Patents by Inventor STEPHEN CLIFFORD APPLEBY

STEPHEN CLIFFORD APPLEBY has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10178037
    Abstract: Examples of the present invention present a method of controlling content delivery in a network. A global quality of experience measure, QoEmax, is calculated based on the packet loss rate in the network. As packet loss rate varies as a result of congestion conditions in the network, so will QoEmax. A server delivering content over the network will attempt to reach QoEmax for the content in its respective session. Those sessions with a quality of experience, QoE, less than QoEmax will have its packet dispatch rate increased, and those with a QoE higher than QoEmax will reduce its packet dispatch rate, subject to any delivery deadlines associated with the session. If the delivery deadlines of the sessions can be met without exceeding QoEmax, then all sessions will end up achieving QoEmax. Since QoEmax is only a function of packet loss rate that all sessions miming over the same shared network agree upon, all sessions should converge on the same QoE.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: BRITISH TELECOMMUNICATIONS public limited company
    Inventors: Stephen Clifford Appleby, Rory Stewart Turnbull, Michael Eilling Nilsson, Ian Barry Crabtree, Brahim Allan, Timothy Sean Stevens
  • Patent number: 9723046
    Abstract: A method for providing equitable media streaming between an HTTP server and a number of receivers via shared network. The streaming data is processed to split the data across a number of sub-streams. Each sub-stream contains non-contiguous data. A receiver requesting the streaming media establishes a number of TCP sessions, one for each sub-stream and the received sub-stream data is reassembled at the receiver so that the streaming media can be presented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: BRITISH TELECOMMUNICATIONS public limited company
    Inventors: Stephen Clifford Appleby, Ian Barry Crabtree, Michael Erling Nilsson, Rory Stewart Turnbull
  • Patent number: 9571871
    Abstract: A client device receives streamed encoded content data, such as encoded video data, which has been encoded at a constant perceptual quality. Several different versions of the content are available to be streamed to the device, at different perceptual quality levels. In order to decide which quality level to request from a content server at intervals the device calculates the delivery rates that would be required for each level of quality. The calculation of the delivery levels is made in dependence on whether the actual delivery rate that has been received so far is greater than or less than a constant bit rate delivery schedule that decreases monotonically but which guarantees to deliver the encoded data in a timely manner such that no buffer underflow and interruption of reproduction takes place.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: BRITISH TELECOMMUNICATIONS PUBLIC LIMITED COMPANY
    Inventors: Michael Erling Nilsson, Stephen Clifford Appleby, Rory Stewart Turnbull, Ian Barry Crabtree
  • Patent number: 9313243
    Abstract: A client device receives streamed encoded content data, such as encoded video data, which has been encoded at a constant perceptual quality. Several different versions of the content are available to be streamed to the device, at different perceptual quality levels. In order to decide which quality level to request from a content server at intervals the device calculates the delivery rates that would be required for each level of quality. The delivery rates are calculated in dependence on so-called critical points, which are points at which a piecewise constant bit rate delivery schedule is just equal to the decoding schedule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: BRITISH TELECOMMUNICATIONS public limited company
    Inventors: Michael Erling Nilsson, Stephen Clifford Appleby, Rory Stewart Turnbull, Ian Barry Crabtree
  • Patent number: 9313529
    Abstract: One or more network based video servers is/are connected to one or more video receivers over a shared network. Pieces of video content are each encoded at a number of constant quality levels and stored on one or more of the network based servers. Responsive to requests from a receiver, video content is selected on a server and delivered over the shared network to the receiver. The system selects the quality level of the stream to deliver based on characteristics of the video stream currently being delivered, and the number of bits already buffered at the video receiver and the available network throughput. The aim is to select the video quality being delivered according to the available network throughput to maximize quality while ensuring that video data is delivered over the network in time to be decoded and displayed without interruption. Certain exemplary embodiments make that selection in advance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: British Telecommunications PLC
    Inventors: Michael Erling Nilsson, Rory Stewart Turnbull, Ian Barry Crabtree, Stephen Clifford Appleby
