Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.

Punitma Malhotra

Johannes P Schmidt

Michael Talbert

Kevin M Foster

An exemplary data router may receive from a client device a request to access a multicast packet stream corresponding to a media content channel. The data router may access the multicast packet stream, which may include a plurality of bit rate profiles each including a plurality of data packets representing a component of the media content channel transferred at a particular bit rate. The data router may filter out data packets included within bit rate profiles that have data transferred at a bit rate that is not a preferred or requested bit rate by the client device. The data router may also replace a multicast destination address with a device destination address in the data packets that are not filtered out. The data router may then route the modified multicast packet stream to the client device at the device destination address. Corresponding systems and methods are also described.

Methods and systems for efficient routing of multicast media content by data routers at end user premises

Content providers, such as television companies, may multicast adaptive bitrate content, using playlist-oriented streaming techniques, to recipient devices (such as set-top boxes ('STBs')). In a playlist-oriented streaming technique, segment files (e.g., segments of the content) may correspond to predetermined time segments. In order to mitigate lag time, when a channel is selected by a user of an STB, which may ordinarily be caused by the nature of playlist-oriented streaming techniques, an STB may obtain content, associated with the selected channel, via a unicast, non-playlist-oriented technique. Once the next segment file has been received by the STB, the STB may cease obtaining the content by the unicast technique, and may use the segment files received via multicast.

Multicasting adaptive bitrate streams

Techniques described herein may be used to provide a media program (e.g., a television program, a sporting event, a movie, advertisement, etc.) to a user by obtaining portions of the media program from multiple, distinct media content sources. A client device, such as a set-top-box (STB), may receive present an ongoing media program to a user. The user may request for the client device to start the media program from the beginning, rewind the media program, or otherwise access a previous portion of the media program. Depending on the request, the client device may obtain different portions of the media program requested by the user from multiple, distinct media content sources. Examples of such sources may include a buffer of the client device, a digital-video-recording (DVR) component of the client device, a DVR server, a catch up server, and a video-on-demand (VoD) server.

Presenting media content from multiple, distinct media content sources

Techniques described herein may be used to seamlessly insert advertisements into media programs without a significant change in required bandwidth. A client device (e.g., a smartphone, a set-top box, etc.) may begin downloading and presenting a program to a user in real-time. Before a scheduled advertisement period, the client device may stop downloading the program and begin downloading the advertisement, while continuing to present the program from a buffer. As such, the client device may seamlessly transition from the program to the advertisement in accordance with the advertisement period. The advertisement may be downloaded at an enhanced rate so that the advertisement is completely downloaded prior to the termination of the advertisement period. As such, the client device may resume downloading the program before the advertisement is over, such that the client device may seamless transition back to the program once the advertisement is over.

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

Punitma Malhotra