# US 2019/0246182 A1 · Estimating bandwidth savings for adaptive bit rate streaming > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0246182 A1 - Document ID: US20190246182A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/264,887 - Filed: 2019-02-01 - Published: 2019-08-08 - Earliest claimed: 2018-02-02 - Assignees: Affirmed Networks, Inc. - Applicants: Affirmed Networks, Inc. - Inventors: Piotr GALECKI; Raghavan RAJAGOPALAN - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190246182A1 ## CPC - H04N 21/64792: {Controlling the complexity of the content stream, e.g. by dropping packets (intermediate media network packet handling H04L65/765; proxy provisioning conversion or adaptation for reducing the amount or size of exchanged application data H04L67/5651; negotiation of resources in wireless networks H04W28/16)} - H04L 65/612: for unicast - H04L 65/613: for the control of the source by the destination (control signals issued by the client directed to the server or network components specially adapted for selective content distribution H04N21/637) - H04L 65/762: {at the source (reformatting of additional data in video distribution servers H04N21/2355)} - H04L 65/765: {intermediate} - H04L 65/80: Responding to QoS - H04N 21/64738: {Monitoring network characteristics, e.g. bandwidth, congestion level (data switched network analysis H04L41/14; monitoring functioning in data switched networks H04L43/0817; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10)} - H04N 21/64769: {for rate control (flow control in packet networks H04L47/10)} - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract Example implementations involve systems and methods for determining bandwidth savings from a rate-limiting process. A network optimization node can determine a first reference characteristic of a first portion of adaptive bit rate (ABR) media data transmitted from a first content provider to a first user equipment while rate-limiting is disabled and store in an estimation module database associated with the network optimization node, the first reference characteristic in association with the first content provider. The node can determine a first rate-limited characteristic of a second portion of the ABR media data transmitted from the first content provider to at least one of the first user equipment and a second user equipment while rate-limiting is enabled and calculate a first bandwidth savings for the first content provider associated with rate-limiting being enabled based on a difference between the first reference characteristic and the first rate-limited characteristic. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of determining bandwidth savings from a rate-limiting process, the method comprising: determining, by a network optimization node, a first reference characteristic of a first portion of adaptive bit rate (ABR) media data transmitted from a first content provider to a first user equipment while the rate-limiting process is disabled; storing, by the network optimization node in an estimation module database associated with the network optimization node, the first reference characteristic in association with the first content provider; determining, by the network optimization node, a first rate-limited characteristic of a second portion of the ABR media data transmitted from the first content provider to at least one of the first user equipment and a second user equipment while the rate-limiting process is enabled; and calculating, by the network optimization node, a first bandwidth savings for the first content provider associated with the rate-limiting process being enabled based on a difference between the first reference characteristic and the first rate-limited characteristic. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising for unencrypted ABR media data, measuring, at the network optimization node, at least one reference segment characteristic from one segment of the first portion of adaptive bitrate (ABR) media data, and wherein the determining the first reference characteristic comprises determining the first reference characteristic based on the at least one reference segment characteristic. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the at least one first reference segment characteristic comprises a segment size of the at least one segment of the first portion of adaptive bitrate (ABR) media data. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, further comprising repeating the measuring, at the network optimization node, the reference segment characteristic for others segments of the first portion of adaptive bitrate (ABR) media data to compile a plurality of reference segment characteristics, and wherein the determining the first reference characteristic comprises determining the first reference characteristic based one or more of a mean, median, or mode of at least some of the plurality reference segment characteristics. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the determining the first reference characteristic comprises determining a bitrate of the first portion of ABR media data for encrypted ABR media data. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: determining, by the network optimization node, a second reference characteristic of a third portion of ABR media data transmitted from the first content provider to at least one of the first user equipment, the second user equipment, and a third user equipment while the rate-limiting process is disabled; storing, by the network optimization node in the estimation module database, the second reference characteristic in association with the first content provider; and compiling a combined reference characteristic based on the first reference characteristic and the second reference characteristic, and wherein the comparing the first reference characteristic with the first rate-limited characteristic comprises comparing the combined reference characteristic with the first rate-limited characteristic. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: determining, by the network optimization node, a second reference characteristic of a third portion of ABR media data transmitted from the first content provider to at least one of the first user equipment, the second user equipment, and a third user equipment while the rate-limiting process is disabled, the third portion of ABR media data being different from the first portion of ABR media data; storing, by the network optimization node in the estimation module database, the second reference characteristic in association with the first content provider; determining, by the network optimization node, a second rate-limited characteristic of a fourth portion of ABR media data transmitted from the first content provider to at least one of the first user equipment, the second user equipment, the third user equipment, and a fourth user equipment while the rate-limiting process is enabled, the fourth portion of ABR media data being different from the second portion of ABR media data; and calculating, by the network optimization node, a second bandwidth savings associated with the rate-limiting process being enabled based on a difference between the second reference characteristic and the second rate-limited characteristic. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: determining, by the network optimization node, a second reference characteristic of a third portion of ABR media data transmitted from a second content provider to at least one of the first user equipment, the second user equipment, and a third user equipment while the rate-limiting process is disabled, the second content provider being different from the first content provider; storing, by the network optimization node in the estimation module database, the second reference characteristic in association with the second content provider; determining, by the network optimization node, a second rate-limited characteristic of a fourth portion of ABR media data transmitted from the second content provider to at least one of the first user equipment, the second user equipment, the third user equipment, and a fourth user equipment while the rate-limiting process is enabled; and calculating, by the network optimization node, a second bandwidth savings associated with the rate-limiting process being enabled based on a difference between the second reference characteristic and the second rate-limited characteristic. