Abstract: Examples of methods, systems, and computer program products relating to supervising data in a wireless network are disclosed. At least part of a system may be located between a packet data network and a base station, and/or may be at least logically separate from the base station. The system may be capable of evaluating the service provided by the base station, and may be capable of determining whether or not any action should consequently be performed. Examples of an action may include an action which may not necessarily affect en-route data packets such as outputting a report, and/or an action which may affect en-route data packets such as delaying packets, not delaying packets, and/or stopping the delaying of packets. An action which affects data packets may or may not affect data packets uniformly. An action may or may not result in an improvement in quality of user experience.

Abstract: Described embodiments include a system that includes a network interface and a processor. The processor is configured to identify, via the network interface, a state of congestion in a communication channel between a base station belonging to a cellular network and a client device, to calculate, responsively to the state of congestion, a maximum sustainable encoding bit rate (MSEBR) for a video that is being downloaded by the client device, from a server, via the communication channel, the video being encoded at a plurality of different predefined bit rates, and to inhibit the client device, in response to calculating the MSEBR, from downloading a segment of the video that is encoded at any one of the predefined bit rates that exceeds the MSEBR. Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: Apparatus for rating download events is described. The apparatus includes a network interface and a processor. The processor, via the interface, monitors one or more download events in which content is downloaded by one or more users. In response to the monitoring, the processor identifies at least one quantitative property of the download events. Based on the property, the processor assigns rating to the download events that is indicative of an estimated user-perceived quality of the download events. The processor then generates an output indicative of the rating. Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: Examples of methods, systems, and computer program products relating to supervising data in a wireless network are disclosed. At least part of a system may be located between a packet data network and a base station, and/or may be at least logically separate from the base station. The system may be capable of evaluating the service provided by the base station, and may be capable of determining whether or not any action should consequently be performed. Examples of an action may include an action which may not necessarily affect en-route data packets such as outputting a report, and/or an action which may affect en-route data packets such as delaying packets, not delaying packets, and/or stopping the delaying of packets. An action which affects data packets may or may not affect data packets uniformly. An action may or may not result in an improvement in quality of user experience.

Abstract: Described embodiments include a system that includes a network interface and a processor. The processor is configured to identify, via the network interface, a state of congestion in a communication channel between a base station belonging to a cellular network and a client device, to calculate, responsively to the state of congestion, a maximum sustainable encoding bit rate (MSEBR) for a video that is being downloaded by the client device, from a server, via the communication channel, the video being encoded at a plurality of different predefined bit rates, and to inhibit the client device, in response to calculating the MSEBR, from downloading a segment of the video that is encoded at any one of the predefined bit rates that exceeds the MSEBR. Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: A processor is configured to receive, from a first device, a plurality of first-direction packets belonging to a flow of communication, pass the first-direction packets to a second device, receive, from the second device, a plurality of second-direction packets belonging to the flow, pass the second-direction packets to the first device, calculate, after receiving each of at least some of the second-direction packets, an estimated in-flight number, by assuming that the second-direction packet acknowledges receipt of a number of the first-direction packets that is based on an estimated average number of received first-direction packets acknowledged by the second-direction packets, the estimated in-flight number being an estimated volume of payload data, contained at least partly in the first-direction packets, that has been passed by the processor to the second device but has not yet been received by the second device, and to regulate the flow, based on the estimated in-flight number.

Abstract: A method includes monitoring a media stream that is streamed over a network at a given media bit-rate in a sequence of traffic bursts. Respective data volumes of one or more traffic bursts of the sequence are estimated, and the given media bit-rate is derived from the estimated data volumes.

Abstract: Apparatus for rating download events is described. The apparatus includes a network interface and a processor. The processor, via the interface, monitors one or more download events in which content is downloaded by one or more users. In response to the monitoring, the processor identifies at least one quantitative property of the download events. Based on the property, the processor assigns a rating to the download events that is indicative of an estimated user-perceived quality of the download events. The processor then generates an output indicative of the rating. Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: A method includes monitoring a media stream that is streamed over a network at a given media bit-rate in a sequence of traffic bursts. Respective data volumes of one or more traffic bursts of the sequence are estimated, and the given media bit-rate is derived from the estimated data volumes.

Abstract: A processor is configured to receive, from a first device, a plurality of first-direction packets belonging to a flow of communication, pass the first-direction packets to a second device, receive, from the second device, a plurality of second-direction packets belonging to the flow, pass the second-direction packets to the first device, calculate, after receiving each of at least some of the second-direction packets, an estimated in-flight number, by assuming that the second-direction packet acknowledges receipt of a number of the first-direction packets that is based on an estimated average number of received first-direction packets acknowledged by the second-direction packets, the estimated in-flight number being an estimated volume of payload data, contained at least partly in the first-direction packets, that has been passed by the processor to the second device but has not yet been received by the second device, and to regulate the flow, based on the estimated in-flight number.

