Managed adaptive streaming

1. A method for bandwidth management, the method comprising:

generating

(a) video entity quality information for multiple sets of video entities, each set of video entities comprises video entities that belong to different versions of a same video stream,

(b) user device screen size information for each user device out of multiple users devices,

(c) user device profile information for each user out of multiple users, and

(d) bandwidth constraints relating to bandwidth available for transmission of selected video entities to the user devices;

wherein each user of the multiple users is associated with a user device of the multiple users devices;

selecting for each user device a selected video entity based on at least

(a) the video entity quality information,

(b) the user device screen size information,

(c) the requested video profile information,

(d) the bandwidth constraints; and

(e) an equalization of video quality levels for content delivered to each of the multiple users; wherein the equalization comprises a selection of each respective selected video entity for each respective user device, the selection comprising:

determining one or more video quality levels for the respective user device;

determining a bandwidth required for delivering content at each of the one or more video quality levels determined for the respective user device;

determining a specific video quality level at which the content may be delivered to each of the user devices without the sum of the bandwidths associated with the video quality levels for the user devices exceeding a network constraint;

calculating a set of quality of experience factors for each combination of user device and set of video entities, wherein each quality of experience factor is responsive to (a) video entity information related to each video entity of the set, (b) user screen device information related to the user device and (c) user device profile information indicative of a video profile supported by the user device;

selecting a first selected video entity for a first user of the multiple users, wherein selecting is based upon a set of quality of experience factors associated with the first user and sets of quality of experience factors associated with other users, wherein the first selected video entity is selected to reduce a difference between a quality of experience factor associated with the first selected video entity to be sent to the first user and a quality of experience factor associated with another selected video entity to be sent to another user;

thereby, resulting in each respective selected video entity being displayed at a corresponding user device at the same video quality level as the other selected video entities are displayed at corresponding user devices;

performing a simulation for (a) multiple selections iterations of selected video entities to be transmitted to the multiple of users, and (b) transmissions of the selected video entities to the multiple users, during a future period of time;

selecting a quality experience factor of a set of quality experience factors such as to guarantee that a user device receives selected video entities having the selected quality of experience factor without an occurrence of an overflow or an underflow during a future period of time;

evaluating a possibility of an occurrence of the overflow and the underflow during the future period of time while taking into account (a) statistical multiplexing applied on selected media entities aimed to be transmitted to the multiple users, and (b) estimated network constraints to exist during the future period of time; and

participating in streaming multiple selected video entities to the corresponding multiple user devices, wherein bandwidth allocation is made to selected video streaming entities based upon statistical multiplexing.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising selecting the selected video entity for each user device based upon a set of quality of experience factors associated with the user.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first selected video entity is selected to reduce a difference between a quality of experience factor associated with a selected video entity to be sent to the first user and at least one quality of experience factor associated with another selected video entity that was already sent to the first user.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first selected video entity is selected to reduce a difference between quality of experience factors associated with a different video entity to be sent to the first user at different points in time.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising calculating the quality of experience factor based on a peak signal to noise ratio (PSNR) and angular pixel density.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising calculating a set of quality of experience factors for each combination of user device and set of video entities; wherein each quality of experience factor is responsive to (a) video entity information related to each video entity of the set, (b) user screen device information related to the user device, and (c) user device profile information indicative of a video profile supported by the user device.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising selecting quality of experience factors of user devices that share a same network link based upon bandwidth constraints applicable to the network link.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein participating comprises participating in statistical multiplexing and streaming the selected video entities.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising selecting congestion control policies to be applied on the streaming of the selected video entities based upon at least two parameters, comprising: latencies of network channels used to convey the selected media entities; capacities of the network channels; packet loss rate over the network channels; and, number of user devices that share the network channels.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising selecting congestion windows to be applied on the streaming of the selected video entities.

11. One or more non-transitory computer readable media storing instructions operable to cause a processor to:

receive or generate

(a) video entity quality information for multiple sets of video entities, each set of video entities comprises video entities that belong to different versions of a same video stream,

(b) user device screen size information for each user device out of multiple users devices,

(c) user device profile information for each user out of multiple users, and

(d) bandwidth constraints relating to bandwidth available for transmission of selected video entities to the user devices;

wherein each user of the multiple users is associated with a user device of the multiple users devices;

select for each user device a selected video entity based on at least

(a) the video entity quality information,

(b) the user device screen size information,

(c) the requested video profile information,

(d) the bandwidth constraints; and

(e) an equalization of video quality levels for content delivered to each of the multiple users; wherein the equalization comprises a selection of each respective selected video entity for each respective user device, the selection comprising:

determining one or more video quality levels for the respective user device;

determining a bandwidth required for delivering content at each of the one or more video quality levels determined for the respective user device;

determining a specific video quality level at which the content may be delivered to each of the user devices without the sum of the bandwidths associated with the video quality levels for the user devices exceeding a network constraint;

calculating a set of quality of experience factors for each combination of user device and set of video entities, wherein each quality of experience factor is responsive to: (a) video entity information related to each video entity of the set, (b) user screen device information related to the user device, and (c) user device profile information indicative of a video profile supported by the user device;

selecting a first selected video entity for a first user of the multiple users, wherein selecting is based upon a set of quality of experience factors associated with the first user and sets of quality of experience factors associated with other users, wherein the first selected video entity is selected to reduce a difference between a quality of experience factor associated with the first selected video entity to be sent to the first user and a quality of experience factor associated with another selected video entity to be sent to another user;

thereby, results in each respective selected video entity being displayed at a corresponding user device at the same video quality level as the other selected video entities are displayed at corresponding user devices;

perform a simulation for (a) multiple selections iterations of selected video entities to be transmitted to the multiple of users, and (b) transmissions of the selected video entities to the multiple users, during a future period of time;

select a quality experience factor of a set of quality experience factors such as to guarantee that a user device receives selected video entities having the selected quality of experience factor without an occurrence of an overflow or an underflow during a future period of time;

evaluate a possibility of an occurrence of the overflow and the underflow during the future period of time while taking into account (a) statistical multiplexing applied on selected media entities aimed to be transmitted to the multiple users, and (b) estimated network constraints to exist during the future period of time; and

participate in streaming multiple selected video entities to the corresponding multiple user devices, wherein bandwidth allocation is made to selected video streaming entities based upon statistical multiplexing.

12. The one or more computer readable media of claim 11 , further comprising storing instructions for selecting the selected video entity for each user device based upon a set of quality of experience factors associated with the user.

13. The one or more computer readable media of claim 11 , further comprising storing instructions for simulating: (a) multiple selections of iterations of selected video entities to be transmitted to the multiple of users during a future period of time, and (b) transmissions of the selected video entities to the multiple users during a future period of time.