Abstract: A system and method for providing bitrate control for delivering media content to a plurality of virtual display (VD) screens presented in a virtual reality (VR) environment effectuated by a VR device of a subscriber based on detecting a movement in a point of view with respect the VD screens' placement within the VR environment, wherein each VD screen is configured to receive a media content channel. Responsive to detecting the movement, angular distance of each of the VD screens relative to a reference axis is computed. Weights to each of the media content channels may be assigned or updated based on the angular distance of the corresponding VD screens relative to the reference axis. Media content channels on the VD screens outside the subscriber's field of view may be time-shifted.

Abstract: A system and method for effectuating optimized 360° immersive video viewing experience. A media input stream is coded into a plurality of phase-encoded bitstreams in multiple bitrate representations with varying video qualities. Each phase-encoded bitstream that belongs to a particular bitrate representation comprises a number (N) of frames with a specific GOP structure having a GOP size (p), wherein the plurality of phase-encoded bitstreams equals the GOP size. For each pth phase-encoded bitstream, N frames are encoded as follows: at least a first frame is encoded as an I-frame; and a frame at a frame position i, for 2?i?N, that satisfies {i Mod (GOP size)}=p is encoded as an X-frame that has a slice header of a P-frame and comprises blocks of only intra-coded data, otherwise, that frame is encoded as a P-frame having blocks of predictive-coded data (P-blocks) with a P-slice header.

Abstract: A tile selection and bandwidth optimization scheme for effectuating optimized 360° immersive video viewing experience. Stream manifest files describing characteristics of tile groupings per frame for each tile-encoded bitstream corresponding to a particular one of a plurality of bitrate representations of a media input stream are retrieved. Each bitrate representation is encoded having a separate video quality that is related to a corresponding QP value used for the bitrate representation. Each frame of a tile-encoded bitstream comprises an array of tiles, with a plurality of frames forming a GOP structure of the tile-encoded bitstream.

Abstract: A scheme for managing delivery of segmented media content in an ABR network, wherein bitrates of a manifest file may be selectively modified or removed based on a client device's video buffer characteristics. An ABR stream delivery server is operative to simulate the client device's video buffer in a streaming session and accordingly modify the manifest files to include metadata for media segments encoded at a particular single bitrate responsive to the buffer performance and other network conditions. Responsive to monitoring the video buffer characteristics of the media player during the streaming session, a selected single bitrate may be moved up or down to other bitrates of the manifest files.

Abstract: A system and method for providing quality control in 360° immersive video during pausing of a video streaming session, wherein a paused video frame may comprise a plurality of mixed quality video tiles depending on user gaze vector information. Under pause control of a video optimization node, the video quality of all tiles of the tiled video frame is equalized to a highest video quality corresponding to the quality of the tiles presented in a viewport. In one embodiment, a custom replacement video frame is generated having tiles with the same equalized video quality throughout the full 360° immersive video frame, e.g., an X-frame, is presented to the client device player for decoding and displaying instead of the mixed quality video frame while the streaming session is paused. In another embodiment, a still image based on the custom replacement video frame is provided to the client device to display instead of the mixed quality paused video frame.

Abstract: A system and method for effectuating optimized 360° immersive video viewing experience. A media input stream is coded into a first set of bitstreams having different qualities, wherein each GOP starts with an intra-coded (I) frame followed by a set of frames including at least one predictive-coded (P) frame. The media input stream is also coded into a second set of bitstreams having different qualities, wherein each GOP starts with an I-frame followed by a plurality of X-frames, each X-frame having a slice header of a P-frame and comprising blocks of intra-coded data only (e.g., I-blocks). During playout of the 360° immersive video content, when a viewport changes during mid-GOP and/or if bandwidth allocation changes, higher quality data in an X-frame is muxed into the coded video sequence for providing enhanced viewing experience with minimum latency.

Abstract: A system and method for providing immersive video based on gaze vector information. A gaze vector is obtained from a client device operating to display a 360° immersive video asset to a user, wherein each video frame comprises an array of tiles projected on a 3-dimensional (3D) display environment viewed by the user in which the user is immersed, the gaze vector defining a gaze direction in the 3D display environment where the user is viewing at any particular time. An angular separation is determined between the gaze vector and a directional vector associated with each tile location respectively corresponding to the array of tiles in the 3D display environment.

Abstract: A system, apparatus, and method for controlling data usage at a customer premises. A gateway configured as a single point of entry receives all data entering the premises. A DataCap Management Unit monitors all data usage by client devices within the premises and uses either a linear regression model or a historical usage alpha-generation method to analyze data usage patterns at the premises and to predict future data usage at the premises for a current billing cycle. The DataCap Management Unit dynamically adjusts a premises bandwidth cap throughout the current billing cycle, using the predicted future data usage as an input, to smoothly keep actual total data usage for the current billing cycle from exceeding a data cap before the current billing cycle ends.

Abstract: An adaptive streaming server, a method, and a system are described herein that create a content stream to be delivered to one or more clients by segmenting the content into data structures which are stored in random access memory (volatile storage) rather than segmenting the content into segment files which are stored on a disk or database (non-volatile storage).

Abstract: A system and method for facilitating bookmarks in a 360° immersive video network environment. Bookmarks may be set and recorded based on user gaze vector data for defining a spatial dimension component in a bookmark wherein multiple gaze locations in a video frame may be associated with a single point in time. When the user commences playback of a video asset for which multiple bookmarks have been set, the user may be presented with a plurality of resume location points within the paused frame from which the user may resume at a particular time point.

