Routing media content based on monetary cost

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9253545-B2
Application number	US-201314096881-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 4, 2013
Priority date	Dec 4, 2013
Publication date	Feb 2, 2016
Grant date	Feb 2, 2016

Abstract

Systems and methods of routing media content based on monetary cost are disclosed. A particular method includes receiving, at a network device coupled to a plurality of media delivery networks, media content to be provided to a destination device. The method also includes selecting a first media delivery network of the plurality of media delivery networks for routing the media content based at least in part on a determination that a first monetary cost associated with routing the media content through the first media delivery network is less than a second monetary cost associated with routing the media content through a second media delivery network of the plurality of media delivery networks. The method further includes routing the media content from the network device to the first media delivery network.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
receiving, at a network device coupled to a plurality of media delivery networks, media content to be provided to a destination device and first data indicating a first end-to-end routing path associated with routing of the media content to the destination device, wherein the first end-to-end routing path identifies at least a source device, the network device, a first media delivery network of the plurality of media delivery networks, and the destination device, and wherein the first end-to-end routing path indicates that the network device is to route the media content from the network device to the first media delivery network for subsequent routing of the media content to the destination device;
determining, at the network device based on pricing tier data stored in a database, a file, or a combination thereof, whether the first media delivery network is associated with a higher monetary cost of routing the media content than a second media delivery network of the plurality of media delivery networks and whether the first media delivery network is supporting less than a threshold number of simultaneous media streams, wherein the threshold number of simultaneous media streams corresponds to a capacity of the first media delivery network, wherein the pricing tier data is usable to select a particular media delivery network for routing particular media content, wherein the pricing tier data indicates a monetary cost associated with routing data through each of the plurality of media delivery networks, and wherein the monetary cost associated with at least one of the plurality of media delivery networks varies based on time of day; and
in response to determining that the first media delivery network is associated with a higher monetary cost of routing the media content than the second media delivery network, that the first media delivery network is supporting greater than or equal to the threshold number of simultaneous media streams, or both, at the network device:
selecting the second media delivery network for routing the media content instead of the first media delivery network;
modifying the first end-to-end routing path to a second end-to-end routing path, wherein the second end-to-end routing path identifies at least the source device, the network device, the second media delivery network, and the destination device; and
sending the media content and second data indicating the second end-to-end routing path from the network device to the second media delivery network for subsequent routing of the media content to the destination device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein a media server is configured to switch routing of the media content between different media delivery networks without interrupting playback of the media content at the destination device.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the media content comprises an adaptive bitrate rendition (ABR) chunk.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of media delivery networks includes at least one internet hosting service, at least one content delivery network, at least one cloud service provider network, at least one internet service provider network, at least one wireless service provider network, or any combination thereof.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the media content is received from a storage device of the network device, and wherein the source device is the network device.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the media content is received from another network device.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first data indicating the first end-to-end routing path and the second data indicating the second end-to-end routing path are transmitted as in-stream data of the media content.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first data indicating the first end-to-end routing path and the second data indicating the second end-to-end routing path are transmitted in a command stream distinct from the media content.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein a second network device associated with the second media delivery network is configured to modify the second end-to-end routing path to a third end-to-end routing path and to send the media content and third data indicating the third end-to-end routing path to a third network device.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the third network device is associated with a third media delivery network of the plurality of media delivery networks, wherein the third end-to-end routing path identifies at least the source device, the network device, the third media delivery network, and the destination device.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the third network device is coupled to the destination device by the third media delivery network.

12. An apparatus comprising:
a processor;
a network interface to:
receive, at a network device, media content to be provided to a destination device; and
receive first data indicating a first end-to-end routing path associated with routing of the media content to the destination device, wherein the first end-to-end routing path identifies at least a source device, the network device, a first media delivery network of a plurality of media delivery networks, and the destination device, and wherein the first end-to-end routing path indicates that the media content is to be routed to the first media delivery network of the plurality of media delivery networks for subsequent routing of the media content to the destination device; and

a memory storing instructions executable by the processor to perform operations that include:
determining, based on pricing tier data stored in a database, a file, or a combination thereof, whether the first media delivery network is associated with a higher monetary cost of routing the media content than a second media delivery network of the plurality of media delivery networks and whether the first media delivery network is supporting less than a threshold number of simultaneous media streams, wherein the threshold number of simultaneous media streams corresponds to a capacity of the first media delivery network, wherein the pricing tier data is usable to select a particular media delivery network for routing particular media content, wherein the pricing tier data indicates a monetary cost associated with routing data through each of the plurality of media delivery networks, and wherein the monetary cost associated with at least one of the plurality of media delivery networks varies based on time of day; and
in response to determining that the first media delivery network is associated with a higher monetary cost of routing the media content than the second media delivery network, that the first media delivery network is supporting greater than or equal to the threshold number of simultaneous media streams, or both, at the network device:
selecting the second media delivery network for routing the media content instead of the first media delivery network;
modifying the first end-to-end routing path to a second end-to-end routing path, wherein the second end-to-end routing path identifies at least the source device, the network device, the second media delivery network, and the destination device; and

sending the media content and second data indicating the second end-to-end routing path from the network device to the second media delivery network for subsequent routing of the media content to the destination device.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable storage device storing instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform operations comprising:
receiving, at a network device coupled to a plurality of media deliv

Assignees

• Wowza Media Systems Llc

Inventors

• Lemmons Thomas R

Classifications

• H04L12/00

  Data switching networks (interconnection of, or transfer of information or other signals between, memories, input/output devices or central processing units G06F13/00) · CPC title

• H04N21/6338 Primary

  directed to network · CPC title

• H04L45/123

  Evaluation of link metrics (techniques for monitoring network metrics H04L43/08) · CPC title