Adaptive streaming using non-local information

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

collecting customer site information associated with customers within a service group;

collecting network topology information for the service group;

receiving policy rules associated with the service group;

collecting bandwidth usage information on one or more channels assigned to the service group;

collecting session information associated with established sessions with the service group;

specifying quality, resolution and bit rate levels associated with each of the sessions destined for the service group, the quality, resolution and bit rate levels being derived based on customer site information, network topology information, policy rules, bandwidth information and session information associated with the service group; and

dynamically adjusting quality and path of each individual IP video stream provided over data over cable service interface specification (DOCSIS) channels based upon collected customer site information, network topology information, policy rules, bandwidth information and session information, the quality and path adjustments to each individual IP video stream being performed on a per session basis, in order to provide adequate quality of experience levels to each receiver in the service group.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the customer site information includes video client capabilities of IP video clients in the service group, capabilities of home networks in the service group, and modem capabilities of modems within the service groups.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the network topology information includes channel information identifying a plurality of channels serving the service group, and modem and video client information operable to tie the modem capability and video client information to the service group.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3 , wherein the network topology information is collected by a cable modem termination system.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the policy rules include information identifying the types of streams that should be provided based upon user equipment.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

probing a sub-net associated with the service group;

wherein collecting the bandwidth usage information comprises collecting results from probing the sub-net associated with the service group.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein session information includes a program identification and permissible quality, resolution and bit rate levels associated with each requested session.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising communicating specified quality, resolution and bit rate levels to a session manager to start a session.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising dynamically adjusting specified quality, resolution and bit rate levels for an existing session.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9 , wherein the dynamic adjustment is made periodically or upon establishing a new session, and parameters resulting from the dynamic adjustment are communicated to a session manager to adjust the parameters associated with existing sessions.

11. A system, comprising:

a user management module operable to collect customer site information, the customer site information identifying customers equipment within a service group;

a network topology module operable to retrieve network topology information for the service group from a cable modem termination system;

a policy engine operable to provide policy rules associated with the service group;

a bandwidth usage module operable to probe the network to identify bandwidth usage information on one or more channels assigned to the service group;

a session manager operable to receive session initiation requests and collect session information associated with established sessions with the service group;

a triggering module operable to analyze the customer site information, network topology information, policy rules, bandwidth information and session information associated with the service group and to derive quality, resolution and bit rate levels for each of the established sessions based upon the analysis; and

a cable modem termination system operable to make load balancing decisions based upon adjustment of quality and path of an IP Video stream provided over data over cable service interface specification (DOCSIS) channels based upon collected customer site information, network topology information, policy rules, bandwidth information and session information, the quality and path adjustments being performed on a per session basis and the load balancing decisions being performed on a per cable modem basis.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the customer site information includes video client capabilities of IP video clients in the service group, capabilities of home networks in the service group, and modem capabilities of modems within the service groups.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the network topology information includes channel information identifying a plurality of channels serving the service group, and modem and video client information operable to tie the modem capability and video client information to the service group.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the policy rules include information identifying the types of streams that should be provided for each session based upon information from the user management module identifying user equipment.

15. The system of claim 11 , wherein session information includes identification of a program and permissible quality, resolution and bit rate levels associated with each requested session.

16. The system of claim 11 , wherein the triggering module is operable to communicate the derived quality, resolution and bit rate levels to a session manager to start a session.

17. The system of claim 11 , wherein the triggering module and the session manager are operable to dynamically adjust the specified quality, resolution and bit rate levels for an existing session.

18. The system of claim 11 , wherein the dynamic adjustment is made periodically or upon establishing a new session, and parameters resulting from the dynamic adjustment are communicated to a session manager to adjust the parameters associated with existing sessions.

19. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

collecting non-local information identifying usage statistics associated with a network service group;

deriving session parameters based on the non-local information to identify quality resolution and bit rate levels associated with each of a plurality of sessions associated with the network service group;

updating the non-local information; and

dynamically adjusting the session parameters based upon the updated non-local information, wherein an adjustment is made to quality and path of an IP Video stream provided over data over cable service interface specification (DOCSIS) channels based upon collected customer site information, network topology information, policy rules, bandwidth information and session information, the quality and path adjustments being performed on a per session basis.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 19 , wherein non-local information includes customer site information, network topology information, policy rules, bandwidth information and session information associated with the service group.