Edge optimized transrating system

A demultirating device for bandwidth management over at least one link of at least one single program transport stream (SPTS) having end-user content and containing a plurality of transrated data streams, each transrated data stream having the end-user content, and the plurality having different nominal maximum bit rates, the at least one SPTS also having metadata which includes data structure and parameter information about the transrated data streams, the demultirating device comprising:

• a receiver for receiving the plurality of transrated data streams of the at least one SPTS;
• a selector, for receiving the metadata of the at least one SPTS and an available bandwidth of the at least one link, and for selecting a single transrated data stream of the plurality of transrated data streams responsively according to the metadata and the available bandwidth;
• and
• a sequencer for concatenating a segment of the single transrated data stream to a segment of a previously-selected data stream, to form a unicast data stream output to send to an end-user access link.

A method for bandwidth management over at least one link of a data stream having end-user content, the method comprising:

• transrating the data stream by a multirating device into a plurality of transrated data streams, each transrated data stream having the end-user content, and the plurality having different nominal maximum bit rates;
• generating, by the multirating device, metadata which includes data structure and parameter information about the transrated data streams;
• transmitting, to a demultirating device, the plurality of transrated data streams and the metadata;
• receiving, by the demultirating device, the plurality of transrated data streams and the metadata;
• selecting, by the multirating device, of a single transrated data stream of the plurality of transrated data streams responsively to the metadata and responsively to an available bandwidth of the at least one link;
• and
• transmitting, by the multirating device of at least part of the single transrated data stream to the at least one link for transmission to an end-user.

A method for bandwidth management over at least one link of a data stream having end-user content and containing a plurality of transrated data streams, each transrated data stream having the end-user content, and the plurality having different nominal maximum bit rates, the data stream also having metadata which includes data structure and parameter information about the transrated data streams, the method comprising:

• receiving, by a demultirating device, the plurality of transrated data streams and the metadata;
• selecting, by the multirating device, of a single transrated data stream of the plurality of transrated data streams responsively to the metadata and responsively to an available bandwidth of the at least one link;
• and
• transmitting, by the multirating device of at least part of the single transrated data stream to the at least one link for transmission to an end-user.

A computer product for bandwidth management over at least one link of a data stream having end-user content and containing a plurality of transrated data streams, each transrated data stream having the end-user content, and the plurality having different nominal maximum bit rates, the data stream also having metadata which includes data structure and parameter information about the transrated data streams, the product comprising tangible data storage that includes a set of executable commands for a computer, which commands, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to perform:

• receiving the plurality of transrated data streams and the metadata;
• selecting of a single transrated data stream of the plurality of transrated data streams responsively to the metadata and responsively to an available bandwidth of the at least one link;
• and
• transmitting of at least part of the single transrated data stream to the at least one link for transmission to an end-user.