IP Library Granted Patent US 9,813,474
Granted Patent B2
US 9,813,474 · App. 14/200,491 · Granted Nov 7, 2017

ABR video white spot coverage system and method

Inventors: Johan Kölhi (Vaxholm, SE); Michael Huber (Sundbyberg, SE); Chris Phillips (Hartwell, GA); Diomedes Kastanis (Stockholm, SE)
Assignee: ERICSSON AB
H04L65/602H04L65/4084H04L65/80H04L67/2847H04N21/2662H04N21/4126H04N21/4524H04N21/6373H04W4/028H04W24/02
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,813,474
App. No.
14/200,491
Granted
Nov 7, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

A scheme for managing ABR streaming of content in a wireless radio network environment that may have radio white spot areas. Upon determining that the wireless UE device executing an ABR client application is in a radio white spot area, the current ABR streaming session may be suspended at a particular segment. Thereafter, playback of other content locally cached at the wireless UE device may be commenced in lieu of the ABR media segments. When the wireless UE device exits the radio white spot area, the ABR streaming session may be resumed from a point adjacent to the particular segment where the ABR streaming session was suspended.

Claims (69)

1. A method for pre-populating advertisements in a wireless radio network environment operative to effectuate adaptive bitrate (ABR) streaming sessions, the method comprising:

determining that a manifest file associated with a wireless UE device's current ABR streaming session is unencrypted, wherein the wireless UE device is associated with a vehicle traveling in a geographical area of the wireless radio network environment;

parsing the manifest file for determining ABR profile bitrates used for encoding different media segments of the current ABR streaming session;

determining that the wireless UE device's overall bandwidth exceeds a highest bitrate indicated in the manifest file;

determining at least one of a location and direction of travel associated with the wireless UE device;

determining that the wireless UE device is headed in a direction likely to encounter a video outage area;

obtaining location coordinates of the video outage area and calculating an estimated time for traversing the video outage area;

obtaining advertisements relevant to the video outage area wherein the advertisements are estimated to last for a duration required to traverse the video outage area; and

controlling delivery of the advertisements to the wireless UE device at a delivery rate based on an amount by which the wireless UE device's overall bandwidth exceeds the highest bitrate indicated in the manifest file of the current ABR streaming session.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising requesting an encoded notification message to be played at the wireless UE device when the wireless UE device enters the video outage area, the encoded notification message for indicating that the wireless UE device is in the video outage area that lasts for a specific time duration.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising, upon determining that the manifest file associated with the wireless UE device's current ABR streaming session is encrypted, refraining from pre-populating of advertisements into the wireless UE device.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:

verifying, upon determining that the wireless UE device's overall bandwidth does not exceed a highest bitrate indicated in the manifest file, whether the wireless UE device is still active; and

if not, refraining from pre-populating, of advertisements into the wireless UE device.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 . further comprising:

verifying, upon determining that the wireless UE device's overall bandwidth does not exceed a highest bitrate indicated in the manifest file, whether the wireless UE device is still active; and

if so, waiting for a period of time before determining again whether the wireless UE device's overall bandwidth exceeds a highest bitrate indicated in the manifest file of the current ABR streaming session.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:

verifying, upon determining that the wireless UE device is not headed in a direction likely to encounter a video outage area, whether the wireless UE device is still active; and

if not, refraining from pre-populating of advertisements into the wireless UE device.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising generating a manifest playlist for the advertisements to be transmitted to the wireless UE device.

8. A computer-implemented system for pre-populating advertisements in a wireless radio network environment operative to effectuate adaptive bitrate (ABR) streaming sessions, the computer-implemented system comprising:

one or more processors; and

a memory coupled to the one or more processors and having program instructions stored thereon, which perform the following acts when executed by the one or more processors:

determining that a manifest file associated with a wireless UE device's current ABR streaming session is unencrypted, wherein the wireless UE device is associated with a vehicle traveling in a geographical area of the wireless radio network environment;

parsing the manifest file for determining ABR profile bitrates used for encoding different media segments of the current ABR streaming session;

determining that the wireless UE device's overall bandwidth exceeds a highest bitrate indicated in the manifest file;

determining at least one of a location and direction of travel associated with the wireless UE device;

determining that the wireless UE device is headed in a direction likely to encounter a video outage area;

obtaining location coordinates of the video outage area and calculating an estimated time for traversing the video outage area;

obtaining advertisements relevant to the video outage area wherein the advertisements are estimated to last for a duration required to traverse the video outage area; and

controlling delivery of the advertisements to the wireless UE device at a delivery rate based on an amount by which the wireless UE device's overall bandwidth exceeds the highest bitrate indicated in the manifest file of the current ABR streaming session.