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the determining, by the network optimization node, the first reference characteristic further comprises at least one of: determining the first reference characteristic a predetermined amount of time after determining a previous reference characteristic; determining the first reference characteristic in response to input from a network operator; and determining the first reference characteristic after determining a network condition change exceeding a threshold. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the determining, by the network optimization node, the first reference characteristic the predetermined amount of time after determining the previous reference characteristic is performed automatically. ### Claim 11 A system for determining bandwidth savings from a rate limiting process, comprising: an estimation module database; a network optimization node associated with the estimation module database, wherein the network optimization node comprises a computer readable storage medium having instructions thereon configured to cause a processor of the network optimization node to: determine a first reference characteristic of a first portion of adaptive bit rate (ABR) media data transmitted from a first content provider to a first user equipment while the rate-limiting process is disabled; store in the estimation module database associated with the network optimization node, the first reference characteristic in association with the first content provider; determine a first rate-limited characteristic of a second portion of the ABR media data transmitted from the first content provider to at least one of the first user equipment and a second user equipment while the rate-limiting process is enabled; and calculate a first bandwidth savings for the first content provider associated with the rate-limiting process being enabled based on a difference between the first reference characteristic and the first rate-limited characteristic. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein for unencrypted ABR media data, the instructions are further configured to cause the processor of the network optimization node to measure at least one reference segment characteristic from one segment of the first portion of adaptive bitrate (ABR) media data, and wherein the determining the first reference characteristic comprises determining the first reference characteristic based on the at least one reference segment characteristic. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one first reference segment characteristic comprises a segment size of the at least one segment of the first portion of adaptive bitrate (ABR) media data. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the instructions are further configured to cause the processor of the network optimization node to repeat the measuring the reference segment characteristic for others segments of the first portion of adaptive bitrate (ABR) media data to compile a plurality of reference segment characteristics, and wherein the determining the first reference characteristic comprises determining the first reference characteristic based one or more of a mean, median, or mode of at least some of the plurality reference segment characteristics. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein determining the first reference characteristic comprises determining a bitrate of the first portion of ABR media data for encrypted ABR media data. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the instructions are further configured to cause the processor of the network optimization node to: determine a second reference characteristic of a third portion of ABR media data transmitted from the first content provider to at least one of the first user equipment, the second user equipment, and a third user equipment while the rate-limiting process is disabled; store the second reference characteristic in association with the first content provider in the estimation module database; and compile a combined reference characteristic based on the first reference characteristic and the second reference characteristic, and wherein the comparing the first reference characteristic with the first rate-limited characteristic comprises comparing the combined reference characteristic with the first rate-limited characteristic. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the instructions are further configured to cause the processor of the network optimization node to: determine a second reference characteristic of a third portion of ABR media data transmitted from the first content provider to at least one of the first user equipment, the second user equipment, and a third user equipment while the rate-limiting process is disabled, the third portion of ABR media data being different from the first portion of ABR media data; store the second reference characteristic in association with the first content provider in the estimation module database; determine a second rate-limited characteristic of a fourth portion of ABR media data transmitted from the first content provider to at least one of the first user equipment, the second user equipment, the third user equipment, and a fourth user equipment while the rate-limiting process is enabled, the fourth portion of ABR media data being different from the second portion of ABR media data; and calculate a second bandwidth savings associated with the rate-limiting process being enabled based on a difference between the second reference characteristic and the second rate-limited characteristic. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the instructions are further configured to cause the processor of the network optimization node to: determine a second reference characteristic of a third portion of ABR media data transmitted from a second content provider to at least one of the first user equipment, the second user equipment, and a third user equipment while the rate-limiting process is disabled, the second content provider being different from the first content provider; store the second reference characteristic in association with the second content provider in the estimation module database; determine a second rate-limited characteristic of a fourth portion of ABR media data transmitted from the second content provider to at least one of the first user equipment, the second user equipment, the third user equipment, and a fourth user equipment while the rate-limiting process is enabled; and calculate a second bandwidth savings associated with the rate-limiting process being enabled based on a difference between the second reference characteristic and the second rate-limited characteristic. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the determining the first reference characteristic further comprises at least one of: determining the first reference characteristic a predetermined amount of time after determining a previous reference characteristic; determining the first reference characteristic in response to input from a network operator; and determining the first reference characteristic after determining a network condition change exceeding a threshold. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The system of claim 19, wherein the determining the first reference characteristic the predetermined amount of time after determining the previous reference characteristic is performed automatically.