Devices, systems, and methods for adaptive switching of multicast content delivery to optimize bandwidth usage

A system for adaptively transmitting content to one or more users, the system comprising:

• a content server configured to:
• transmit a first data stream having a first plurality of data packets and encoded at a first bit rate, the first content stream including a first plurality of switching identifiers placed at predetermined time intervals in the first content stream;
• and
• transmit a second data stream having a second plurality of data packets and encoded at a second bit rate, the second data stream including a second plurality of switching identifiers placed at predetermined time intervals in the second content stream, wherein the first bit rate and the second bit rate are different and wherein the first and second data streams represent the same content;
• and
• an edge router configured to:
• receive the first and second data streams from the content server;
• transmit the first data stream to a client device for providing the content to the client device;
• receive an indication of available bandwidth for transmitting data to the client device;
• responsive to receiving the indication of available bandwidth, determining, during transmission of the first content stream, to switch from the first content stream to the second content stream for providing the content to the client device;
• responsive to determining to switch, searching the first plurality of data packets for a switch identifier from the first plurality of switching identifiers;
• responsive to identifying a first switching identifier based on the searching, transmit the second content stream to the client device starting with a data packet from the second plurality of data packets that includes a second switching identifier from the second plurality of switching identifiers, the second switching identifier corresponding to the first switching identifier.

An electronic device for adaptively transmitting content to one or more users comprising:

• a computer processor;
• and
• a computer-readable storage medium containing computer program code executed by the computer processor for:
• receiving a first content stream having a first plurality of data packets, the first content stream encoded at a first bit rate and including a first plurality of switching identifiers placed at predetermined time intervals in the first content stream;
• receiving a second content stream having a second plurality of data packets, the second content stream encoded at a second bit rate and including a second plurality of switching identifiers placed at predetermined time intervals in the second content stream, wherein the first bit rate is different than the second bit rate and wherein the first and second content streams represent the same content;
• transmitting the first content stream to a client device for providing the content to the client device;
• receiving an indication of available bandwidth for transmitting data to the client device;
• responsive to receiving the indication of available bandwidth, determining, during transmission of the first content stream, to switch from the first content stream to the second content stream for providing the content to the client device;
• responsive to determining to switch, searching the first plurality of data packets for a switch identifier from the first plurality of switching identifiers;
• responsive to identifying a first switching identifier based on the searching, transmitting the second content stream to the client device starting with a data packet from the second plurality of data packets that includes a second switching identifier from the second plurality of switching identifiers, the second switching identifier corresponding to the first switching identifier.