System and method for determination and reconstruction of video and entertainment sessions in packet data networks

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:
• detecting uplink packets in a network, the uplink packets conveying application protocol requests from an application on a mobile device to an application server, the application server providing a service to the application on the mobile device over the network, wherein at least some of the uplink packets are encrypted to be readable only by the application server;
• detecting downlink packets in the network, the downlink packets conveying content data from the application server to the application on the mobile device for playback of a content item on the mobile device;
• reconstructing a session lifecycle into a set of application protocol messages between the application on the mobile device and the application server, wherein the reconstructing is based on the uplink packets and the downlink packets, and involves
• providing at least some of the uplink packets to a machine learning model, the machine learning model trained to identify application protocol messages from the uplink packets,
• receiving from the machine learning model an indication that a start video download application protocol message has been identified by the machine learning model, the start video download application protocol message causing an initiation of a download of content data from the application server to the application on the mobile device,
• determining a downloaded amount of content data conveyed to the mobile device, and
• comparing a time duration of playback of content data on the mobile device with a time duration required to play the downloaded amount of content data on the mobile device;
• identifying a stall event in the session lifecycle based on the comparing, wherein the stall event corresponds to an interruption of the playback of the content item on the mobile device due to insufficient content data conveyed from the application server to the application on the mobile device;
• and
• redistributing network resources to reduce a likelihood of a future stall event.

A method, comprising:

• detecting, by a processing system including a processor, uplink packets in a network, the uplink packets conveying application protocol requests from an application on a mobile device to an application server, the application server providing a service to the application on the mobile device over the network, wherein at least some of the uplink packets are encrypted to be readable only by the application server;
• detecting, by the processing system, downlink packets in the network, the downlink packets conveying content data from the application server to the application on the mobile device for playback of a content item on the mobile device;
• reconstructing, by the processing system, a session lifecycle into a set of application protocol messages between the application on the mobile device and the application server, wherein the reconstructing is based on the uplink packets and the downlink packets;
• identifying, by the processing system, a watch time corresponding to a duration of displaying the content data on the mobile device by the application;
• identifying, by the processing system, a download data time corresponding to an amount of content data downloaded to the application on the mobile device for playback on the mobile device;
• comparing, by the processing system, the watch time and the download data time;
• identifying, by the processing system, a stall event in the session lifecycle based on the comparing, wherein the stall event corresponds to an interruption of the playback of the content item on the mobile device due to insufficient content data conveyed from the application server to the application on the mobile device;
• and
• based on the identifying, causing, by the processing system, network resources to be redistributed to reduce a likelihood of a future stall event.