IP Library Granted Patent US 9,326,041
Granted Patent B2
US 9,326,041 · App. 14/028,781 · Granted Apr 26, 2016

Managing quality of experience for media transmissions

Inventors: Paul B. French (Cork, IE); James P. Galvin, Jr. (Georgetown, KY); Patrick W. McDonagh (Churchtown, IE); Patrick J. O'Sullivan (Ballsbridge, IE)
Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation; University College Dublin
H04N21/64761H04H60/29H04L65/80H04N17/004H04N21/238H04N21/2402H04N21/2407H04N21/2662H04N21/6371H04N21/6473
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,326,041
App. No.
14/028,781
Granted
Apr 26, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

A computer-implemented method, computer program product, and computing system is provided for quality of experience for media transmissions. In an implementation, a method may include defining a lower media stream discontinuity threshold. The method may also include evaluating a media stream discontinuity rate associated with a portion of a media stream. When the media stream discontinuity rate associated with the portion of the media stream is greater than the lower media stream discontinuity threshold, the method may further include determining a quality of experience associated with the portion of the media stream based upon, at least in part, a payload associated with the portion of the media stream.

Claims (36)

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

defining, by a processor, a lower media stream discontinuity threshold, wherein the lower media stream discontinuity threshold is adaptively defined based upon, at least in part, a temporal aspect and a classification of a content type as determined by a dynamic nature of the content type;

evaluating, by the processor, a media stream discontinuity rate associated with a portion of a media stream, wherein the media stream discontinuity rate includes an indicator of likely quality of experiences for the portion of the media stream, wherein the portion of the media stream is evaluated based upon a window size over which the portion of the media stream discontinuity rate is monitored;

determining that the media stream discontinuity rate associated with the portion of the media stream is greater than the lower media stream discontinuity threshold;

in response to determining that the media stream discontinuity rate associated with the portion of the media stream is greater than the lower media stream discontinuity threshold, determining, by the processor, an actual quality of experience associated with the portion of the media stream based upon, at least in part, a payload associated with the portion of the media stream; and

increasing the lower media stream discontinuity threshold when the quality of experience associated with the portion of the media stream is determined to be satisfactory.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein defining the lower media stream discontinuity threshold is based upon, at least in part, one or more media stream dimensions.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein determining the actual quality of experience associated with the portion of the media stream includes decoding a payload of the portion of the media stream.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further including defining an upper media stream discontinuity threshold;

wherein determining the quality of experience associated with the portion of the media stream includes determining the quality of experience associated with the portion of the media stream when the media stream discontinuity rate associated with the portion of the media stream is less than the upper media stream discontinuity threshold.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4 , further including decreasing the lower media stream discontinuity threshold when the quality of experience associated with the portion of the media stream is unsatisfactory.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further including reducing a bandwidth requirement of the media stream when the quality of experience is unsatisfactory.

7. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having a plurality of instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations including:

defining a lower media stream discontinuity threshold, wherein the lower media stream discontinuity threshold is adaptively defined based upon, at least in part, a temporal aspect and a classification of a content type as determined by a dynamic nature of the content type;

evaluating a media stream discontinuity rate associated with a portion of a media stream, wherein the media stream discontinuity rate includes an indicator of likely quality of experiences for the portion of the media stream, wherein the portion of the media stream is evaluated based upon a window size over which the portion of the media stream discontinuity rate is monitored;

determining that the media stream discontinuity rate associated with the portion of the media stream is greater than the lower media stream discontinuity threshold;

in response to determining that the media stream discontinuity rate associated with the portion of the media stream is greater than the lower media stream discontinuity threshold, determining an actual quality of experience associated with the portion of the media stream based upon, at least in part, a payload associated with the portion of the media stream; and

increasing the lower media stream discontinuity threshold when the quality of experience associated with the portion of the media stream is determined to be satisfactory.

8. The computer program product of claim 7 , wherein defining the lower media stream discontinuity threshold is based upon, at least in part, one or more media stream dimensions.

9. The computer program product of claim 7 , wherein the instructions for determining the actual quality of experience associated with the portion of the media stream include instructions for decoding a payload of the portion of the media stream.

10. The computer program product of claim 7 , further including instructions for defining an upper media stream discontinuity threshold;

wherein determining the quality of experience associated with the portion of the media stream includes determining the quality of experience associated with the portion of the media stream when the media stream discontinuity rate associated with the portion of the media stream is less than the upper media stream discontinuity threshold.

11. The computer program product of claim 10 , further including instructions for decreasing the lower media stream discontinuity threshold when the quality of experience associated with the portion of the media stream is unsatisfactory.

12. The computer program product of claim 7 , further including instructions for reducing a bandwidth requirement of the media stream when the quality of experience is unsatisfactory.

13. A computing system comprising:

a processor and a memory architecture coupled with the processor, the processor configured for:

defining a lower media stream discontinuity threshold, wherein the lower media stream discontinuity threshold is adaptively defined based upon, at least in part, a temporal aspect and a classification of a content type as determined by a dynamic nature of the content type;

evaluating a media stream discontinuity rate associated with a portion of a media stream, wherein the media stream discontinuity rate includes an indicator of likely quality of experiences for the portion of the media stream, wherein the portion of the media stream is evaluated based upon a window size over which the portion of the media stream discontinuity rate is monitored;

determine that the media stream discontinuity rate associated with the portion of the media stream is greater than the lower media stream discontinuity threshold;

in response to determining that the media stream discontinuity rate associated with the portion of the media stream is greater than the lower media stream discontinuity threshold, determining an actual quality of experience associated with the portion of the media stream based upon, at least in part, a payload associated with the portion of the media stream; and

increasing the lower media stream discontinuity threshold when the quality of experience associated with the portion of the media stream is determined to be satisfactory.

14. The computing system of claim 13 , wherein determining the actual quality of experience associated with the portion of the media stream includes decoding a payload of the portion of the media stream.

15. The computing system of claim 13 , wherein the processor is further configured for defining an upper media stream discontinuity threshold;

wherein determining the quality of experience associated with the portion of the media stream includes determining the quality of experience associated with the portion of the media stream when the media stream discontinuity rate associated with the portion of the media stream is less than the upper media stream discontinuity threshold.

16. The computing system of claim 15 , wherein the processor is further configured for decreasing the lower media stream discontinuity threshold when the quality of experience associated with the portion of the media stream is unsatisfactory.

17. The computing system of claim 13 , wherein the processor is further configured for reducing a bandwidth requirement of the media stream when the quality of experience is unsatisfactory.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 17, 2013
From: FRENCH, PAUL B.; GALVIN, JAMES P., JR.; O'SULLIVAN, PATRICK J.
To: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 031221/0138 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 17, 2013
From: MCDONAGH, PATRICK
To: UNIVERSITY COLLEGE DUBLIN
Reel/Frame 031221/0196 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20150082366A1 · Mar 19, 2015