Patent ID: 9203777
Filing Date: 2015-12-01
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method comprising: tracking identities of multiple clients in a network environment that share use of a communication link to retrieve content via adaptive bit rates, each of the multiple clients independently selecting amongst multiple adaptive bit rates to retrieve the content over the shared communication link; monitoring adaptive bit rate status information indicating an ability of each of the multiple clients to retrieve content at the adaptive bit rates over the shared communication link; and controlling use of the shared communication link by new clients based at least in part on the adaptive bit rate status information; wherein monitoring the adaptive bit rate status information further comprises: receiving corresponding adaptive bit rate status information from each respective client of the multiple clients, the corresponding adaptive bit rate status information indicating whether the respective client is able to retrieve content at a respective desired adaptive bit rate over the shared communication link; and wherein controlling use of the shared communication link by new clients based at least in part on the adaptive bit rate status information further comprises: producing performance metric information based upon the adaptive bit rate status information received from the multiple clients, the performance metric information indicating a collective ability of the multiple clients to retrieve content at desired bit rates over the shared communication link; and utilizing the performance metric information as a basis to determine whether or not to allow a new client use of the shared communication link to retrieve content.