Method and device for reserving bandwidth for an adaptive streaming client
View Patent ↗The invention concerns a device for reserving bandwidth for an adaptive streaming client belonging to at least one network and configured for receiving a streaming content from at least one server, the streaming content being available at more than one data rate at the server. The device includes a stream identifier configured for detecting at least one streaming content requested by the client, a bandwidth manager configured for temporarily reserving for the client, when at least one event occurs, a transient bandwidth depending on the predetermined target data rate associated with the requested streaming content and a transient margin.
1. A method for reserving bandwidth for an adaptive streaming client configured for belonging to at least one network and configured for receiving a streaming content from at least one server, the streaming content being available at a plurality of data rates at the server,
said method comprising:
reserving for the adaptive streaming client, when at least one event occurs, a transient bandwidth depending on a predetermined target data rate associated with the streaming content requested by the adaptive streaming client and a transient margin; and
wherein said transient bandwidth is reserved for the adaptive streaming client during a transient period which depends on a filling speed of a buffer of said adaptive streaming client receiving the streaming content in a form of successive chunks of data, the transient period ending when a duration between two chunk requests equals to the duration of a chunk.
2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said transient margin depends on at least one of the following parameters:
a total available bandwidth of said network,
a determined target data rate associated with said streaming content,
a competing streams sharing the network bandwidth,
a priority of said streaming content, and
a conservative value of said adaptive streaming client.
3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein, said adaptive streaming client using a conservative value, the transient margin is greater than said conservative value.
4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the transient bandwidth is greater than the predetermined target data rate plus the conservative value and, when at least one other data rate—higher than the predetermined target data rate—is available at the server, the transient bandwidth is lower than said other data rate plus the conservative value of the adaptive streaming client.
5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein, when the target data rate is the highest data rate offered by the server, the transient margin is lower than or equal to a difference between a total available bandwidth of the network and the target data rate.
6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said transient bandwidth is reserved for the adaptive streaming client during a transient period which depends on a filling rate of a buffer of said adaptive streaming client.
7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein, said adaptive streaming client receiving the streaming content in a form of successive chunks of data, the transient period ends when a number of chunks loaded by the adaptive streaming client in said client buffer exceeds a buffer length plus the number of chunks assumed to be played by the adaptive streaming client during an elapsed time.
8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said event belongs to a following group of events:
a start of reception of the streaming content by the adaptive streaming client;
a change of network conditions; and
a stop of reception of another stream.
9. A device for reserving bandwidth for an adaptive streaming client configured for belonging to at least one network and configured for receiving a streaming content from at least one server, the streaming content being available at a plurality of data rates at the server, said device comprises one or more processors configured for:
detecting at least one streaming content requested by said adaptive streaming client; reserving for the adaptive streaming client, when at least one event occurs, a transient bandwidth depending on a predetermined target data rate associated with the requested streaming content and a transient margin; and
wherein said transient bandwidth is reserved for the adaptive streaming client during a transient period which depends on a filling speed of a buffer of said adaptive streaming client receiving the streaming content in a form of successive chunks of data, the transient period ending when a duration between two chunk requests equals to the duration of a chunk.
10. The device according to claim 9 , configured for detecting said event belonging to following group of events:
a start of reception of the streaming content by the adaptive streaming client;
a change of network conditions; and
a stop of reception of another stream.
11. The device according to claim 9 , wherein, said adaptive streaming client using a conservative value, the transient margin is greater than the conservative value.
12. A computer program product downloadable from a communication network and recorded on a non-transitory computer storage medium readable by a computer, and executable by a processor, comprising program code instructions for implementing the method according to claim 1 .
13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising a computer program product recorded thereon and capable of being run by a processor, including program code instructions for implementing the method according to claim 1 .