Broadcom Corporation

Arlen J Kirchoff, Jr

Xuemin Chen

Gordon Li

Yong Li

A video reception device, comprising a single video decoder, may dynamically allocate media-processing resources based on QoS parameters associated with the received time-sensitive and non-time-sensitive video streams. The single video decoder is utilized to decode the content of the received time-sensitive and non-time-sensitive video streams for display. The QoS parameters associated with the received time-sensitive and non-time-sensitive video streams are mapped to corresponding media-processing resource requirements at the video reception device. The video reception device performs resource allocation for the received time-sensitive and non-time-sensitive video streams based on the corresponding media-processing resource requirements. Multi-dimensional resources allocation metrics are selected or formed from the corresponding associated QoS parameters for media-processing resource allocation. The video reception device starts resource allocation for the received time-sensitive video streams. Un-used portions of the allocated media-processing resources to the received time-sensitive video streams are re-allocated to process the received non-time-sensitive video streams.

Utilizing multi-dimensional resource allocation metrics for concurrent decoding of time-sensitive and non-time-sensitive content

Media gateways (MGs), grouped into a hierarchy, are operable to provide a multiparty conferencing among client devices. Gateway resources such as processors, Codecs and network interfaces are aggregated at each MG to establish distributed connection sessions based on resource management metrics such as minimizing total network. The distributed connection sessions are utilized to provide the multiparty conferencing. Each MG may aggregate the gateway resources, which may be determined utilizing a look-up table, from other MGs for sharing among the MGs. Each MG may be activated to provide the media gateway controller (MGC) processing utilizing the shared aggregated gateway resources. A MG may be de-activated from the MGC processing when needed and the associated connection sessions may be subsequently released. Gateway resources are managed at each MG based on the resource management metrics in order to establish distributed connection sessions to support the multiparty conferencing among the client devices.

Distributed resource management for a plurality of local media gateways to provide video conferencing

A media gateway that services a plurality of client devices may be used to combine a plurality of encoded multimedia transport streams, which may comprise a buffered copy of received encoded broadcast multimedia transport stream and an encoded local multimedia transport stream that pertains to the broadcast transport stream. The media gateway may decode the encoded broadcast multimedia transport stream to extract broadcast multimedia content carried therein based on determination of capabilities of one or more client devices used in playback of the content. The encoded local multimedia transport stream may be generated based on local multimedia content generated and/or captured via one or more client devices. The buffering duration of the received encoded broadcast multimedia transport stream may be adaptively determined, to ensure that the encoded local multimedia transport stream and the encoded broadcast multimedia transport stream are synchronized when they are combined.

Multiplexing, synchronizing, and assembling multiple audio/video (A/V) streams in a media gateway

A participation device in a multiparty conference call may act as a server device and/or a client device for two-way audio and video (AV) streaming. A server device may encode a requested AV stream into a set of different encoding profiles that may be dynamically determined based on the varying channel conditions and device capacities of the client devices. At least a portion of differently encoded AV streams is selected and dynamically communicated to the client devices for display. Session parameters are determined according to the varying channel conditions and the device capacities of the client devices to create intended sessions. The selected encoded AV streams are communicated utilizing segment-based adaptive streaming techniques such as HTTP. A client device may access to a HTTP session to download an expected AV stream from the server device. The downloaded AV stream may be decoded into different decoding profiles for display as needed.

Two-way audio and video communication utilizing segment-based adaptive streaming techniques

A media gateway (MG) that services a plurality of client devices, may be handled at least a portion of video conferencing (VC) processing during a VC call between at least one of said plurality of client devices and at least one other VC client. The portion of the VC processing handled by the media gateway may be offloaded from a centralized VC multipoint control unit (MCU). The MG may handle one or more VC MCU functions, which may comprise video conferencing call control and/or management and/or audio/video (AV) transcoding. The MG may perform localized quality of service (QoS) management, to select, and adaptively control and/or configure resources and/or local links used in the MG and/or in VC clients or neighboring MGs connected to the MG, during VC operations, such as in generating, handling, and/or communicating data or content exchanged during VC calls.

Using distributed local QoS optimization to achieve global QoS optimization for video conferencing services

In a media gateway (MG) that enables communication with a plurality of client devices, at least a portion of video conferencing (VC) processing during a VC call between at least one of said plurality of client devices and at least one other VC client may be handled by the media gateway. The portion of the VC processing handled by said media is offloaded from a centralized VC multipoint control unit (MCU). The MG may handle one or more VC MCU functions, which may comprise video conferencing call control and/or management and/or audio/video (A/V) transcoding. The MG may adaptively control and/or configure latency associated with handling and/or communication of data by the media gateway's client device during the video conference call. The adaptive latency control and/or configuration may be based on determination of end-to-end latency associated with exchange of data during the video conference call.

Growing community of inventors

Suwanee, GA, United States of America

Arlen J Kirchoff, Jr