a content recipient. In one embodiment, the system responds to a change in available bandwidth between the content provider and the content recipient.

Claims

1. A method for determining an adjustment to a multimedia stream between a content provider and a content recipient, comprising:

receiving, via a server, an indication of a change in an available bandwidth between the content provider and the content recipient during an established multimedia transmission of the multimedia stream that occurs at a video resolution level, and an audio compression level;

determining, via the server, based on the change in the available bandwidth, the adjustment to at least one of;

the video resolution level or the audio compression level of the multimedia stream; and

implementing, via the server, the adjustment in the multimedia stream between the content provider and the content recipient in the established multimedia transmission.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the indication is an indication of a monitored change in the available bandwidth between the content provider and the content recipient.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the indication is an indication of a self imposed reduction in bandwidth.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjustment comprises an adjustment only to the video resolution level.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjustment comprises an adjustment only to the audio compression level.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjustment comprises an adjustment to the video resolution level, the audio compression level and a frame rate.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the server is a network server.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the network server employs a session initiation protocol for signaling.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the server is operated by the content provider.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjustment accounts for a selected preference of the content recipient.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a plurality of instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations for determining an adjustment to a multimedia stream between a content provider and a content recipient, the operations comprising:

receiving an indication of a change in an available bandwidth between the content provider and the content recipient during an established multimedia transmission of the multimedia stream that occurs at a video resolution level, and an audio compression level;

determining, based on the change in the available bandwidth, the adjustment to at least one of;

the video resolution level or the audio compression level of the multimedia stream; and

implementing the adjustment in the multimedia stream between the content provider and the content recipient in the established multimedia transmission.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the indication is an indication of a monitored change in the available bandwidth between the content provider and the content recipient.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the indication is an indication of a self imposed reduction in bandwidth.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the adjustment comprises an adjustment only to the video resolution level.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the adjustment comprises an adjustment only to the audio compression level.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the adjustment comprises an adjustment to the video resolution level, the audio compression level and a frame rate.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the operations are performed via the processor of a server, wherein the server is a network server.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the network server employs a session initiation protocol for signaling.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the operations are performed via the processor of a server, wherein the server is operated by the content provider.

20. A server for determining an adjustment to a multimedia stream between a content provider and a content recipient, comprising:

a processor; and

a computer-readable medium storing a plurality of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations, the operations comprising;

receiving an indication of a change in an available bandwidth between the content provider and the content recipient during an established multimedia transmission of the multimedia stream that occurs at a video resolution level, and an audio compression level;

determining, based on the change in the available bandwidth, the adjustment to at least one of;

the video resolution level or the audio compression level of the multimedia stream; and

implementing the adjustment in the multimedia stream between the content provider and the content recipient in the established multimedia transmission.