Broadcast services platform and methods for use therewith
Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a broadcast services platform includes a memory that stores operational instructions. A processor executes the operational instructions to: receive user data, the user data including a list of users and performance metric data corresponding to individual ones of the users; sort the list of the users in order of the performance metric data to generate a sorted list of the users; partition the sorted list of the users to generate a plurality of user groups; and generate network resource allocation data that allocates network resources to provide broadcast services to the users. Other embodiments are disclosed.
1. A broadcast services platform comprising:
a memory that stores operational instructions; and
a processing circuit that includes a processor, coupled to the memory, that executes the operational instructions to:
receive user data, the user data including a list of users and performance metric data corresponding to individual ones of the users;
sort the list of the users in order of the performance metric data to generate a sorted list of the users;
partition the sorted list of the users to generate a plurality of multicast user groups; and
generate network resource allocation data that allocates network resources to provide broadcast services amongst the plurality of multicast user groups.
2. The broadcast services platform of claim 1 wherein generating the network resource allocation data includes allocating a fraction of resources to each of the plurality of multicast user groups proportional to a size of the each of the plurality of multicast user groups.
3. The broadcast services platform of claim 1 , wherein generating the network resource allocation data further includes determining a fraction of the network resources for allocation to at least one unicast user to provide broadcast services to the at least one unicast user, wherein a remaining fraction of the network resources is allocated amongst the plurality of multicast user groups.
4. The broadcast services platform of claim 1 wherein the performance metric data includes one of: coding performance or channel performance.
5. The broadcast services platform of claim 1 wherein partitioning the sorted list of the users, generates a fixed number of user groups.
6. The broadcast services platform of claim 1 wherein generating the network resource allocation data includes determining a one of a plurality of possible numbers of multicast user groups that optimizes resource allocation, and wherein the sorted list is partitioned in accordance with the one of the plurality of possible numbers of multicast user groups.
7. The broadcast services platform of claim 1 wherein sorting the list of the users in order of the performance metric data includes sorting the list of users as one of: asymptotically increasing values of the performance metric data or asymptotically decreasing values of the performance metric data.
8. The broadcast services platform of claim 1 wherein the list of the users corresponds to a plurality of mobile users.
9. The broadcast services platform of claim 1 wherein the network resource allocation data allocates wireless network resource to stream multimedia content to users on a selected one of: multicast basis or unicast basis.
10. The broadcast services platform of claim 1 wherein the plurality of multicast user groups are generated by partitioning the sorted list of the users recursively, and in accordance with a weighted utility function.
11. A method comprising:
receiving user data via a processing system including a processor, the user data including a list of users and performance metric data corresponding to individual ones of the users;
sorting, via the processing system, the list of users in order of the performance metric data to generate a sorted list of the users;
partitioning, via the processing system, the sorted list of the users to generate a plurality of multicast user groups; and
generating network resource allocation data that allocates network resources to provide broadcast services amongst the plurality of multicast user groups.
12. The method of claim 11 wherein generating the network resource allocation data includes allocating a fraction of resources to each of the plurality of multicast user groups proportional to a size of the each of the plurality of multicast user groups.
13. The method of claim 11 wherein generating the network resource allocation data further includes determining a fraction of the network resources for allocation to at least one unicast user to provide broadcast services to the at least one unicast user, wherein a remaining fraction of the network resources is allocated amongst the plurality of multicast user groups.
14. The method of claim 11 wherein the performance metric data includes one of: coding performance or channel performance.
15. The method of claim 11 wherein partitioning the sorted list of the users, generates a fixed number of user groups.
16. The method of claim 11 wherein generating the network resource allocation data includes determining a one of a plurality of possible numbers of multicast user groups that optimizes resource allocation, and wherein the sorted list is partitioned in accordance with the one of the plurality of possible numbers of multicast user groups.
17. The method of claim 11 wherein sorting the list of the users in order of the performance metric data includes sorting the list of users as one of: asymptotically increasing values of the performance metric data or asymptotically decreasing values of the performance metric data.
18. The method of claim 11 wherein the network resource allocation data allocates wireless network resource to stream multimedia content to users on a selected one of: multicast basis or unicast basis.
19. The method of claim 11 wherein the plurality of multicast user groups are generated by partitioning the sorted list of the users recursively, and in accordance with a weighted utility function.
20. An article of manufacture that includes a tangible non-transitory storage medium that stores operational instructions, that when executed by a processor, causes the processor to:
receive user data, the user data including a list of users and performance metric data corresponding to individual ones of the users;
sort the list of the users in order of the performance metric data to generate a sorted list of the users;
partition the sorted list of the users to generate a plurality of multicast user groups; and
generate network resource allocation data that allocates network resources to provide broadcast services amongst the plurality of multicast user groups.