US 2015/0085875 A1 · ADAPTIVE VIDEO WHITE SPOT LEARNING AND USER BANDWIDTH DELIVERY CONTROL SYSTEM

Abstract

A system and method that utilize a learning system to maintain a set of geographical locations indicating an area where network data coverage is poor. When it is determined that a client device is moving towards such an area, the client is forced or instructed to switch to a lower delivery bitrate for video segments in order to force the client's Adaptive Bit Rate (ABR) playback buffer to fill itself with enough low-quality video segments to enable the client to cross the area without video playback interruption. Thus, the client mobile device may be preemptively forced to choose the lowest bitrate specified in a manifest file for the delivered video segments as the bitrate for downloading video segments when approaching the poor coverage area. Hence, the client device can maintain a minimum level of Quality of Service (QoS) when moving through network areas with poor data coverage.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method of building a database of geographical locations in a cellular network that have a less-than-desired radio coverage, wherein the method comprises performing the following using a network entity in the cellular network:

for a mobile device operating in the cellular network and playing an audio-visual content through an adaptive streaming process, determining a minimum threshold bitrate authorized under the adaptive streaming process;
monitoring whether a current audio-visual segment is being delivered to the mobile device at a delivery bitrate that is lower than the authorized minimum threshold bitrate;
when the delivery bitrate is lower than the authorized minimum threshold bitrate, obtaining geographic location coordinates for the mobile device;
and
reporting the geographic location coordinates for storage in the database.

2 more elements

A method for delivering an audio-visual content to a mobile device operating in a cellular network, wherein the method comprises performing the following using a network entity in the cellular network:

monitoring a direction and speed of travel of the mobile device to ascertain whether the mobile device is approaching a geographical location in the cellular network that has a less-than-desired radio coverage;
and
when the mobile device is determined to be approaching the geographical location with the less-than-desired radio coverage, forcing the mobile device to switch to a delivery bitrate for receiving the audio-visual content, wherein the delivery bitrate is lower than a bitrate currently being used by the mobile device to receive the audio-visual content.

A network entity in a cellular network facilitating delivery of an audio-visual content to a first mobile device operating in the cellular network, wherein the network entity is configured to perform the following:

maintain access to a database that contains identifications of those geographical locations within the cellular network that have a less-than-desired radio coverage;
monitor a direction and speed of travel of the first mobile device and consult the database to ascertain whether the first mobile device is approaching a geographical location in the cellular network that has the less-than-desired radio coverage;
and
when the first mobile device is determined to be approaching the geographical location with the less-than-desired radio coverage, force the first mobile device to receive the audio-visual content at a first delivery bitrate that is lower than a bitrate currently being used by the first mobile device to receive the audio-visual content.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Adaptive video white spot learning and user bandwidth delivery control system

Life of this patent

Adaptive video white spot learning and user bandwidth delivery control system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20