Abstract:
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a system having a controller that receives an indication of a resolution preference for presenting first media content received in a digital stream, wherein the digital stream comprises the first media content and second media content, and wherein the digital stream has a bandwidth limit. The controller, responsive to receiving the first media content adjusts a first resolution of the first media content to achieve an adjusted resolution. The controller also adjusts a second resolution of the second media content to offset, at least in part, the adjusted resolution, wherein the first resolution and the second resolution are adjusted without exceeding the bandwidth limit of the digital stream. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/162,010, filed Jan. 23, 2014, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/769,266, filed Feb. 15, 2013, which is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/404,765 filed Mar. 16, 2009, all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     The present disclosure relates generally to audio and video presentations and more specifically to an adjustment of video and audio quality. 
     BACKGROUND 
     With the advent of various versions of Digital Subscriber Line (xDSL) technology, service providers are now able to provide broadband services to residences and commercial establishments over twisted pair lines. Broadband services can include Internet service, telephony, and interactive Television (iTV). In the case of iTV services, the service provider typically reserves a portion of broadband services to allocate a selection of standard definition and in some instances high definition channels which can be presented by way of a common set-top box. The service provider can similarly reserve a portion of broadband services for telephony. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  depicts an illustrative embodiment of a communication system; 
         FIG. 2  depicts an illustrative embodiment of a portal interacting with the communication system of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  depicts an illustrative embodiment of a communication device utilized in the communication system of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  depicts an illustrative embodiment of a method operating in portions of the communication system of  FIG. 1 ; and 
         FIG. 5  is a diagrammatic representation of a machine in the form of a computer system within which a set of instructions, when executed, may cause the machine to perform any one or more of the methodologies discussed herein. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     One embodiment of the present disclosure can entail a method at a set top box (STB) having viewer controlled allocation between video quality and audio quality in a Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) presentation where the audio quality and the video quality are adjusted at the expense of each other while still maintaining a consistent total digital stream bandwidth. 
     Another embodiment of the present disclosure can entail a computer-readable storage medium at a server having computer instructions for adjusting between a video quality and an audio quality in a Interactive Television (iTV) presentation in response to a user selection where the audio quality and the video quality are adjusted at the expense of each other. 
     Yet another embodiment of the present disclosure can entail a media processor such as a set top box having a controller to adjust a video quality in an Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) presentation and utilize a resultant bandwidth as a result of reducing the video quality to enhance an audio quality in the IPTV presentation in response to a user selection among levels of video quality and audio quality. 
     Yet another embodiment of the present disclosure can entail a server having a controller to adjust a video quality and an audio quality in an Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) presentation based on a user selection of video quality and audio quality levels and utilize a resultant bandwidth as a result of adjusting to perform among the functions of increasing the video quality by adding a layer of video to a digital stream while removing a layer of audio from the digital stream or increasing the audio quality by adding a layer of audio to a digital stream while removing a layer of video from the digital stream. 
       FIG. 1  depicts an illustrative embodiment of a first communication system  100  for delivering media content. The communication system  100  can represent an Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) broadcast media system. The IPTV media system can include a super head-end office (SHO)  110  with at least one super headend office server (SHS)  111  which receives media content from satellite and/or terrestrial communication systems. In the present context, media content can represent audio content, moving image content such as videos, still image content, or combinations thereof. The SHS server  111  can forward packets associated with the media content to video head-end servers (VHS)  114  via a network of video head-end offices (VHO)  112  according to a common multicast communication protocol. 
     The VHS  114  can distribute multimedia broadcast programs via an access network  118  to commercial and/or residential buildings  102  housing a gateway  104  (such as a common residential or commercial gateway). The access network  118  can represent a group of digital subscriber line access multiplexers (DSLAMs) located in a central office or a service area interface that provide broadband services over optical links or copper twisted pairs  119  to buildings  102 . The gateway  104  can use common communication technology to distribute broadcast signals to media processors  106  such as Set-Top Boxes (STBs) which in turn present broadcast channels to media devices  108  such as computers or television sets managed in some instances by a media controller  107  (such as an infrared or RF remote control). 
