Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Vivek Thukral

Daniel John Zigmond

Samuel Thomas Scott, Iii

Pradip Kumar Fatehpuria

Sukesh H Pai

Steven James Chin

Wallace C Colyer

Leslie H Thaler

Streaming media is received from a source system. A current overall resource usage of a resource of the device (such as a CPU or memory of the device) is obtained. A check is made as to whether the current overall resource usage exceeds a resource threshold value. If the current overall resource usage exceeds the resource threshold value, then an indication is provided to the source system to reduce a quality level of the streaming media. The streaming media is received from the source system at the reduced quality level until there is sufficient resource capacity at the device to increase the quality level.

Changing streaming media quality level based on current device resource usage

Redirection of streaming content is described. In an implementation, a method includes receiving a request at a client from another client, wherein the request is to redirect on-demand content being streamed from a head end to the other client and includes a bookmark that specifies a point in time during an output of the on-demand content by the second client. A communication is formed for being communicated to the head end to cause redirection of the streaming of the on-demand content to the client corresponding to the point in time specified by the bookmark.

Redirection of streaming content

Shared network path contention can be reduced by limiting the number of contending client devices to which pending requests may be outstanding. Contention may also be reduced by managing available downstream bandwidth based on request size and managing available upstream bandwidth based on estimated response size. Portions of available downstream and/or upstream bandwidth may also be allocated to groups of one or more applications from which requests may be received, and the allocated portions may be configured to vary over time.

Shared network path contention reduction

Television system video conferencing is described. In an embodiment, a television-based client device receives program content from a content provider via an IP-based network to display a program for viewing. The client device generates video conference data to participate in a video conference session with one or more additional television-based client devices over the IP-based network. The client device communicates the video conference data to the content provider for association and distribution to the additional client devices, and receives incoming video conference data over a virtual channel designated for the video conference session. The incoming video conference data is hosted by the one or more additional client devices and is received from the content provider via the IP-based network. The client device then renders the incoming video conference data for television system video conferencing.

Television system video conferencing

Television system targeted advertising is described. In an embodiment, a content provider monitors a real-time state of television-based systems for a power on/off state and a tuning configuration. The content provider delivers advertising content to one or more of the television-based systems when they are powered-on and configured to receive the advertising content. The one or more television-based systems then receive the advertising content to display a targeted advertisement for viewing. The content provider records how many of the television-based systems receive the advertising content, and records how many of the television-based systems that receive the advertising content then display the targeted advertisement for viewing.

Television system targeted advertising

A strategy is described for allocating resources of an operations center to provide a collection of channels. The strategy uses static resources to provide relatively popular channels and dynamic resources to provide relatively unpopular channels. The strategy can separately perform this allocation for different regions served by the operations center. Through this provision, the strategy can reduce the cost of the operations center by making more efficient use of a limited number of resources.

Allocation of resources to deliver media content using a combination of static and dynamic resources

A request for content associated with a particular channel is received from a client device. A system identifies service information data associated with the channel. The system then determines how content associated with the channel will be provided to the client device. Instructions are sent to the client device that notify the client device how to access content associated with the channel.

Method and apparatus for managing channel information

A system is described for disseminating media information. An operations center transmits at least a primary stream on a first network connection and a backup stream on a second network connection to a media device (such as a set-top box). The media device identifies whether the primary stream includes any missing information, and, if so, supplies the missing information from the backup stream. The primary stream and the backup stream can have the same or different bit rates. The operations center can send the backup stream as a component of a multiplexed stream, including at least one other stream. Through these provisions, the system provides a streaming mechanism that is both reliable and scalable.

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Palo Alto, CA, United States of America

Vivek Thukral