Bitrate control in virtual reality (vr) environments using time-shifting and unicast delivery

Abstract

A system and method for providing bitrate control for delivering media content to a plurality of virtual display (VD) screens presented in a virtual reality (VR) environment effectuated by a VR device of a subscriber based on detecting a movement in a point of view with respect the VD screens' placement within the VR environment, wherein each VD screen is configured to receive a media content channel. Responsive to detecting the movement, angular distance of each of the VD screens relative to a reference axis is computed. Weights to each of the media content channels may be assigned or updated based on the angular distance of the corresponding VD screens relative to the reference axis. Media content channels on the VD screens outside the subscriber's field of view may be time-shifted. Bandwidth of a managed bandwidth pipe may be (re)allocated based on the relative weights of the non-time-shifted media content channels for delivering the media content channels to the subscriber's VR environment responsive to selecting single bitrates for the media channels according to a channel bandwidth annealing mechanism.