System and method for video delivery over heterogeneous networks with scalable video coding for multiple subscriber tiers
A method is provided in one example and can include receiving a source data stream, generating a base layer sub-stream from the source data stream, and generating an enhancement layer sub-stream from the source data stream. The method further includes communicating the base layer sub-stream to a client device using a first communication protocol, and communicating the enhancement layer sub-stream to the client device using a second communication protocol. In a particular example, the one-to-many communication protocol is a multicast communication protocol and the second communication protocol is a unicast communication protocol. In another example, the base layer sub-stream is sent to the client device via a first network connection and the enhancement layer sub-stream is sent to the client device via a second network connection.
1. A method, comprising:
receiving a source data stream;
generating a base layer sub-stream from the source data stream;
generating an enhancement layer sub-stream from the source data stream;
communicating the base layer sub-stream to the client device using a first communication protocol, wherein the first communication protocol is one-to-many communication protocol;
receiving a subscription request from the client device during the communicating of the base layer sub-stream to the client device, the subscription request indicative of a selection by a user associated with the client device to subscribe to the enhancement layer sub-stream; and
communicating the enhancement layer sub-stream to the client device during the communicating of the base layer sub-stream using a second communication protocol responsive to the subscription request being indicative of the selection by the user to subscribe to the enhancement layer sub-stream, wherein the second communication protocol is a one-to-one communication protocol.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one-to-many communication protocol is a multicast communication protocol.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one-to-one communication protocol is a unicast communication protocol.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the base layer sub-stream is sent to the client device via a first network connection and the enhancement layer sub-stream is sent to the client device via a second network connection.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the first network connection includes a WiFi connection.
6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the second network connection includes a cellular network connection.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the source data stream includes a video stream.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein a scalable video coding technique is used to generate the base layer sub-stream and the enhancement layer sub-stream from the received video stream.
9. A non-transitory computer-readable medium that includes code for execution and when executed by a processor operable to perform operations comprising:
receiving a source data stream;
generating a base layer sub-stream from the source data stream;
generating an enhancement layer sub-stream from the source data stream;
communicating the base layer sub-stream to the client device using a first communication protocol, wherein the first communication protocol is one-to-many communication protocol;
receiving a subscription request from the client device during the communicating of the base layer sub-stream to the client device, the subscription request indicative of a selection by a user associated with the client device to subscribe to the enhancement layer sub-stream; and
communicating the enhancement layer sub-stream to the client device during the communicating of the base layer sub-stream using a second communication protocol responsive to the subscription request being indicative of the selection by the user to subscribe to the enhancement layer sub-stream, wherein the second communication protocol is a one-to-one communication protocol.
10. The media of claim 9 , wherein the one-to-many communication protocol is a multicast communication protocol.
11. The media of claim 9 , wherein the one-to-one communication protocol is a unicast communication protocol.
12. The media of claim 9 , wherein the base layer sub-stream is sent to the client device via a first network connection and the enhancement layer sub-stream is sent to the client device via a second network connection.
13. The media of claim 9 , wherein the source data stream includes a video stream.
14. The media of claim 13 , wherein a scalable video coding technique is used to generate the base layer sub-stream and the enhancement layer sub-stream from the received video stream.
15. An apparatus, comprising:
a memory configured to store data,
a processor operable to execute instructions associated with the data, and
a video encoding circuit, the apparatus being configured to:
receive a source data stream;
generate a base layer sub-stream from the source data stream;
generate an enhancement layer sub-stream from the source data stream;
communicate the base layer sub-stream to the client device using a first communication protocol, wherein the first communication protocol is one-to-many communication protocol;
receiving a subscription request from the client device during the communicating of the base layer sub-stream to the client device, the subscription request indicative of a selection by a user associated with the client device to subscribe to the enhancement layer sub-stream; and
communicate the enhancement layer sub-stream to the client device during the communicating of the base layer sub-stream using a second communication protocol responsive to the subscription request being indicative of the selection by the user to subscribe to the enhancement layer sub-stream, wherein the second communication protocol is a one-to-one communication protocol.
16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the one-to-many communication protocol is a multicast communication protocol.
17. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the one-to-one communication protocol is a unicast communication protocol.
18. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the base layer sub-stream is sent to the client device via a first network connection and the enhancement layer sub-stream is sent to the client device via a second network connection.
19. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the source data stream includes a video stream.
20. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein a scalable video coding technique is used to generate the base layer sub-stream and the enhancement layer sub-stream from the received video stream.
21. A method, comprising:
receiving, by a client device, a base layer sub-stream generated from a source data stream using a one-to-many communication protocol; and
sending a subscription request by the client device during the receiving of the base layer sub-stream, the subscription request indicative of a selection by a user associated with the client device to subscribe to an enhancement layer sub-stream generated from the source data stream:
receiving the enhancement layer sub-stream generated from the source data stream during the receiving of the base layer sub-stream using a one-to-one communication protocol responsive to the sending of the subscription request; and
generating an output data stream from the received base layer sub-stream and the received enhancement layer sub-stream.
22. The method of claim 21 , wherein the one-to-many communication protocol is a multicast communication protocol.
23. The method of claim 21 , wherein the one-to-one communication protocol is a unicast communication protocol.
24. The method of claim 21 , wherein the base layer sub-stream is received by a client device via a first network connection and the enhancement layer sub-stream is received by the client device via a second network connection.
25. The method of claim 21 , wherein the source data stream includes a video stream.
26. The method of claim 25 , wherein a scalable video coding technique is used to generate the base layer sub-stream and the enhancement layer sub-stream from the received video stream.