9. The computer-implemented system as recited in claim 8 , wherein the program instructions further comprise instructions configured to request an encoded notification message to be played at the wireless UE device when the wireless UE device enters the video outage area, the encoded notification message for indicating that the wireless UE device is in the video outage area that lasts for a specific time duration.

10. The computer-implemented system as recited in claim 8 , wherein the program instructions further comprise instructions configured to:

determine that the manifest file associated with the wireless UE device's current ABR streaming session is encrypted; and

responsive to the determining, refrain from pre-populating of advertisements into the wireless UE device.

11. The computer-implemented system as recited in claim. 8 , wherein the program instructions further comprise instructions configured to:

verify, upon determining that the wireless UE device's overall bandwidth does not exceed a highest bitrate indicated in the manifest file, nether the wireless UE device is still active; and

if not, refrain from pre-populating of advertisements into the wireless UE device.

12. The computer-implemented system as recited in claim 8 , wherein the program instructions further comprise instructions configured to:

verify, upon determining, that the wireless UE device's overall bandwidth does not exceed a highest bitrate indicated in the manifest file, whether the wireless UE device is still active; and

if so, wait for a period of time before determining again whether the wireless UE device's overall bandwidth exceeds a highest bitrate indicated in the manifest file of the current ABR streaming session.

13. The computer-implemented system as recited in claim 8 , wherein the program instructions further comprise instructions configured to:

verify, upon determining that the wireless UE device is not headed in a direction likely to encounter a video outage area, whether the wireless UE device is still active; and

if not, refrain from pre-populating, of advertisements into the wireless UE device.

14. The computer-implemented system as recited in claim 8 , wherein the program instructions further comprise instructions configured to generate a manifest playlist for the advertisements to be transmitted to the wireless UE device.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing instructions stored thereon which, when executed by one or more processors of an adaptive bitrate (ABR) stream delivery server, facilitate pre-populating of advertisements in a wireless UE device disposed in a radio network environment, the non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising:

a code portion for determining that a manifest file associated with the wireless UE device's current ABR streaming session is unencrypted, wherein the wireless UE device is associated with a vehicle traveling in a geographical area of the wireless radio network environment;

a code portion for parsing the manifest file for determining ABR profile bitrates used for encoding different media segments of the current ABR streaming session;

a code portion for determining that the wireless UE device's overall bandwidth exceeds a highest bitrate indicated in the manifest file;

a code portion for determining at least one of a location and direction of travel associated with the wireless UE device;

a code portion for determining that the wireless UE device is headed in a direction likely to encounter a video outage area;

a code portion for obtaining location coordinates of the video outage area and calculating an estimated time for traversing the video outage area;

a code portion for obtaining advertisements relevant to the video outage area wherein the advertisements are estimated to last for a duration required to traverse the video outage area; and

a code portion for controlling delivery of the advertisements to the wireless UE device at a delivery rate based on an amount by which the wireless UE device's overall bandwidth exceeds the highest bitrate indicated in the manifest file of the current ABR streaming session.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 15 , further comprising a code portion configured to request an encoded notification message to be played at the wireless UE device when the wireless UE device enters the video outage area, the encoded notification message for indicating that the wireless UE device is in the video outage area that lasts for a specific time duration.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 15 , further comprising a code portion configured to:

determine that the manifest file associated with the wireless UE device's current ABR streaming session is encrypted; and

responsive to the determining, refrain from pre-populating of advertisements into the wireless UE device.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 15 , further comprising a code portion configured to:

verify, upon determining that the wireless UE device's overall bandwidth does not exceed a highest titrate indicated in the manifest file, whether the wireless UE device is still active; and

if not, refrain from pre-populating of advertisements into the wireless UE device.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 15 , further comprising a code portion configured to:

verify, Upon determining that the wireless UE device's overall bandwidth does not exceed a highest bitrate indicated in the manifest file, whether the wireless UE device is still active; and

if so, wait for a period of time before determining again whether the wireless UE device's overall bandwidth exceeds a highest bitrate indicated in the manifest file of the current ABR streaming session.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 15 , further comprising a code portion configured to:

verify, upon determining that the wireless UE device is not headed in a direction likely to encounter a video outage area, whether the wireless UE device is still active; and

if not, refrain from pre-populating of advertisements into the wireless UE device.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 15 , further comprising a code portion configured to generate a manifest playlist for the advertisements to be transmitted to the wireless UE device.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 30, 2016
From: ERICSSON TELEVISION INC.
To: ERICSSON AB
Reel/Frame 039582/0484 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 5, 2014
From: HUBER, MICHAEL; KASTANIS, DIOMEDES; KOLHI, JOHAN; PHILLIPS, CHRIS
To: ERICSSON TELEVISION INC.
Reel/Frame 032818/0380 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20150256581A1 · Sep 10, 2015