Abstract: A method includes monitoring a media stream that is streamed over a network at a given media bit-rate in a sequence of traffic bursts. Respective data volumes of one or more traffic bursts of the sequence are estimated, and the given media bit-rate is derived from the estimated data volumes.

Abstract: A method includes monitoring a media stream that is streamed over a network at a given media bit-rate in a sequence of traffic bursts. Respective data volumes of one or more traffic bursts of the sequence are estimated, and the given media bit-rate is derived from the estimated data volumes.

Abstract: Apparatus for rating download events is described. The apparatus includes a network interface and a processor. The processor, via the interface, monitors one or more download events in which content is downloaded by one or more users. In response to the monitoring, the processor identifies at least one quantitative property of the download events. Based on the property, the processor assigns a rating to the download events that is indicative of an estimated user-perceived quality of the download events. The processor then generates an output indicative of the rating. Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: Described embodiments include a system that includes a network interface and a processor. The processor is configured to identify, via the network interface, a state of congestion in a communication channel between a base station belonging to a cellular network and a client device, to calculate, responsively to the state of congestion, a maximum sustainable encoding bit rate (MSEBR) for a video that is being downloaded by the client device, from a server, via the communication channel, the video being encoded at a plurality of different predefined bit rates, and to inhibit the client device, in response to calculating the MSEBR, from downloading a segment of the video that is encoded at any one of the predefined bit rates that exceeds the MSEBR. Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: Described embodiments include a system that includes a network interface and a processor. The network interface is configured to receive, at a first time, a packet transmitted from a source communication terminal over a communication network en route to a target communication terminal, before the packet passes through a particular portion of the communication network, and to receive the packet at a second time, after the packet has passed through the particular portion of the communication network. The processor is configured to delay the packet, subsequently to the packet being received at the second time, by a delay duration that is a decreasing function of a duration between the first time and the second time, and to send the delayed packet, subsequently, via the network interface, en route to the target communication terminal. Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: Apparatus for rating download events is described. The apparatus includes a network interface and a processor. The processor, via the interface, monitors one or more download events in which content is downloaded by one or more users. In response to the monitoring, the processor identifies at least one quantitative property of the download events. Based on the property, the processor assigns a rating to the download events that is indicative of an estimated user-perceived quality of the download events. The processor then generates an output indicative of the rating. Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: Described embodiments include a system that includes a network interface and a processor. The processor is configured to identify, via the network interface, a state of congestion in a communication channel between a base station belonging to a cellular network and a client device, to calculate, responsively to the state of congestion, a maximum sustainable encoding bit rate (MSEBR) for a video that is being downloaded by the client device, from a server, via the communication channel, the video being encoded at a plurality of different predefined bit rates, and to inhibit the client device, in response to calculating the MSEBR, from downloading a segment of the video that is encoded at any one of the predefined bit rates that exceeds the MSEBR. Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: Described embodiments include a system that includes a network interface and a processor. The network interface is configured to receive, at a first time, a packet transmitted from a source communication terminal over a communication network en route to a target communication terminal, before the packet passes through a particular portion of the communication network, and to receive the packet at a second time, after the packet has passed through the particular portion of the communication network. The processor is configured to delay the packet, subsequently to the packet being received at the second time, by a delay duration that is a decreasing function of a duration between the first time and the second time, and to send the delayed packet, subsequently, via the network interface, en route to the target communication terminal. Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: Examples of methods, systems, and computer program products relating to supervising data in a wireless network are disclosed. At least part of a system may be located between a packet data network and a base station, and/or may be at least logically separate from the base station. The system may be capable of evaluating the service provided by the base station, and may be capable of determining whether or not any action should consequently be performed. Examples of an action may include an action which may not necessarily affect en-route data packets such as outputting a report, and/or an action which may affect en-route data packets such as delaying packets, not delaying packets, and/or stopping the delaying of packets. An action which affects data packets may or may not affect data packets uniformly. An action may or may not result in an improvement in quality of user experience.

Abstract: A processor is configured to receive, from a first device, a plurality of first-direction packets belonging to a flow of communication, pass the first-direction packets to a second device, receive, from the second device, a plurality of second-direction packets belonging to the flow, pass the second-direction packets to the first device, calculate, after receiving each of at least some of the second-direction packets, an estimated in-flight number, by assuming that the second-direction packet acknowledges receipt of a number of the first-direction packets that is based on an estimated average number of received first-direction packets acknowledged by the second-direction packets, the estimated in-flight number being an estimated volume of payload data, contained at least partly in the first-direction packets, that has been passed by the processor to the second device but has not yet been received by the second device, and to regulate the flow, based on the estimated in-flight number.