Creating channel sequence segments for fast channel change in IPTV
View Patent ↗Embodiments of the present invention are methods for selecting, out of a lineup of IPTV channels, a subset of channels for caching. The methods take into account viewers' tendency to walk through the channels that lie between their current channel and their desired channel if that walking distance is short, and, alternatively, viewers' tendency to jump to a distant channel. Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention include any channel selection method which selects for caching any number of channels less than the entire lineup, and where at least two of those channels form a segment of adjacent channels. Other embodiments include methods which rely upon specific extrinsic data, e.g., IGMP and EPG information, for selecting a subset of channels to be cached.
1. A method for selecting IPTV channels for caching, the method implemented at one or more nodes of an IPTV network and comprising:
(a) the one or more nodes gathering information related to the IPTV channels, wherein, for each IPTV channel, the information corresponds to one or more of (i) number of viewing sessions, (ii) average session duration, and (iii) predicted popularity;
(b) the one or more nodes deriving from the gathered information, for each IPTV channel, one or more of (i) the number of viewing sessions, (ii) the average session duration, and (iii) the predicted popularity;
(c) the one or more nodes comparing, for each IPTV channel, one or more of (i) the number of viewing sessions, (ii) the average session duration, and (iii) the predicted popularity to one or more respective specified thresholds, wherein the one or more respective specified thresholds are determined prior to the comparison; and
(d) the one or more nodes selecting two or more IPTV channels for caching based on the one or more comparisons of step (c) and a requirement that at least two of the two or more IPTV channels be adjacent to one another, wherein the one or more respective thresholds are selected based on the requirement that at least two of the two or more IPTV channels be adjacent to one another.
2. The invention of claim 1 , further comprising caching the two or more selected IPTV channels.
3. The invention of claim 2 , wherein the selecting and the caching are implemented at a single network node.
4. The invention of claim 2 , wherein the selecting and the caching are implemented at two different network nodes located at two different network levels.
5. The invention of claim 1 , wherein:
step (a) comprises gathering information related to IPTV channels, wherein, for each IPTV channel, the information corresponds to the number of viewing sessions;
step (b) comprises deriving from the gathered information, for each IPTV channel, the number of viewing sessions; and
step (d) comprises selecting the one or more IPTV channels for caching based on the number of viewing sessions.
6. The invention of claim 5 , wherein:
the gathered information includes internet group management protocol (IGMP) data; and
the number of viewing sessions is derived from the IGMP data.
7. The invention of claim 5 , wherein:
step (c) comprises comparing, for each IPTV channel, the average session duration to a first specified threshold; and
step (d) comprises selecting the one or more IPTV channels for caching based on the comparisons of step (c).
8. The invention of claim 1 , wherein:
step (a) comprises gathering information related to IPTV channels, wherein, for each IPTV channel, the information corresponds to the average session duration;
step (b) comprises deriving from the gathered information, for each IPTV channel, the average session duration; and
step (d) comprises selecting the one or more IPTV channels for caching based on the average session duration.
9. The invention of claim 8 , wherein:
step (a) further comprises gathering information related to IPTV channels, wherein, for each IPTV channel, the information corresponds to the number of viewing sessions;
step (b) further comprises deriving from the gathered information, for each IPTV channel, the number of viewing sessions; and
step (d) comprises selecting the one or more IPTV channels for caching based on average session duration and the number of viewing sessions.
10. The invention of claim 9 , wherein:
step (c) comprises:
(c1) generating a first list of IPTV channels having average session durations greater than a specified first threshold and a second list of IPTV channels having average session durations less than the specified first threshold;
(c2) modifying the first list by removing one or more IPTV channels having number of viewing sessions less than a specified second threshold; and
(c3) modifying the second list by removing one or more IPTV channels having number of viewing sessions less than a specified third threshold greater than the specified second threshold; and
step (d) comprises combining the modified first and second lists to generate a list of the selected one or more IPTV channels for caching.
11. The method of claim 10 wherein one or more of the specified first, second, and third thresholds are adjusted such that the list of the selected two or more IPTV channels for caching comprises at least one segment of two or more adjacent IPTV channels.
12. The invention of claim 8 , wherein:
the gathered information includes IGMP data; and
the average session duration is derived from the IGMP data.
13. The invention of claim 1 , wherein:
step (a) comprises gathering information related to IPTV channels, wherein, for each IPTV channel, the information corresponds to the predicted popularity;
step (b) comprises deriving from the gathered information, for each IPTV channel, the predicted popularity; and
step (d) comprises selecting the one or more IPTV channels for caching based on the predicted popularity.
14. The invention of claim 13 , wherein:
step (a) further comprises gathering information related to IPTV channels, wherein, for each IPTV channel, the information corresponds to the average session duration;
step (b) further comprises deriving from the gathered information, for each IPTV channel, the average session duration; and
step (d) comprises selecting the one or more IPTV channels for caching based on the predicted popularity and the average session duration.
