Distribution of an IP-based multimedia channel to non-IP enabled devices
First Claim
1. A method for distributing an IP-based multimedia channel to a plurality of non-IP enabled devices, comprising:
- identifying, by a device, a plurality of multimedia channels requested by a group of devices;
determining a data rate for providing each multimedia channel to the group of devices based on a popularity of each multimedia channel among the group of devices;
aligning, by the device, the determined data rate for a respective one of the multimedia channels with one of a plurality of source data rates provided over a network by a content source, wherein the aligning comprises selecting the one of the plurality of source data rates provided by the content source that is closest to the determined data rate for the respective one of the multimedia channels;
selecting to receive, by the device and over the network, content segments for the respective one of the multimedia channels from the content source at the one of the plurality of source data rates aligned with the determined data rate for providing the respective multimedia channel;
receiving the content segments from the content source over the network at the one of the plurality of source data rates;
converting, by the device, the content segments at the one of the plurality of source data rates to a continuous digital content stream; and
providing the continuous digital content stream to one or more devices in the group of devices at the determined data rate for providing the respective multimedia channel.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and method for converting an IP-based multimedia channel and distributing the channel to a plurality of non-IP enabled devices based on the channel'"'"'s popularity among the devices. The apparatus identifies a plurality of multimedia channels requested by a group of devices, and determines a data rate for providing each channel to the devices based on a popularity of each channel among the devices. The apparatus uses an adaptive bit rate (ABR) client to receive content segments for a respective one of the multimedia channels from an ABR server at a source data rate aligned with a determined data rate for providing the respective multimedia channel. The content segments are received at the source data rate, and converted by the apparatus to a continuous digital content stream. The apparatus then provides the continuous digital content stream to one or more of the devices at the determined data rate.
15 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for distributing an IP-based multimedia channel to a plurality of non-IP enabled devices, comprising:
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identifying, by a device, a plurality of multimedia channels requested by a group of devices;
determining a data rate for providing each multimedia channel to the group of devices based on a popularity of each multimedia channel among the group of devices;aligning, by the device, the determined data rate for a respective one of the multimedia channels with one of a plurality of source data rates provided over a network by a content source, wherein the aligning comprises selecting the one of the plurality of source data rates provided by the content source that is closest to the determined data rate for the respective one of the multimedia channels; selecting to receive, by the device and over the network, content segments for the respective one of the multimedia channels from the content source at the one of the plurality of source data rates aligned with the determined data rate for providing the respective multimedia channel; receiving the content segments from the content source over the network at the one of the plurality of source data rates; converting, by the device, the content segments at the one of the plurality of source data rates to a continuous digital content stream; and providing the continuous digital content stream to one or more devices in the group of devices at the determined data rate for providing the respective multimedia channel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A computer program product comprising instructions stored in a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, the instructions comprising:
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instructions to receive a first plurality of content segments associated with a first multimedia channel and a second plurality of content segments associated with a second multimedia channel from an adaptive bit rate (ABR) server, each of the first and second pluralities of content segments being received at a data rate selected from a respective set of data rates advertised by a remote data source; instructions to convert the first and second plurality content segments to first and second continuous multimedia streams for a plurality of local viewing devices; instructions to determine a first number of local viewing devices that have requested to view or are viewing the first multimedia channel, and a second number of local viewing devices that have requested to view or are viewing the second multimedia channel; instructions to adjust, based at least in part on the determining, respective data rates for providing the first and second continuous multimedia streams to the plurality of local viewing devices; instructions to monitor available bandwidth for receiving the first and second pluralities of content segments from the ABR server and to adjust the respective data rates for providing the first and second continuous multimedia stream in response to a monitored change in the available bandwidth; and instructions to provide the first and second continuous multimedia streams to the plurality of local viewing devices according to the respective adjusted data rates. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A device comprising:
at least one processor circuit configured to; identify a plurality of multimedia channels requested by a group of devices; determine a data rate for providing each multimedia channel based on a popularity of each multimedia channel among the group of devices; select to receive content segments for a respective one of the multimedia channels from an adaptive bit rate (ABR) server at a source data rate that is aligned with the determined data rate for providing the respective multimedia channel, the source data rate not exceeding a maximum source data rate that is transcodable to the determined data rate without more than a predetermined amount of delay between when the content segments are received from the ABR server and converted to a continuous digital content stream; receive, in a plurality of data packets over a network, the content segments from a content source at the ABR server; convert the content segments into the continuous digital content stream for transmission at the determined data rate for providing the respective multimedia channel; modulate a carrier signal with the continuous digital content stream; and provide the carrier signal to one or more devices in the group of devices.
Specification