Methods and systems for using in-stream data within an on demand content delivery path
An on demand content delivery platform for delivering on demand digital assets includes a network transport composed of network elements. A content delivery path extends from an application server, through the network transport, to a client. During content delivery, at a network element, data is inserted into the content delivery path to produce a content stream containing inserted in-stream data. In one implementation, the content is conditioned in accordance with instructions present in the in-stream data. In another implementation, the in-stream data represents session information and is utilized for stateless recovery of session information.
1. A method comprising:
receiving, by a computing device, a stream comprising requested content data;
receiving utilization information indicating resources of a second device configured for sending the requested content data to a first device, wherein the resources of the second device comprise resources being used by the second device for communication of the requested content data to the first device, wherein the resources of the second device comprise input resources of the second device and output resources of the second device, and wherein at least one of the input resources is different from at least one of the output resources;
generating a modified stream comprising the requested content data and the utilization information; and
causing, by sending the utilization information via the modified stream, configuration of a device manager, separate from the second device, to manage the resources of the second device.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the resources of the second device comprise a bandwidth of the second device.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the requested content data comprises video on demand (VOD) content and wherein the utilization information comprises an indication of a port.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein causing configuration of the device manager comprises sending the modified stream via an Internet protocol network segment, and wherein the resources of the second device comprise resources used to send the requested content data via a hybrid fiber coax network segment.
5. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the requested content data comprises video on demand (VOD) content data, and
wherein the utilization information comprises an indication of an allocated bandwidth of a hybrid fiber coax network segment.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the requested content data comprises switched broadcast video.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the resources of the second device comprise an encryption engine.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the utilization information comprises frequency and MPEG tuning information.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second device comprises an edge quadrature amplitude modulator.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the configuration of the device manager comprises restoration of session information.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the resources of the second device comprise data configured to allow service group autodiscovery by the first device.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the input resources comprise at least one of: a user datagram protocol (UDP) port, an Internet Protocol (IP) address, or an input MPEG program parameter, and
the output resources comprise at least one of: a frequency or an output MPEG program parameter.
13. A system comprising:
a first device;
a second device configured for sending requested content data to the first device; and
a server configured to:
receive a stream comprising the requested content data;
receive utilization information indicating resources of the second device, wherein the resources of the second device comprise resources being used by the second device for communication of the requested content data to the first device, wherein the resources of the second device comprise input resources of the second device and output resources of the second device, and wherein at least one of the input resources is different from at least one of the output resources;
generate a modified stream comprising the requested content data and the utilization information; and
cause, by sending the utilization information via the modified stream, configuration of a device manager, separate from the second device, to manage the resources of the second device.
14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the resources of the second device comprise a bandwidth of the second device.
15. The system of claim 13 , wherein the server is configured to cause configuration of the device manager by sending the modified stream via an Internet protocol network segment, and wherein the resources of the second device comprise resources used to send the requested content data via a hybrid fiber coax network segment.
16. The system of claim 13 , wherein the requested content data comprises video on demand (VOD) content data, and wherein the utilization information comprises an indication of an allocated bandwidth of a hybrid fiber coax network segment.
17. The system of claim 13 , wherein the requested content data comprises switched broadcast video.
18. The system of claim 13 , wherein the resources of the second device comprise an encryption engine.
19. The system of claim 13 , wherein the utilization information comprises frequency and MPEG tuning information.
20. The system of claim 13 , wherein the second device comprises an edge quadrature amplitude modulator.
21. The system of claim 13 , wherein the configuration of the device manager comprises restoration of session information.
22. The system of claim 13 , wherein the resources of the second device comprise data configured to allow service group autodiscovery by the first device.
23. The system of claim 13 , wherein:
the input resources comprise at least one of: a user datagram protocol (UDP) port, an Internet Protocol (IP) address, or an input MPEG program parameter, and
the output resources comprise at least one of: a frequency or an output MPEG program parameter.
24. A method comprising:
receiving, by a computing device, a stream comprising requested content data;
receiving, via a device manager that manages resources of a plurality of second devices, utilization information indicating resources of a second device, of the plurality of second devices, configured for sending the requested content data to a first device, wherein the resources of the second device comprise resources being used for communication of the requested content data, wherein the resources of the second device comprise input resources of the second device and output resources of the second device, and wherein at least one of the input resources is different from at least one of the output resources;
generating a modified stream comprising the requested content data and the utilization information; and
causing, by sending the utilization information via the modified stream, configuration of another device manager to manage the resources of the plurality of second devices.
25. The method of claim 24 , wherein the another device manager comprises a new or back-up unit, and wherein the configuration of the another device manager comprises refreshing of utilization after a failure of the device manager.
26. The method of claim 24 , wherein the resources of the second device comprise a bandwidth.
27. The method of claim 24 , wherein the requested content data comprises video on demand (VOD) content.
28. The method of claim 24 , wherein the plurality of second devices comprises a plurality of edge quadrature amplitude modulators.
29. The method of claim 24 , wherein the configuration of the another device manager comprises restoration of session information.
30. The method of claim 24 , wherein the utilization information comprises information extracted from the second device.
31. The method of claim 24 , wherein the resources of the second device comprise resources being used by the second device for communication of the requested content data to the first device.
32. The method of claim 24 , wherein:
the input resources comprise at least one of: a user datagram protocol (UDP) port, an Internet Protocol (IP) address, or an input MPEG program parameter, and
the output resources comprise at least one of: a frequency or an output MPEG program parameter.