Delivery of digital video content based on geographic location
View Patent ↗Media streaming to a phone, tablet or other mobile device is improved by adapting requests for content in anticipation of the device's future location. If a device is expected to pass through an area with poor wireless signal quality, then requests for media content can be pre-emptively obtained beforehand at places and times where the available bandwidth is more favorable. Further, requests for content may be delayed during lower bandwidth conditions if the device is expected to soon encounter more bandwidth. Content requests can be therefore optimized (or at least improved) based upon the expected bandwidth that will be encountered during the anticipated upcoming movement of the device.
1. A mobile device having a processor, a memory, and a wireless interface, wherein the processor is configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to perform an automated process that comprises:
identifying, by the processor and based upon a map of signal quality at each of a plurality of locations, a location along an expected path of the mobile device having a poor signal quality; and
adapting, by the processor, a plan of requests for a plurality of segments of a video stream based upon the identified location having the poor signal quality, wherein adapting the plan of requests comprises:
determining that the memory does not contain enough of the video stream to maintain playback for an expected duration of the mobile device in the identified location having the poor signal quality;
preemptively requesting, responsive to the determination, one or more segments of the video stream before the mobile device enters the identified location having the poor signal quality; and
determining that sufficient time does not remain to receive the preemptively requested one or more video stream segments and responsively adapting a playback rate of the video stream while the mobile device traverses the identified location having the poor signal quality.
2. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the wireless interface comprises a Radio Frequency (RF) interface and the signal quality comprises an RF signal quality measurement.
3. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein identifying the location having the poor signal quality comprises identifying the location having the poor signal quality corresponding to a determined time of day.
4. The mobile device of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving at least one of the preemptively requested one or more segments of the video stream; and
storing, in the memory, the received at least one of the one or more segments for subsequent playback after the mobile device enters the identified location having the poor signal quality.
5. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the automated process further comprises determining, by the processor, the expected path of the mobile device.
6. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the automated process further comprises initially creating, by the processor, the plan of requests for the plurality of segments of the video stream.
7. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein adapting the plan of requests further comprises preemptively requesting the at least one of the plurality of segments of the video stream while the mobile device is in a location having a higher signal quality.
8. An automated process executed by a mobile device having a processor, a memory, and a wireless interface, wherein the automated process comprises:
identifying, by the processor and based upon a map of signal quality at each of a plurality of locations, a location along an expected path of the mobile device having a poor signal quality; and
adapting, by the processor, a plan of requests for a plurality of segments of a video stream based upon the identified location having the poor signal quality, wherein adapting the plan of requests comprises:
determining that the memory does not contain enough of the video stream to maintain playback for an expected duration of the mobile device in the identified location having the poor signal quality;
preemptively requesting, responsive to the determination, one or more segments of the video stream before the mobile device enters the identified location having the poor signal quality; and
determining that sufficient time does not remain to receive the preemptively requested one or more video stream segments and responsively adapting a playback rate of the video stream while the mobile device traverses the identified location having the poor signal quality.
9. The automated process of claim 8 , wherein the wireless interface comprises a Radio Frequency (RF) interface and the signal quality comprises an RF signal quality measurement.
10. The automated process of claim 8 , wherein identifying the location having the poor signal quality comprises identifying the location having the poor signal quality corresponding to a determined time of day.
11. The automated process of claim 8 , further comprising:
receiving at least one of the preemptively requested one or more segments of the video stream; and
storing, in the memory, the received at least one of the one or more segments for subsequent playback after the mobile device enters the identified location having the poor signal quality.
12. The automated process of claim 8 , wherein the automated process further comprises determining, by the processor, the expected path of the mobile device.
13. The automated process of claim 8 , wherein the automated process further comprises initially creating, by the processor, the plan of requests for the plurality of segments of the video stream.
14. The automated process of claim 8 , wherein adapting the plan of requests further comprises preemptively requesting the at least one of the plurality of segments of the video stream while the mobile device is in a location having a higher signal quality.
15. A mobile device having a processor, a memory, and a wireless interface, wherein the processor is configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to perform an automated process that comprises:
identifying, by the processor and based upon a map of signal quality at each of a plurality of locations, a location along an expected path of the mobile device having a poor signal quality; and
adapting, by the processor, a plan of requests for a plurality of segments of a video stream based upon the identified location having the poor signal quality, wherein adapting the plan of requests comprises:
determining whether sufficient time remains to pre-fetch one or more segments of the video stream before the mobile device enters the identified location having the poor signal quality;
in response to a determination that sufficient time remains, pre-fetching the one or more segments of the video stream before the mobile device enters the identified location having the poor signal quality, wherein pre-fetching comprises storing the one or more segments in the memory for later playback; and
in response to a determination that sufficient time does not remain, adapting a playback rate of the video stream while the mobile device traverses the identified location having the poor signal quality.
16. The mobile device of claim 15 , wherein the automated process further comprises:
determining that the memory does not contain enough of the video stream to maintain playback for an expected duration of the mobile device in the identified location having the poor signal quality, wherein pre-fetching the one or more segments of the video stream is further responsive to the determination that the memory does not contain enough of the video stream.
17. The mobile device of claim 15 , wherein the wireless interface comprises a Radio Frequency (RF) interface and the signal quality comprises an RF signal quality measurement.
18. The mobile device of claim 15 , wherein the automated process further comprises:
determining, by the processor, the expected path of the mobile device; and
initially creating, by the processor, the plan of requests for the plurality of segments of the video stream.