15. The invention of claim 14 , wherein:
step (c) comprises:
(c1) generating a first list of IPTV channels having average session durations greater than a specified first threshold and a second list of IPTV channels having average session durations less than the specified first threshold;
(c2) modifying the first list by removing one or more IPTV channels having predicted popularity less than a specified second threshold; and
(c3) modifying the second list by removing one or more IPTV channels having predicted popularity less than a specified third threshold greater than the specified second threshold; and
step (d) comprises combining the modified first and second lists to generate a list of the selected one or more IPTV channels for caching.
16. The invention of claim 13 , wherein:
the gathered information includes electronic program guide (EPG) data; and
the number of viewing sessions is derived from the EPG data.
17. The invention of claim 13 , wherein:
step (c) comprises comparing, for each IPTV channel, the predicted popularity to a first specified threshold; and
step (d) comprises selecting the one or more IPTV channels for caching based on the comparisons of step (c).
18. One or more nodes of an IPTV network, wherein the one or more nodes are adapted to:
(a) gather information related to IPTV channels, wherein, for each IPTV channel, the information corresponds to one or more of (i) number of viewing sessions, (ii) average session duration, and (iii) predicted popularity;
(b) derive from the gathered information, for each IPTV channel, one or more of (i) the number of viewing sessions, (ii) the average session duration, and (iii) the predicted popularity, wherein the one or more respective specified thresholds are determined prior to the comparison;
(c) compare, for each IPTV channel, one or more of (i) the number of viewing sessions, (ii) the average session duration, and (iii) the predicted popularity to one or more respective specified thresholds; and
(d) select two or more IPTV channels for caching based on the comparisons and a requirement that at least two of the two or more IPTV channels be adjacent to one another, wherein the one or more respective thresholds are selected based on the requirement that at least two of the two or more IPTV channels be adjacent to one another.
19. A method for selecting IPTV channels for caching, the method implemented at one or more nodes of an IPTV network and comprising:
(a) the one or more nodes gathering information related to the IPTV channels, wherein, for each IPTV channel, the information corresponds to (i) number of viewing sessions and (ii) average session duration;
(b) the one or more nodes deriving from the gathered information, for each IPTV channel,(i) the number of viewing sessions and (ii) the average session duration;
(c) the one or more nodes comparing, for each IPTV channel, (i) the number of viewing sessions and (ii) the average session duration to one or more respective specified thresholds, wherein step (c) comprises:
(c1) generating a first list of IPTV channels having average session durations greater than a specified first threshold and a second list of IPTV channels having average session durations less than the specified first threshold;
(c2) modifying the first list by removing one or more IPTV channels having number of viewing sessions less than a specified second threshold; and
(c3) modifying the second list by removing one or more IPTV channels having number of viewing sessions less than a specified third threshold greater than the specified second threshold; and
(d) the one or more nodes selecting one or more IPTV channels for caching based on the average session duration and the number of viewing sessions, wherein step (d) comprises combining the modified first and second lists to generate a list of the selected one or more IPTV channels for caching.
20. The method of claim 19 , wherein one or more of the specified first, second, and third thresholds are adjusted such that the list of the selected one or more IPTV channels for caching comprises at least one segment of two or more adjacent IPTV channels.
21. A method for selecting IPTV channels for caching, the method implemented at one or more nodes of an IPTV network and comprising:
(a) the one or more nodes gathering information related to the IPTV channels, wherein, for each IPTV channel, the information corresponds to (i) average session duration and (ii) predicted popularity;
(b) the one or more nodes deriving from the gathered information, for each IPTV channel, (i) the average session duration and (ii) the predicted popularity;
(c) the one or more nodes comparing, for each IPTV channel, (i) the average session duration and (ii) the predicted popularity to one or more respective specified thresholds, wherein step (c) comprises:
(c1) generating a first list of IPTV channels having average session durations greater than a specified first threshold and a second list of IPTV channels having average session durations less than the specified first threshold;
(c2) modifying the first list by removing one or more IPTV channels having predicted popularity less than a specified second threshold; and
(c3) modifying the second list by removing one or more IPTV channels having predicted popularity less than a specified third threshold greater than the specified second threshold; and
(d) the one or more nodes selecting one or more IPTV channels for caching based on the predicted popularity and the average session duration, wherein step (d) comprises combining the modified first and second lists to generate a list of the selected one or more IPTV channels for caching.
22. A method for selecting IPTV channels for caching, the method implemented at one or more nodes of an IPTV network and comprising:
(a) the one or more nodes gathering information related to the IPTV channels, wherein, for each IPTV channel, the information corresponds to number of viewing sessions;
(b) the one or more nodes deriving from the gathered information, for each IPTV channel, the number of viewing sessions;
(c) the one or more nodes comparing, for each IPTV channel, average session duration to a first specified threshold; and
(d) the one or more nodes selecting one or more IPTV channels for caching based on the number of viewing sessions and the comparison of step (c).