Method and apparatus for downloading content using channel bonding
View Patent ↗As additional channels are added to a communication system for applications, such as standard density (SD) and eventually high density (HD) Video on Demand (VOD), additional capacity can be realized by reducing the time required to transmit content. A reduction of transmission time (or an increase of the transmission rate) can be achieved by bonding channels of the communication system. The bonded channels typically provide a statistical multiplexing gain because the additional bandwidth is treated as a large single channel for the download. Bonding channels of the communication system can provide high speed downloading of content, such as video content, far in excess of the playback rate. Using bonded channels can relax the Quality of Service (QoS) requirements of a data stream, such as a video stream, over an internet protocol (IP) network.
1. A method to provide an item of content to a remote device of a communication system, comprising:
(a) receiving a request to access the item of content from the remote device;
(b) accessing the item content from one or more data bases;
(c) storing a relationship between a first channel of the communication system and a second channel of the communication system; and
(d) transmitting a first portion of the item of content and a second portion of the item of content to the remote device via the first channel and the second channel, respectively, based on the relationship.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein
step (a) comprises:
(a)(i) receiving the request to access a movie or a television show from the remote device, and
step (d) comprises:
(d)(i) transmitting the first portion and the second portion of the movie or the television show.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein transmitting via the first channel and the second channel occurs more quickly, as compared to transmitting via one of the first channel and the second channel.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
(e) receiving first information indicating that the remote device is capable of receiving second information via bonded channels, and wherein step (d) comprises:
(d)(i) transmitting the first portion and the second portion based on the first information.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
(e) storing a capability identifier of the remote device to indicate whether the remote device is capable of receiving information via bonded channels;
(f) receiving a received identifier of the remote device; and
(g) comparing the capability identifier and the received identifiers to provide a determination,
wherein transmitting the first portion and the second portion is based on the determination.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
(e) parsing an internet protocol packet to provide a first MPEG packet and a second MPEG packet, and wherein step (d) comprises:
(d)(i) transmitting the first MPEG packet via the first channel and transmitting the second MPEG packet via the second channel.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein step (e) further comprises:
(e)(i) simultaneously enqueuing the first MPEG packet and the second MPEG packet to be transmitted to the remote device.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein step (a) comprises:
(a)(i) receiving the request to access an item of video on demand content from the remote device, and step (d) comprises:
(d)(i) transmitting the first portion and the second portion of the item of video on demand content.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein step (d) comprises:
(d)(i) transmitting the first portion and the second portion of the item of video on demand content.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein step (d) comprises:
(d)(i) transmitting the first portion and the second portion at a rate faster than a playback rate of the communication system.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein step (b) comprises:
(b)(i) performing one or more trick modes of operation to the item of content in response to the request.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein step (b)(i) comprises:
(b)(i)(A) performing at least one of: fast forward, rewind, slow motion, pause, and skip ahead to the item of content in response to the request.
13. An apparatus to provide an item of content to a remote device of a communication system, comprising:
a video server configured to receive a request to access the item of content from the remote device and to access the item content from one or more data bases;
a memory configured to store a relationship between a first channel of the communication system and a second channel of the communication system; and
a modulator configured to transmit a first portion of the item of content and a second portion of the item of content to the remote device via the first channel and the second channel, repectively, based on the relationship.
14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the modulator transmits the first portion and the second portion at a rate faster than a playback rate of the communication system.
15. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the item of content is a movie or a television show.
16. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the modulator transmits the first portion and the second portion via the first channel and the second channel more quickly than the modulator transmits the first portion and the second portion via one of the first channel and the second channel.
17. The apparatus of claim 13 , further comprising:
a receiver configured to receive first information indicating that the remote device is capable of receiving second information via bonded channels, wherein the modulator transmits the first portion and the second portion based on the first information.
18. The apparatus of claim 13 , further comprising:
a receiver configured to receive a received identifier of the remote device in response to the memory further storing a capability identifier of the remote device to indicate whether the remote device is capable of receiving information via bonded channels; and
a comparing element configured to compare the received identifier and the capability identifier to provide a determination,
wherein the modulator transmits the first portion and the second portion based on the determination.
19. The apparatus of claim 13 , further comprising:
a parsing element configured to parse an internet protocol packet to provide first and second MPEG packets, wherein the modulator transmits the first MPEG packet via the first channel and transmits the second MPEG packet via the second channel.
20. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the modulator simultaneously enqueues the first MPEG packet and the second MPEG packet to be transmitted to the remote device.
21. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the item of content is an item of video on demand content.
22. An apparatus to provide an item of content to a remote device of a communication system, comprising:
means for receiving a request to access the item of content from the remote device;
means for accessing the item content from one or more data bases;
means for storing a relationship between a first channel of the communication system and a second channel of the communication system; and
means for transmitting a first portion of the item of content and a second portion of an item of content to a remote device via the first channel and the second channel, respectively, based on the relationship.
23. The apparatus of claim 22 , wherein the means for transmitting transmits the first portion and the second portion at a rate faster than a playback rate of the communication system.
24. The apparatus of claim 22 , wherein the item of content is a movie or a television show.
25. The apparatus of claim 22 , wherein the means for transmitting transmits the first portion and the second portion via the first channel and the second channel more quickly than the modulator transmits the first portion and the second portion via one of the first channel and the second channel.
26. The apparatus of claim 22 , further comprising:
means for receiving first information indicating that the remote device is capable of receiving second information via bonded channels, wherein the modulator transmits the first portion and the second portion based on the first information.
27. The apparatus of claim 22 , further comprising:
means for receiving a received identifier of the remote device in response to the means for storing further storing a capability identifier of the remote device to indicate whether the remote device is capable of receiving information via bonded channels; and
means for comparing the received identifier and the capability identifier to provide a determination,
wherein the means for transmitting transmits the first portion and the second portion based on the determination.
28. The apparatus of claim 22 , further comprising:
means for parsing an internet protocol packet to provide first and second MPEG packets, wherein the means for transmitting transmits the first MPEG packet via the first channel and transmits the second MPEG packet via the second channel.
29. The apparatus of claim 28 , wherein the means for transmitting simultaneously enqueues the first MPEG packet and the second MPEG packet to be transmitted to the remote device.
30. The apparatus of claim 22 , wherein the item of content is an item of video on demand content.
31. The apparatus of claim 22 , wherein the means for receiving the request is further configured to perform one or more trick modes of operation to the item of content in response to the request.
32. The apparatus of claim 31 , wherein the means for receiving the request is further configured to perform at least one of: fast forward, rewind, slow motion, pause, and skip ahead to the item of content in response to the request.
33. The apparatus of claim 22 , wherein the means for accessing the item content performs one or more trick modes of operation to the item of content in response to the request.
34. The apparatus of claim 33 , wherein the means for accessing the item content performs at least one of: fast forward, rewind, slow motion, pause, and skip ahead to the item of content in response to the request.