Conflict detection and resolution in an ABR network using client interactivity

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9455932-B2
Application number	US-201414194918-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 3, 2014
Priority date	Mar 3, 2014
Publication date	Sep 27, 2016
Grant date	Sep 27, 2016

Abstract

A scheme for managing conflict resolution in an ABR streaming environment with respect to a bandwidth pipe serving a customer premises. In one aspect, when a session request is received from a new ABR client launched in the customer premises that includes one or more existing ABR clients having corresponding streaming sessions, a bandwidth forecasting module is configured to forecast bandwidth requirements with respect to the corresponding ABR streaming sessions after accounting for a bandwidth requirement for the new ABR client's session request. A conflict condition may be detected if any of forecasted bandwidth requirements violates a bitrate threshold policy relative to the corresponding ABR streaming sessions and/or the new session being requested. If there is a conflict, an interactive session may be launched with one or more clients for facilitating user selection of one or more options relative to the impending conflict condition.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method performed by a computer-implemented system for managing conflict resolution in an adaptive bitrate (ABR) streaming environment with respect to a bandwidth pipe serving a plurality of client devices disposed in a customer premises, the method comprising:
receiving a session request from a new ABR client launched in the customer premises that includes one or more existing ABR clients executing on at least a subset of the client devices, wherein each existing ABR client is engaged in a corresponding ABR streaming session via the bandwidth pipe;
forecasting bandwidth requirements for the one or more existing ABR clients with respect to the corresponding ABR streaming sessions after accounting for a bandwidth requirement for the new ABR client's session request to be serviced via the customer premises' bandwidth pipe;
detecting a conflict if any of forecasted bandwidth requirements violates a bitrate threshold policy relative to the corresponding ABR streaming sessions of the existing ABR clients;
responsive to detecting the conflict, launching an interactive session with at least one of the new ABR client and an existing ABR client for resolving the conflict with respect to the session request;
presenting a dialog to a user of the at least one of the new ABR client and an existing ABR client, the dialog for offering one or more options to the user relative to resolving the conflict with respect to the session request; and
accepting an option input by the user and effectuating an action responsive to the option.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the dialog includes an option to select one or more ABR streaming sessions of the existing ABR clients for disconnecting.

3. The method as recited in claim 2 , further comprising sending a disconnection notification message to one or more existing ABR clients.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the dialog includes a bandwidth purchase option that allows the user of the new ABR client to select an amount of bandwidth necessary for setting up a new streaming session without a conflict relative to the ABR streaming sessions of the existing ABR clients.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the dialog is presented to the at least one of the new ABR client and an existing ABR client via the Internet.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:
determining that there is no conflict relative to the session request from the new ABR client; and
setting up a new streaming session responsive to the session request from the new ABR client.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the session request from the new ABR client includes display device information associated with an external audio/video (A/V) device for rendering content to be streamed.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the forecasting of bandwidth requirements is performed at a premises gateway responsive to a forecasting request from a subscriber policy management node.

9. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the forecasting of bandwidth requirements is performed at a content delivery network (CDN) edge delivery node responsive to a forecasting request from a subscriber policy management node.

10. A system for managing conflict resolution in an adaptive bitrate (ABR) streaming environment with respect to a bandwidth pipe serving a plurality of client devices disposed in a customer premises, the system comprising:
a back office operative to receive a session request from a new ABR client launched by a client device in the customer premises that includes one or more existing ABR clients executing on at least a subset of the client devices, wherein each existing ABR client is engaged in a corresponding ABR streaming session via the bandwidth pipe;
a subscriber policy management node operative to request, responsive to a message from the back office, one of a premises gateway and a CDN edge delivery node for forecasted bandwidth requirements of the one or more existing ABR clients with respect to the corresponding ABR streaming sessions after accounting for a bandwidth requirement for the new ABR client's session request to be serviced via the customer premises' bandwidth pipe, the subscriber policy management node further operative to detect a conflict if any of forecasted bandwidth requirements violates a bitrate threshold policy relative to the corresponding ABR streaming sessions of the existing ABR clients; and
a conflict management node operative, responsive to a conflict detection message from the subscriber policy management node, to:
facilitate launching of an interactive session with at least one of the new ABR client and an existing ABR client for resolving the conflict with respect to the session request;
present a dialog to a user of the at least one of the new ABR client and an existing ABR client, the dialog for offering one or more options to the user relative to resolving the conflict with respect to the session request; and
accept an option input by the user and effectuate an action responsive to the option.

11. The system as recited in claim 10 , wherein the dialog includes an option to select one or more ABR streaming sessions of the existing ABR clients for disconnecting.

12. The system as recited in claim 11 , wherein the conflict management node is further configured to send a disconnection notification message to one or more existing ABR clients.

13. The system as recited in claim 10 , wherein the dialog includes a bandwidth purchase option that allows the user of the new ABR client to select an amount of bandwidth necessary for setting up a new streaming session without a conflict relative to the ABR streaming sessions of the existing ABR clients.

14. The system as recited in claim 10 , wherein the dialog is presented to the at least one of the new ABR client and an existing ABR client via the Internet.

15. The system as recited in claim 10 , wherein the session request from the new ABR client includes display device information associated with an external audio/video (A/V) device for rendering content to be streamed.

16. The system as recited in claim 10 , wherein the subscriber policy management node and the conflict management node are integrated as a single network element.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing instructions stored thereon which, when executed by one or more processor nodes of a subscriber back office management system, facilitate management of conflict resolution in an adaptive bitrate (ABR) streaming environment with respect to a bandwidth pipe serving a plurality of client devices in a customer premises, comprising the acts:
processing a session request from a new ABR client launched by a client device in the customer premises that includes one or more existing ABR clients executing on at least a subset of the client devices, wherein each existing ABR client is engaged in a corresponding ABR streaming session via the bandwidth pipe;
requesting one of a premises gateway and a CDN edge delivery node for forecasted bandwidth requirements of the one or more existing ABR clients with respect to the corresponding ABR streaming sessions after accounting for a bandwidth requirement for the new ABR client's session request to be serviced via the bandwidth pipe;
detecting a conflict if any of forecasted bandwidth requirements violates a bitrate threshold policy relative to the corresponding ABR streaming sessions of the existing ABR clients;
responsive to detecting the conflict, launching an interactive session with at least one of

Assignees

• Ericsson Television Inc
• Ericsson Ab

Inventors

• Phillips Chris
• Reynolds Jennifer Ann
• Dasher Charles Hammett
• Huber Michael

Classifications

• H04L65/60

  Network streaming of media packets · CPC title

• H04L47/748

  Negotiation of resources, e.g. modification of a request · CPC title

• H04L47/74 Primary

  measures in reaction to resource unavailability · CPC title

• H04L41/50

  Network service management, e.g. ensuring proper service fulfilment according to agreements · CPC title

• H04L67/141

  Setup of application sessions (admission control or resource allocation in data switching networks H04L47/70) · CPC title