System and method for managing ABR bitrate delivery responsive to video buffer characteristics of a client

An apparatus configured to operate as an adaptive bitrate (ABR) delivery server for managing delivery of segmented media content in an ABR network, the apparatus comprising:

• at least one processor;
• and
• a persistent memory module coupled to the at least one processor, wherein the persistent memory module includes program instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, enable the apparatus to operate as follows:
• learn video buffer characteristics of a client device's media player in a streaming session pursuant to a media request therefor;
• store the learned video buffer characteristics in the client buffer database;
• modify manifest files of a first set of the segmented media content requested by the client device to include metadata information of media segments encoded at a single bitrate and removing metadata information pertaining to media segments of the segmented media content encoded at other bitrates, wherein the single bitrate is selected based at least in part upon the video buffer characteristics of the client device's media player;
• provide the modified manifest files of the first set of the segmented media content to the client device responsive to the obtained video buffer characteristics of the media player;
• monitor a duration of time taken for transmitting all bytes of a segment from the first set of the segmented media content to the client device;
• obtain a delivery bitrate of the segment from the first set of the segmented media content based on the duration of time;
• compare the delivery bitrate with one or more bitrates of the other bitrates of the removed metadata information identified in the pre-modified manifest files;
• determine that a bitrate of a second set of the segmented media content is to be adjusted based upon the comparison operation;
• and
• modify manifest files of the second set of the segmented media content to include a bitrate responsive to the determine operation;
• wherein the modification of the manifest files of the second set of the segmented media content further comprises determine whether the delivery bitrate is less than the single bitrate in the modified manifest files of the first set of the segmented media content plus an overhead threshold;
• based on the determination that the delivery bitrate is not less than the the single bitrate in the modified manifest files of the first set of the segmented media content plus the overhead threshold, determine whether the client device's media player is playing the first set of the segmented media content at a highest bitrate identified in the pre-modified manifest files;
• and
• based on the determination that the client device's media player is not playing the first set of the segmented media content at the highest bitrate identified in the pre-modified manifest files, perform a bitrate move up process for selecting a higher bitrate than is currently being used from a list of the other bitrates of the removed metadata information identified in the pre-modified manifest files, wherein the selected higher bitrate is used in the modified manifest files of the second set of the segmented media content;
• based on the determination that the client device's media player is playing the segmented media content at the highest bitrate identified in the pre-modified manifest files, bypass a bitrate adjustment and wait for a segment pull and associated request for another segment of the segmented media content from the client device before modifying the manifest files of the second set of the segmented media content;
• based on the determination that the delivery bitrate is less than the single bitrate in the modified manifest files of the first set of the segmented media content plus the overhead threshold, determine whether the client device's media player is playing the first set of the segmented media content at a lowest bitrate identified in the pre-modified manifest files;
• and
• based on the determination that the client device's media player is not playing the first set of the segmented media content at a lowest bitrate identified in the pre-modified manifest files, perform a bitrate move down process for selecting a lower bitrate than is currently being used from the list of the other bitrates of the removed metadata information identified in the modified manifest files, wherein the selected lower bitrate is used in the modified manifest files of the second set of the segmented media content;
• based on the determination that the client device's media player is playing the first set of the segmented media content at the lowest bitrate identified in the pre-modified manifest files, bypass a bitrate adjustment and wait for a segment pull and associated request for another segment of the segmented media content from the client device before modifying the manifest files of the second set of the segmented media content.