  • Publication number: 20160057064
    Abstract: Examples of the present invention present a method of controlling content delivery in a network. A global quality of experience measure, QoEmax, is calculated based on the packet loss rate in the network. As packet loss rate varies as a result of congestion conditions in the network, so will QoEmax. A server delivering content over the network will attempt to reach QoEmax for the content in its respective session. Those sessions with a quality of experience, QoE, less than QoEmax will have its packet dispatch rate increased, and those with a QoE higher than QoEmax will reduce its packet dispatch rate, subject to any delivery deadlines associated with the session. If the delivery deadlines of the sessions can be met without exceeding QoEmax, then all sessions will end up achieving QoEmax. Since QoEmax is only a function of packet loss rate that all sessions miming over the same shared network agree upon, all sessions should converge on the same QoE.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2014
    Publication date: February 25, 2016
    Inventors: Stephen Clifford APPLEBY, Rory Stewart TURNBULL, Michael Eilling NILSSON, Ian Barry CRABTREE, Brahim ALLAN, Timothy Sean STEVENS
  • Patent number: 8996713
    Abstract: The network contains one or more network based video servers connected to one or more video receivers over a shared network. Multiple pieces of video content are each encoded at a number of constant quality levels and stored on one or more of the network based servers. In response to requests from a receiver, video content is selected on a server and delivered over the shared network to the receiver. The system selects the quality level of the stream to deliver based on characteristics of the video stream currently being delivered, and the number of bits already buffered at the video receiver and the available network throughput. The aim is to select the video quality being delivered according to the available network throughput so as maximise the quality while ensuring that all video data is delivered over the network in time for it to be decoded and displayed without interruption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: British Telecommunications Public Limited Company
    Inventors: Michael Erling Nilsson, Ian Barry Crabtree, Stephen Clifford Appleby, Rory Stewart Turnbull
  • Patent number: 8848785
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a compact representation of a cumulative bit curve formed from piece-wise straight line approximations between upper and lower bounds about an actual cumulative bit curve (CBC). In one embodiment the lower bounds are found by applying a constraint such that if a delivery rate was to be calculated using the count at the lower bound it would result in a delivery rate which was greater than the delivery rate that would be calculated using the actual CBC data by a particular amount, for example 10%. The actual CBC data is then used as an upper bound. As a result, the approximated CBC will lie for each GoP between the actual CBC value and the lower bound, with the result that one can be certain that any data rate that is calculated using the approximation will be at least as high as a data rate that is calculated using the actual CBC data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: British Telecommunications Public Limited Company
    Inventors: Michael Erling Nilsson, Stephen Clifford Appleby, Rory Stewart Turnbull, Ian Barry Crabtree
  • Publication number: 20130322522
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a compact representation of a cumulative bit curve formed from piece-wise straight line approximations between upper and lower bounds about an actual cumulative bit curve (CBC). In one embodiment the lower bounds are found by applying a constraint such that if a delivery rate was to be calculated using the count at the lower bound it would result in a delivery rate which was greater than the delivery rate that would be calculated using the actual CBC data by a particular amount, for example 10%. The actual CBC data is then used as an upper bound. As a result, the approximated CBC will lie for each GoP between the actual CBC value and the lower bound, with the result that one can be certain that any data rate that is calculated using the approximation will be at least as high as a data rate that is calculated using the actual CBC data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2012
    Publication date: December 5, 2013
    Applicant: British Telecommunications Public Limited Company
    Inventors: Michael Erling Nilsson, Stephen Clifford Appleby, Rory Stewart Turnbull, Ian Barry Crabtree
  • Publication number: 20130297818
    Abstract: A client device receives streamed encoded content data, such as encoded video data, which has been encoded at a constant perceptual quality. Several different versions of the content are available to be streamed to the device, at different perceptual quality levels. In order to decide which quality level to request from a content server at intervals the device calculates the delivery rates that would be required for each level of quality. The delivery rates are calculated in dependence on so-called critical points, which are points at which a piecewise constant bit rate delivery schedule is just equal to the decoding schedule.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2011
