Abstract: A method of downloading a multimedia content from a content server to a client through a wireless communication network is provided. The multimedia content is subdivided into a plurality of chunks and for each chunk the content server has at least two corresponding versions thereof encoded with different encoding rates. The method includes having the client send a first request of a first version of a corresponding requested chunk, and having a proxy server intercept the first request to generate a second request of a second version of the requested chunk. The method also includes having the proxy server send the second request to the content server in place of the first request, and having the content server send the second version to the client. The second request is generated based on the amount of information content of the versions of said requested chunk.

Abstract: A method of downloading video contents from a content server to a client through a base station of a wireless communication network is provided. Each video content includes a sequence of encoded video frames. The method includes having the content server send a video content in a sequence of data packets, each data packet including data corresponding to at least one portion of an encoded video frame, and having a proxy server at the base station classify each data packet according to the type of video frame it correspond to. The method also includes having a scheduler at the base station assign radio resources for the transmission of the data packets to the client based on the classification carried out by the proxy server, and transmitting the data packets to the client by exploiting the radio resource assignment carried out by the scheduler.

Abstract: A method of downloading video contents from a content server to a client through a base station of a wireless communication network is provided. Each video content includes a sequence of encoded video frames. The method includes having the content server send a video content in a sequence of data packets, each data packet including data corresponding to at least one portion of an encoded video frame, and having a proxy server at the base station classify each data packet according to the type of video frame it correspond to. The method also includes having a scheduler at the base station assign radio resources for the transmission of the data packets to the client based on the classification carried out by the proxy server, and transmitting the data packets to the client by exploiting the radio resource assignment carried out by the scheduler.

Abstract: A method of downloading a multimedia content from a content server to a client through a wireless communication network is provided. The multimedia content is subdivided into a plurality of chunks and for each chunk the content server has at least two corresponding versions thereof encoded with different encoding rates. The method includes having the client send a first request of a first version of a corresponding requested chunk, and having a proxy server intercept the first request to generate a second request of a second version of the requested chunk. The method also includes having the proxy server send the second request to the content server in place of the first request, and having the content server send the second version to the client. The second request is generated based on the amount of information content of the versions of said requested chunk.

Abstract: A method of downloading multimedia content from a server to a client through a wireless communication network is proposed. The multimedia content is subdivided into a plurality of portions and for each portion the server stores a plurality of versions thereof each of which is encoded with a specific encoding quality. The method comprises: selecting, among the plurality of versions of each portion of the multimedia content, a version of the portion of the multimedia content to be downloaded on the basis of wireless communication parameters determined at at least two different layers of a wireless communication network OSI protocol stack at the client.

Abstract: A method of downloading multimedia content from a server to a client through a wireless communication network is proposed. The multimedia content is subdivided into a plurality of portions and for each portion the server stores a plurality of versions thereof each of which is encoded with a specific encoding quality. The method comprises: selecting, among the plurality of versions of each portion of the multimedia content, a version of the portion of the multimedia content to be downloaded on the basis of wireless communication parameters determined at at least two different layers of a wireless communication network OSI protocol stack at the client.