Media Streaming in Mobile Networks with Improved Efficiency

A mobile telecommunication device comprising:

• a receiver configured to receive content data via a mobile telecommunication network;
• a play-out buffer configured to hold downloaded but yet un-played content data;
• a media reader configured to read content data at a media rate from the play-out buffer and to send content to a display or speaker for rendering;
• a segment request controller configured to send requests for new content segments to a remote server;
• a buffer fill monitor configured to check a fill level of said play-out buffer,
• wherein the segment request controller is further configured to switch between a state of continuously requesting content segments when said fill level is below a minimum fill value and a state of not requesting any content segments when said fill level is above a maximum fill value.

A method of operating a mobile communication device, said method comprising:

• receiving content data via a mobile telecommunication network;
• holding, in a play-out buffer, downloaded but yet un-played content data;
• reading content data at a media rate from the play-out buffer and sending content to a display or speaker for rendering;
• checking a fill level of said play-out buffer, continuously or at least at the end of a media segment download;
• and
• switching between a state of continuously requesting new content segments when said fill level is below a minimum fill value and a state of not requesting any segments when said fill level is above a maximum fill value.

A network node for a telecommunication network, said network node comprising:

• a manifest file modifier configured to modify a manifest file so as to force a mobile device to request a relatively large segment;
• a client request parsing module configured to receive a request for a media segment or a media rate from said device;
• a segment formatter and retriever configured to retrieve original media segments from a remote server or a local storage, and reformat the media segments into a larger segment;
• a content data delivery function configured to transfer the larger segment to the mobile device;
• a throughput estimator configured to estimate a current throughput;
• and
• a media rate decider configured to calculate a ratio ρ between said current throughput and said requested media rate, and instruct said segment retriever to request a media rate higher than a predefined breakpoint media rate level only if said ratio ρ is above a predefined ratio ρth, where ρth>1.

A method of operating a network node in a telecommunication network, said method comprising:

• delivering a manifest file to a mobile device, said manifest file being modified to present larger media segments than in original format;
• receiving a request for a media segment from said mobile telecommunication device;
• retrieving original media segments from a remote server or a local storage;
• reformatting said media segments into a larger segment;
• transferring said larger media segment to the mobile device;
• estimating a current throughput;
• and
• calculating a ratio ρ between said current throughput and said requested media rate, and instructing said segment retriever to request a media rate higher than a predefined breakpoint media rate level only if said ratio ρ is above a predefined ratio ρth, where ρth>1.