Georgia Tech Research Corporation

Cox Communications, Inc.

Benny K Bing

Jeffrey L Finkelstein

John Civiletto

Sung-eun Kim

Laetitia Lanfranchi

Certain embodiments herein relate to optimizing the efficiency of video coding. Such optimization may be based on characteristics of video content, such as the size and type of video frames. The size of video frames may be compared to a threshold size to determine whether an intracoded frame should be inserted into a Group of Pictures (GOP) instead of a predetermined type of video frame. As an example, an intracoded video frame may be inserted into the GOP when an abrupt or gradual size change in the sequence of video frames is determined. As another example, unipredicted frames may also be inserted into the GOP instead of bipredicted frames using a similar comparison.

Systems and methods for optimizing video coding efficiency based on characteristics of video content

Systems and methods for combining variable bit rate data streams are provided. A plurality of data streams may be identified by a service provider system that includes one or more computers. Each data stream may be a variable bit rate data stream. Based upon an analysis of the respective variable bit rates, the service provider system may determine a subset of the plurality of data streams to be combined. The subset of data streams may then be combined and output by the service provider system for transmission to one or more consumer devices.

Systems and methods for combining variable bit rate data streams

Systems and methods of intelligent policy enforcement in access networks are disclosed. One such method is implemented in a network device and comprises updating a traffic history with information associated with an incoming packet arriving from or destined to a subscriber link. The method also comprises calculating a drop probability for a next traffic instant and predicting a traffic rate for each of a plurality of flows on the subscriber link. The method also comprises determining whether the incoming packet conforms to a traffic policy associated with the incoming packet. The method also comprises determining whether surplus bandwidth is available on the subscriber link. The method also comprises forwarding the packet responsive to the determination that the incoming packet does not conform and that surplus bandwidth is available.

Systems and methods for intelligent policy enforcement in access networks

Video traffic smoothing may be provided. A video stream may be divided into segments for transmission. For each segment, a desired transmission rate and a range of possible transmission rates may be established. The desired transmission rate may be evaluated to determine whether the rate may result in an overflow and/or a starvation of a memory buffer associated with a receiver. The transmission rate and/or the segment size may be varied to avoid these scenarios.

Video traffic smoothing

Video traffic bandwidth prediction may be provided. Frames of a video stream may be encoded according to a compression scheme. The encoded frames may be received and, depending on the type of frame, may be used to predict the size of other frames of the stream. The predicted frame sizes may then be used to allocate bandwidth for transmission of the video stream.

Video traffic bandwidth prediction

Video traffic transmission using video quality metrics may be provided. A video stream comprising a plurality of frames may be received. For each frame, a determination may be made whether or not to drop the frame rather than saving and/or transmitting it to an end user, thereby conserving network bandwidth. This determination may be made on the basis of a threshold metric, such as a size ratio between frames, an average frame size, an average quality metric.

Growing community of inventors

Atlanta, GA, United States of America

Benny K Bing