Predictive cached buffer for communication devices

• US 9,973,448 B2
• Filed: 02/25/2015
• Issued: 05/15/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2015
• 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.), AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Soelberg, Emily, Narayanan, Murali, Blumstein, Glenn, Ree, Brad, Chien, Ginger, Shaw, Venson
• Primary Examiner(s): Ghowrwal, Omar J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Detse, Kokou R
• Application Number:
  US14/630,878
• Publication Number:
  US 20160248704A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,175 Days
• Field of Search: 370429
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/522 Dynamic queue service slot or variable bandwidth allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/9005 using dynamic buffer space allocation
• 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 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/30 Profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/61 taking into account QoS or priority requirements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/026 using orientation information, e.g. compass
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a method that includes presenting a media content item at a communication device coupled to a network, and analyzing the media content item to determine a current desired cache size and to predict a future desired cache size for presentation of the media content item; the desired cache size varies during the presentation in accordance with properties of the media content item. The method further includes adjusting a cache of the communication device in accordance with the analyzing. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

transmitting, by a processing system including a processor, a current media content item via a network to a communication device of a user for caching at a local cache of the communication device, wherein a size of the local cache of the communication device is based on presentation of the current media content item;

analyzing, by the processing system, historical data regarding movement of the communication device;

analyzing, by the processing system, properties of the current media content item;

predicting, by the processing system, a bandwidth requirement for an upcoming portion of the current media content item being transmitted to the communication device based on the analyzing of the properties of the upcoming portion of the current media content item;

predicting, by the processing system, a predicted future location of the communication device, based on a current trajectory of the communication device and the historical data;

predicting, by the processing system, a predicted cost environment for the communication device associated with the predicted future location, wherein the predicted cost environment comprises a cost of network resources used by the communication device in accordance with a service plan subscribed to by the user;

predicting, by the processing system, a predicted future network condition affecting provisioning of the current media content item at the communication device at the predicted future location, the predicted future network condition including a change in network coverage, a change in network congestion, or a combination thereof; and

adjusting, by the processing system, the caching at the local cache of the communication device based on the predicting of the bandwidth requirement for the upcoming portion of the current media content item, and further based on one of capabilities of the communication device, the predicted future location, the predicted cost environment, the predicted future network condition, or a combination thereof.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the historical data comprises a pattern of movement of the communication device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the pattern of movement of the communication device is periodic with respect to a time of day, a day of week, or a combination thereof.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the current media content item comprises video content and audio content, and wherein the adjusting of the caching at the local cache of the communication device further comprises selectively adjusting a first bandwidth for caching the video content and a second bandwidth for caching the audio content, based on the analyzing of the properties of the upcoming portion of the current media content item.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the properties of a video portion of the upcoming portion of the current media content item comprise a variation in one of a number of frames, a density of imagery, or a combination thereof, wherein the adjusting further comprises adjusting the caching at the local cache of the communication device in accordance with properties of the upcoming portion of the current media content item.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising predicting of a demand for a future media content item based on a current media content item presented at the communication device.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising predicting, by the processing system, a caching requirement for the local cache of the communication device based on the future media content item.

8. A method comprising:

presenting, by a processing system including a processor, a media content item at a communication device coupled to a network,

analyzing, by the processing system, a property of the media content item to determine a current size of a local cache of the communication device and to predict a future size of the local cache for presentation of the media content item with the communication device, wherein a bandwidth of the media content item varies during the presentation in accordance with the property of the media content item, wherein the analyzing comprises predicting a bandwidth requirement for an upcoming portion of the media content item, wherein the analyzing further comprises predicting a cost environment for the communication device associated with a location of the communication device, wherein the cost environment comprises a cost of network resources used by the communication device in accordance with a service plan associated with the communication device; and

adjusting, by the processing system, the future size of the local cache of the communication device in accordance with the analyzing.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

analyzing, by the processing system, historical data regarding media content presented at the communication device to predict presentation of a future media content item,

wherein the adjusting further comprises adjusting the future size of the local cache in accordance with properties of the future media content item.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the historical data further comprises data regarding past behavior of a user of the communication device.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the analyzing further comprises predicting the future size of the local cache to obtain a predicted future cache size according to whether the future media content item comprises an audio-only program, a video-only program, or an audio-video program.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the media content item comprises an audio-video program, the future media content item comprises an audio-only program or a video-only program, and wherein the predicted future cache size is less than the current size of the local cache.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising analyzing, by the processing system, historical data regarding network conditions at a present location of the communication device, a predicted location of the communication device, or a combination thereof, to predict a network condition to obtain a predicted network condition affecting the presentation of the media content item.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the predicted network condition comprises reduced network coverage, increased network congestion, or a combination thereof, and wherein the predicted future cache size is greater than the current size of the local cache.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein the properties of the media content item comprise a video image density varying during the presentation of the media content item.

16. A device comprising:

a processing system including a processor; and

a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising;

presenting a media content item at a communication device coupled to a network,

analyzing properties of the media content item to determine a current size of a local cache of the communication device and to predict a future size of the local cache for presentation of the media content item, wherein the analyzing comprises predicting a bandwidth requirement for an upcoming portion of the media content item based on the properties of the media content item;

predicting a cost environment for the communication device associated with a location of the communication device, wherein the cost environment comprises a cost of network resources used by the device in accordance with a service plan associated with the communication device; and

adjusting the future size of the local cache based on the predicting of the cost environment.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the operations further comprise adjusting the local cache of the communication device according to a first future desired cache size or a second future desired cache size.

18. The device of claim 16, wherein the operations further analyzing past behavior of a user of the communication device wherein the adjusting of the future size of the local cache is further based on the analyzing of the past behavior of the user.

19. The device of claim 16, wherein the operations further comprise:

analyzing historical data regarding network conditions at a present location of the communication device, a predicted location of the communication device, or a combination thereof, to predict a predicted network condition affecting the presentation of the media content item, and

wherein the future size of the local cache is based on the predicted network condition.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein the predicted network condition comprises reduced network coverage, increased network congestion, or a combination thereof, and wherein the future size of the local cache is greater than the current size of the local cache.