     The gateway  104 , the media processors  106 , and media devices  108  can utilize tethered interface technologies (such as coaxial or phone line wiring) or can operate over a common wireless access protocol. With these interfaces, unicast communications can be invoked between the media processors  106  and subsystems of the IPTV media system for services such as video-on-demand (VoD), browsing an electronic programming guide (EPG), or other infrastructure services. 
     Some of the network elements of the IPTV media system can be coupled to one or more computing devices  130  a portion of which can operate as a web server for providing portal services over an Internet Service Provider (ISP) network  132  to wireline media devices  108  or wireless communication devices  116  by way of a wireless access base station  117  operating according to common wireless access protocols such as Wireless Fidelity (WiFi), or cellular communication technologies (such as GSM, CDMA, UMTS, WiMAX, Software Defined Radio or SDR, and so on). 
     Another distinct portion of the computing devices  130  can function as a server (herein referred to as server  130 ). The server  130  can use common computing and communication technology to perform the function of adjusting between a video quality and an audio quality in a Interactive Television (iTV) or an IPTV presentation in response to a user selection where the audio quality and the video quality are adjusted at the expense of each other as will be further described with respect to  FIG. 4 . 
     It will be appreciated by an artisan of ordinary skill in the art that a satellite broadcast television system can be used in place of the IPTV media system. In this embodiment, signals transmitted by a satellite  115  supplying media content can be intercepted by a common satellite dish receiver  131  coupled to the building  102 . Modulated signals intercepted by the satellite dish receiver  131  can be submitted to the media processors  106  for generating broadcast channels which can be presented at the media devices  108 . The media processors  106  can be equipped with a broadband port to the ISP network  132  to enable infrastructure services such as VoD and EPG described above. 
     In yet another embodiment, an analog or digital broadcast distribution system such as cable TV system  133  can be used in place of the IPTV media system described above. In this embodiment the cable TV system  133  can provide Internet, telephony, and interactive media services. 
     It follows from the above illustrations that the present disclosure can apply to any present or future interactive over-the-air or landline media content services. 
       FIG. 2  depicts an illustrative embodiment of a portal  202  which can operate from the computing devices  130  described earlier of communication  100  illustrated in  FIG. 1 . The portal  202  can be used for managing services of communication systems  100 - 200 . The portal  202  can be accessed by a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) with a common Internet browser such as Microsoft&#39;s Internet Explorer™ using an Internet-capable communication device such as those described for  FIGS. 1-2 . The portal  202  can be configured, for example, to access a media processor  106  and services managed thereby such as a Digital Video Recorder (DVR), a VoD catalog, an EPG, a personal catalog (such as personal videos, pictures, audio recordings, etc.) stored in the media processor, provisioning IMS services described earlier, provisioning Internet services, provisioning cellular phone services, and so on. The portal  202  can also be used to allocate the relative quality settings for video quality and audio quality as further described herein. Note that the video and quality settings can also be set at the media processor or set top box in other embodiments. In yet other embodiments, the quality settings can be set at either the media processor or the portal (or server). 
       FIG. 3  depicts an exemplary embodiment of a communication device  300 . Communication  300  can serve in whole or in part as an illustrative embodiment of the communication devices of  FIGS. 1-2 . The communication device  300  can comprise a wireline and/or wireless transceiver  302  (herein transceiver  302 ), a user interface (UI)  304 , a power supply  314 , a location receiver  316 , and a controller  306  for managing operations thereof. The transceiver  302  can support short-range or long-range wireless access technologies such as Bluetooth, WiFi, Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications (DECT), or cellular communication technologies, just to mention a few. Cellular technologies can include, for example, CDMA-1X, UMTS/HSDPA, GSM/GPRS, TDMA/EDGE, EV/DO, WiMAX, SDR, and next generation cellular wireless communication technologies as they arise. The transceiver  402  can also be adapted to support circuit-switched wireline access technologies (such as PSTN), packet-switched wireline access technologies (such as TCPIP, VoIP, etc.), and combinations thereof. 
