Managing network traffic using intermediate flow control
AssigneeUnwired Planet, LLC
InventorKumar Gopalakrishnan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A technique for controlling the streaming of content through a network is disclosed. The technique involves changing the rate at which content chunks are sent from an intermediate network device in order to cause a client to request content chunks that are encoded at a different bit rate. For example, an intermediate network device can reduce the rate at which content chunks are sent to a client in order to cause the client to adapt to the reduced flow rate by requesting content chunks that are encoded at a lower bit rate. Causing a client to request content chunks that are encoded at a lower bit rate can reduce the bandwidth demand in a wireless communications network.
Claims15
A method for controlling the streaming of content through a network, the method comprising:
- receiving first content chunks at an intermediate network device, the intermediate network device being in a data path between a content source and a client, the first content chunks being encoded at a first bit rate and being sent from the content source to the client using an adaptive bit rate streaming protocol;
- and
- changing a flow rate at which the first content chunks are sent from the intermediate network device from a first flow rate to a second flow rate in order to cause the client, in response to the change of flow rate, to request second content chunks that are encoded at a different bit rate than the first bit rate.
A method for controlling the streaming of content through a network, the method comprising:
- receiving first content chunks at an intermediate network device, the intermediate network device being in a data path between a content source and a client, the first content chunks being encoded at a first bit rate and being sent from the content source to the client using an HTTP adaptive bit rate streaming protocol;
- and
- reducing a flow rate at which the first content chunks are sent from the intermediate network device from a first flow rate to a second flow rate in order to cause the client, in response to the change of flow rate, to request second content chunks that are encoded at a lower bit rate than the first bit rate.
A system for controlling the streaming of content through a network, the system comprising:
- an intermediate network device that is configured to receive first content chunks from a content source and to send the first content chunks to a client, wherein the first content chunks are encoded at a first bit rate and are sent from the content source to the client using an HTTP adaptive bit rate streaming protocol, and
- the intermediate network device having an influencer module configured to reduce a flow rate at which the first content chunks are sent from the intermediate network device from a first flow rate to a second flow rate in order to cause the client, in response to the change of flow rate, to request second content chunks that are encoded at a lower bit rate than the first bit rate.
A method for controlling the streaming of content through a network, the method comprising:
- receiving first content chunks at an intermediate network device, the intermediate network device being in a data path between a content source and a client, the first content chunks being encoded at a first bit rate and being sent from the content source to the client using an HTTP adaptive bit rate streaming protocol;
- and
- throttling a flow rate at which the first content chunks are sent from the intermediate network device from a first flow rate to a second flow rate in order to cause the client, in response to the change of flow rate, to request second content chunks that are encoded at a lower bit rate than the first bit rate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.