Streaming with optional broadcast delivery of data segments

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9820009-B2
Application number	US-200913500594-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 3, 2009
Priority date	Nov 3, 2009
Publication date	Nov 14, 2017
Grant date	Nov 14, 2017

Abstract

For streaming data in a mobile communication network, a descriptive file ( 100 ) of a stream ( 200 ) is provided. The descriptive file ( 100 ) comprises a list ( 110 ) of delivery source identifiers, e.g. URIs, for unicast delivery of data segments ( 210 ) of the stream. A broadcast indicator ( 120 ) is selectively added to the descriptive file ( 100 ) so as to indicate whether broadcast delivery of the data segments ( 210 ) is available. Adding the broadcast indicator ( 120 ) and initiating the broadcast delivery may be accomplished on the basis of a popularity of the stream.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of streaming data in a mobile communication network, comprising:
providing a descriptive file of a stream, the descriptive file comprising a list of delivery source identifiers for unicast delivery of data segments of the stream;
based on a number of requests for the descriptive file, adding a broadcast indicator to the descriptive file to indicate whether broadcast delivery of the data segments of the stream is available;
determining a popularity value of the stream;
after the broadcast indicator has been added to the descriptive file:
in response to the popularity value being above a first threshold value:
initiating the broadcast delivery and setting the broadcast indicator of the descriptive file to indicate that the broadcast delivery is available;
including the descriptive file into the broadcast delivery of the data streams; and
suppressing the broadcast delivery of the descriptive file; and

in response to the popularity value being below a second threshold value, ending the broadcast delivery and setting the broadcast indicator of the descriptive file to indicate that the broadcast delivery is not available.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the determining the popularity value of the stream comprises determining the popularity value based on an amount of requests for the descriptive file.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising delivering the data segments via broadcast delivery.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising temporarily suppressing inclusion of the descriptive file in the broadcast delivery.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the determining the popularity value of the stream comprises determining the popularity value based on an amount of requests for unicast delivery of one of the data segments.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising suppressing the broadcast delivery of the one of the data segments.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising adding a timing indicator to the descriptive file to indicate a time interval after which a streaming client should request an updated version of the descriptive file.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the descriptive file is a playlist file according to the HTTP Live Streaming protocol.

9. A server in a mobile communication network for streaming data, the server comprising:
a processing circuit;
wherein the processing circuit is configured to:
provide a descriptive file of a stream, the descriptive file comprising a list of delivery source identifiers for unicast delivery of data segments of the stream;
based on a number of requests for the descriptive file, add a broadcast indicator to the descriptive file to indicate whether broadcast delivery of the data segments is available;
determine a popularity value of the stream;
after the broadcast indicator has been added to the descriptive file:
in response to the popularity value being above a first threshold value:
initiate the broadcast delivery and set the broadcast indicator of the descriptive file to indicate that the broadcast delivery is available;
include the descriptive file into the broadcast delivery of the data streams;
temporarily suppress the broadcast delivery of the descriptive file; and

in response to the popularity value being below a second threshold value, end the broadcast delivery and set the broadcast indicator of the descriptive file to indicate that the broadcast delivery is not available.

10. A method of streaming data in a mobile communication network, the method comprising:
providing a descriptive file of a stream, the descriptive file comprising a list of delivery source identifiers for unicast delivery of data segments of the stream;
based on a number of requests for the unicast delivery of one of the data segments, adding a broadcast indicator to the descriptive file to indicate whether broadcast delivery of the data segments is available;
determining a popularity value of the stream;
after the broadcast indicator has been added to the descriptive file:
in response to the popularity value being above a first threshold value:
initiating the broadcast delivery and setting the broadcast indicator of the descriptive file to indicate that the broadcast delivery is available;
including the descriptive file into the broadcast delivery of the data streams; and
suppressing the broadcast delivery of the data segments used for determining the popularity value; and

in response to the popularity value being below a second threshold value, ending the broadcast delivery and setting the broadcast indicator of the descriptive file to indicate that the broadcast delivery is not available.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising adding a timing indicator to the descriptive file to indicate a time interval after which a streaming client should request an updated version of the descriptive file.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising:
receiving the descriptive file of the stream;
determining, based on the broadcast indicator, whether the broadcast delivery is available; and
in response to the broadcast delivery being available, receiving the data segments using the broadcast delivery.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising in response to the broadcast delivery of one of the data segments failing, using the unicast delivery to receive the one of the data segments.

14. The method of claim 10 further comprising in response to the broadcast delivery being available, receiving an updated version of the descriptive file using the broadcast delivery.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising in response to the broadcast delivery of the updated version of the descriptive file failing, using the unicast delivery to receive the updated version of the descriptive file.

16. The method of claim 10 further comprising sending a request for the updated version of the descriptive file if no updated version of the descriptive file has been received for a predetermined time.

17. The method of claim 10 wherein the descriptive file is a playlist file according to the HTTP Live Streaming protocol.

18. A server in a mobile communication network for streaming data, the server comprising:
a processing circuit;
wherein the processing circuit is configured to:
provide a descriptive file of a stream, the descriptive file comprising a list of delivery source identifiers for unicast delivery of data segments of the stream;
based on a number of requests for the unicast delivery of one of the data segments, add a broadcast indicator to the descriptive file to indicate whether broadcast delivery of the data segments is available;
determine a popularity value of the stream;
after the broadcast indicator has been added to the descriptive file:
in response to the popularity value being above a first threshold value:
initiate the broadcast delivery and set the broadcast indicator of the descriptive file to indicate that the broadcast delivery is available;
including the descriptive file into the broadcast delivery of the data streams; and
suppressing the broadcast delivery of the data segments used for determining the popularity value; and

in response to the popularity value being below a second threshold value, ending the broadcast delivery and set the broadcast indicator of the descriptive file to indicate that the broadcast delivery is not available.

Assignees

• Lohmar Thorsten
• Catrein Daniel
• Einarsson Torbjörn
• ERICSSON TELEFON AB L M (publ)

Inventors

• Lohmar Thorsten
• Catrein Daniel
• Einarsson Torbjörn

Classifications

• H04N21/2407

  Monitoring of transmitted content, e.g. distribution time, number of downloads (arrangements for monitoring programmes for broadcast or for distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/14) · CPC title

• H04N21/6405

  Multicasting {(data broadcast and multicast in packet switching networks H04L12/18)} · CPC title

• H04N21/6131

  involving transmission via a mobile phone network (wireless downlink channel access H04W74/006) · CPC title

• H04N21/472

  End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content {(end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612)} · CPC title

• H04N21/258

  Client or end-user data management, e.g. managing client capabilities, user preferences or demographics, processing of multiple end-users preferences to derive collaborative data {(arrangements for services using the result on the distributing side of broadcast systems H04H60/66; profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/30)} · CPC title