Patent ID: 8468572
Filing Date: 2013-06-18
Classification: H04L,H04N

Abstract:
1. A method for distributing digital video content to multiple end-users, the method comprising: receiving an encoded video stream at an edge device, wherein the encoded video stream is encoded using variable bitrate (VBR) encoding and wherein the VBR encoded video stream is encapsulated in Internet Protocol (IP) packets; identifying an access channel for the video stream, wherein the access channel is associated with a bandwidth limitation; admitting the VBR encoded video stream to the access channel, wherein a sum of peak rates from all of the admitted VBR encoded video streams exceeds the bandwidth limitation of the access channel; buffering, at the edge device, the admitted VBR encoded video stream, wherein buffering comprises creating at least one queue for the IP packets and assigning a priority to the at least one queue such that the VBR encoded video stream in the access channel have a higher priority; transmitting the IP packets from the at least one queue on the edge device based on the priority of the queue to at least one IP-compatible end-user device via the access channel such that the VBR encoded video stream can be de-encapsulated from the IP packets at the IP-compatible end-user device; wherein the VBR encoded video stream is transmitted to the at least one IP-compatible end-user device using data over cable service interface specifications (DOCSIS), wherein the access channel is associated with a DOCSIS bonded group; wherein creating at least one queue comprises adjusting a depth of the at least one queue wherein the depth of the at least one queue is adjusted based on a total bandwidth of the access channel and a maximum jitter than can be tolerated by the end-user device; and wherein adjusting the depth of the queue comprises adjusting the depth of the queue based on an available bandwidth of the queue wherein available bandwidth of the queue is the total bandwidth of the access channel not including the maximum combined bandwidth of any higher priority queues.