    Publication date: November 7, 2013
    Applicant: BRITISH TELECOMMUNICATIONS PUBLIC LIMITED COMPANY
    Inventors: Michael Erling Nilsson, Stephen Clifford Appleby, Rory Stewart Turnbull, Ian Barry Crabtree
  • Publication number: 20130291032
    Abstract: A client device receives streamed encoded content data, such as encoded video data, which has been encoded at a constant perceptual quality. Several different versions of the content are available to be streamed to the device, at different perceptual quality levels. In order to decide which quality level to request from a content server at intervals the device calculates the delivery rates that would be required for each level of quality. The calculation of the delivery levels is made in dependence on whether the actual delivery rate that has been received so far is greater than or less than a constant bit rate delivery schedule that decreases monotonically but which guarantees to deliver the encoded data in a timely manner such that no buffer underflow and interruption of reproduction takes place.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2011
    Publication date: October 31, 2013
    Applicant: BRITISH TELECOMMUNICATIONS PUBLIC LIMITED COMPANY
    Inventors: Michael Erling Nilsson, Stephen Clifford Appleby, Rory Stewart Turnbull, Ian Barry Crabtree
  • Publication number: 20130185399
    Abstract: A method for providing equitable media streaming between an HTTP server and a number of receivers via shared network. The streaming data is processed to split the data across a number of sub-streams. Each sub-stream contains non-contiguous data. A receiver requesting the streaming media establishes a number of TCP sessions, one for each sub-stream and the received sub-stream data is reassembled at the receiver so that the streaming media can be presented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Publication date: July 18, 2013
    Applicant: BRITISH TELECOMMUNICATIONS PUBLIC LIMITED COMPANY
    Inventors: Stephen Clifford Appleby, Ian Barry Crabtree, Michael Erling Nilsson, Rory Stewart Turnbull
  • Publication number: 20130163667
    Abstract: The network contains one or more network based video servers connected to one or more video receivers over a shared network. Multiple pieces of video content are each encoded at a number of constant quality levels and stored on one or more of the network based servers. In response to requests from a receiver, video content is selected on a server and delivered over the shared network to the receiver. The system selects the quality level of the stream to deliver based on characteristics of the video stream currently being delivered, and the number of bits already buffered at the video receiver and the available network throughput. The aim is to select the video quality being delivered according to the available network throughput so as maximise the quality while ensuring that all video data is delivered over the network in time for it to be decoded and displayed without interruption. The invention proposes a method for making that selection in advance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2011
    Publication date: June 27, 2013
    Applicant: TELECOMMUNICATIONS
    Inventors: Michael Erling Nilsson, Rory Stewart Turnbull, Ian Barry Crabtree, Stephen Clifford Appleby
  • Publication number: 20130111060
    Abstract: The network contains one or more network based video servers connected to one or more video receivers over a shared network. Multiple pieces of video content are each encoded at a number of constant quality levels and stored on one or more of the network based servers. In response to requests from a receiver, video content is selected on a server and delivered over the shared network to the receiver. The system selects the quality level of the stream to deliver based on characteristics of the video stream currently being delivered, and the number of bits already buffered at the video receiver and the available network throughput. The aim is to select the video quality being delivered according to the available network throughput so as maximise the quality while ensuring that all video data is delivered over the network in time for it to be decoded and displayed without interruption.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2011
    Publication date: May 2, 2013
    Applicant: BRITISH TELECOMMUNICATIONS PUBLIC LIMITED COMPANY
    Inventors: Michael Erling Nilsson, Ian Barry Crabtree, Stephen Clifford Appleby, Rory Stewart Turnbull
  • Publication number: 20020059056
    Abstract: Training apparatus for training a user to engage in transactions (e.g.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 1998
    Publication date: May 16, 2002
    Inventor: STEPHEN CLIFFORD APPLEBY