Abstract: A complexity-driven adaptive quality scheme for managing segment delivery and bandwidth allocation in an ABR network. Segments for downloading to a requesting ABR client may be selected based on encoding complexity data associated therewith, wherein a virtual segmenter may operate to represent the media segments in a memory using associated pointers. In a bandwidth management configuration using a WFQ scheduling mechanism, delivery weights may be modified based on the complexity data.

Abstract: A system and method for effectuating channel changes in a multicast adaptive bitrate (MABR) streaming network using a dedicated bandwidth pipe for burst transmitting a requested channel's data. A video management agent is configured to stitch burst-transmitted data with the regular channel stream during the channel change to generate a hybrid stream, which is multicast streamed toward the requesting device. Once the data from the regular channel stream is properly joined, burst transmission ceases and the bandwidth consumed for sending burst-transmitted data is released.

Abstract: An Adaptive Bitrate (ABR) Quality of Experience (QoE) Management Unit, system, and method for managing bandwidth usage and QoE at a customer premises where multiple client devices independently download content from multiple providers. The ABR QoE Management Unit assigns a priority level to each provider and to each client device, translates the assigned priority levels into weights, and utilizes the weights in a Weighted Fair Queuing (WFQ) algorithm to control, at any given time, an amount of bandwidth each client device is allowed to utilize to download content from any given provider, thereby maintaining a desired QoE for each client device/provider combination. The Unit may utilize Phantom Packet Transmission (PPT) WFQ to prevent a first client device from increasing its bit rate when a second client device is in an idle phase of its duty cycle due to a full buffer.

Abstract: A method, Over-The-Top (OTT) content provider server, Content Delivery Network (CDN) Redirector server, and CDN delivery server for managing bandwidth while delivering electronic content utilizing OTT adaptive streaming to a plurality of client devices at a customer premises. The OTT content provider server receives client device priorities from a customer and stores in a customer profile, a device weighting for each of the plurality of client devices. The OTT content provider server also stores an indication of an available bandwidth of a premises connection at the customer premises. When each client device requests OTT content, a delivery server in a CDN allocates a bitrate for the requesting client device based on the available bandwidth for the premises connection and the device weighting of the requesting client device, and delivers the requested OTT content to the requesting client device at the allocated bitrate.

Abstract: An Adaptive Bitrate (ABR) Quality of Experience (QoE) Management Unit manages bandwidth usage and QoE at a customer premises where multiple client devices independently download content from multiple providers. An overall virtual pipe to the premises includes a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) inner pipe, a non-HTTP inner pipe, an ABR inner pipe, and a non-ABR inner pipe. The Unit determines a data cap for a current billing cycle; and determines, based on policy management settings and the data cap for the current billing cycle, at least one of: a bandwidth cap for the overall virtual pipe, a bandwidth cap for the HTTP inner pipe, a bandwidth cap for the non-HTTP inner pipe, a bandwidth cap for the ABR inner pipe, and a bandwidth cap for the non-ABR inner pipe. Responsive to the determination of the bandwidth caps, the Unit throttles traffic within at least one of the inner pipes.

Abstract: A system and method for effectuating channel changes in a multicast adaptive bitrate (MABR) streaming network using temporarily borrowed bandwidth from a shared progressive download ABR bandwidth pipe for downloading a requested channel's data in a recovery segment by issuing an HTTP request. A video management agent is configured to stitch the recovery segment's data with the regular channel stream during the channel change to generate a hybrid stream, which is multicast streamed toward the requesting device. Once the data from the regular channel stream is properly joined, recovery segment downloading ceases and the bandwidth consumed for sending recovery data is released back to the progressive download ABR pipe.

Abstract: A method for communicating content files based on destination priority includes processing a content file to determine a plurality of destination sites to which the content file is to be transmitted, assigning priority levels to the plurality of destination sites, allocating a plurality of bandwidth portions on a communication link to the plurality of destination sites, respectively, based on the priority levels assigned to the plurality of destination sites, and transmitting the content file to the plurality of destination sites using the plurality of bandwidth portions allocated to the plurality of destination on the communication link, respectively.

Abstract: A system and method for providing bitrate control for delivering media content to a plurality of virtual display (VD) screens presented in a virtual reality (VR) environment effectuated by a VR device of a subscriber based on detecting a movement in a point of view with respect the VD screens' placement within the VR environment, wherein each VD screen is configured to receive a media content channel. Responsive to detecting the movement, angular distance of each of the VD screens relative to a reference axis is computed. Weights to each of the media content channels may be assigned or updated based on the angular distance of the corresponding VD screens relative to the reference axis. Bandwidth of a managed bandwidth pipe may be (re)allocated based on the relative weights of the media content channels for delivering the media content channels to the subscriber's VR environment responsive to selecting single bitrates for the media channels according to a channel bandwidth annealing mechanism.

Abstract: A system and method for providing bitrate control for delivering media content to a plurality of virtual display (VD) screens presented in a virtual reality (VR) environment effectuated by a VR device of a subscriber based on detecting a movement in a point of view with respect the VD screens' placement within the VR environment, wherein each VD screen is configured to receive a media content channel. Responsive to detecting the movement, angular distance of each of the VD screens relative to a reference axis is computed. Weights to each of the media content channels may be assigned or updated based on the angular distance of the corresponding VD screens relative to the reference axis. Media content channels on the VD screens outside the subscriber's field of view may be time-shifted.

Abstract: A system and method for effectuating channel changes in a multicast adaptive bitrate (MABR) streaming network using a dedicated bandwidth pipe for burst transmitting a requested channel's data. A video management agent is configured to stitch burst-transmitted data with the regular channel stream during the channel change to generate a hybrid stream, which is multicast streamed toward the requesting device. Once the data from the regular channel stream is properly joined, burst transmission ceases and the bandwidth consumed for sending burst-transmitted data is released.