Client Feedback Enhanced Methods and Devices for Efficient Adaptive Bitrate Streaming

A method for providing video content using a HyperText Transfer Protocol-based live streaming client model (“HCM”), the method comprising:

• determining a bandwidth to allocate to a plurality of media devices;
• determining a number of active media devices associated with the plurality of media devices to allocate the determined bandwidth;
• determining a need parameter vector (“NPV”) for each of the active media devices;
• and
• assigning a fraction of the bandwidth to each of the active media devices based on the NPV varied by a scalar quality value for each of the active media devices.

A server configured to provide video content, the server comprising:

• a set of processors;
• and
• a computer-readable storage medium including instructions for controlling the set of processors to be configured for:
• determining bandwidth to allocate to each of a plurality of media devices using a HyperText Transfer Protocol-based live streaming client model (“HCM”) and a bitrate based on a corresponding need parameter vector (“NPV”) varied by a scalar quality value for each of the plurality of media devices;
• and
• providing the determined bandwidth to allocate to each of the plurality of media devices,
• wherein the video content is transmitted in a plurality of segments from the server, and
• wherein each segment is transmitted using a variable bitrate from segment to segment.