     The UI  304  can include a depressible or touch-sensitive keypad  308  with a navigation mechanism such as a roller ball, joystick, mouse, or navigation disk for manipulating operations of the communication device  300 . The keypad  308  can be an integral part of a housing assembly of the communication device  300  or an independent device operably coupled thereto by a tethered wireline interface (such as a USB cable) or a wireless interface supporting for example Bluetooth. The keypad  308  can represent a numeric dialing keypad commonly used by phones, and/or a Qwerty keypad with alphanumeric keys. The UI  304  can further include a display  310  such as monochrome or color LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) or other suitable display technology for conveying images to an end user of the communication device  300 . In an embodiment where the display  310  is touch-sensitive, a portion or all of the keypad  308  can be presented by way of the display. 
     The UI  304  can also include an audio system  312  that utilizes common audio technology for conveying low volume audio (such as audio heard only in the proximity of a human ear) and high volume audio (such as speakerphone for hands free operation). The audio system  312  can further include a microphone for receiving audible signals of an end user. The audio system  312  can also be used for voice recognition applications. The UI  304  can further include an image sensor  313  such as a charged coupled device (CCD) camera for capturing still or moving images. 
     The power supply  314  can utilize common power management technologies such as replaceable and rechargeable batteries, supply regulation technologies, and charging system technologies for supplying energy to the components of the communication device  300  to facilitate long-range or short-range portable applications. The location receiver  316  can utilize common location technology such as a global positioning system (GPS) receiver for identifying a location of the communication device  100  based on signals generated by a constellation of GPS satellites, thereby facilitating common location services such as navigation. 
     The communication device  100  can use the transceiver  302  to also determine a proximity to a cellular, WiFi or Bluetooth access point by common power sensing techniques such as utilizing a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) and/or a signal time of arrival (TOA) or time of flight (TOF). The controller  306  can utilize computing technologies such as a microprocessor, a digital signal processor (DSP), and/or a video processor with associated storage memory such a Flash, ROM, RAM, SRAM, DRAM or other storage technologies. 
     The communication device  300  can be adapted to perform the functions of the media processor  106 , the media devices  108 , or the portable communication devices  56  of  FIG. 1 . It will be appreciated that the communication device  300  can also represent other common devices that can operate in communication systems  100  of  FIG. 1  such as a gaming console and a media player. 
       FIG. 4  depicts an illustrative method  400  that operates in portions of the communication system of  FIG. 1  such as at a media processor or set top box. Method  400  can begin with at  402  in which a viewer controlled allocation between video quality and audio quality in a Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) presentation (or an Interactive TV or iTV presentation) is made. At  404 , the audio quality and the video quality are adjusted at the expense of each other while still maintaining a consistent total digital stream bandwidth. The audio and video quality can be “yoked” together so as to maintain the same total stream bandwidth. This yoking enables IPTV or iTV services to operate efficiently and intelligently and facilitates service quality and cost controls for a given system. The overall bandwidth remains the same yet the relative quality of audio versus video quality is adjusted. 
     The allocation of bandwidth can be achieved in a number of ways that can allow a viewer to use viewer controlled video versus audio quality tradeoffs. For example, at  406 , the video quality can be increased by adding a layer of video to a digital stream while removing a layer of audio from the digital stream. At  408 , the audio quality can be increased by adding a layer of audio to a digital stream while removing a layer of video from the digital stream. Note, as shown in  410 , that the allocation or adjustment can occur in real time without restarting an iTV or IPTV presentation. This can be achieved in one embodiment at  412  by separating encoded video into multiple video layers and encoded audio into multiple audio layers wherein each layer adds information to the corresponding video and audio layers. When a user/viewer/customer chooses to increase the level of video (or audio) quality, the next highest layer is delivered in addition to a base layer. There can be a large number of gradations of quality levels allowing the viewer to control the video (or audio) quality in a gradual fashion. 
     The allocation or adjustment between video quality and audio quality can be on the basis of a number of factors as shown at  414  and  416 . The video quality and the audio quality can be adjusted on a global basis for all video delivered through the STB or through a particular service. The video quality and the audio quality can be adjusted on a basis preset for a particular user or on the basis of a particular class of video content. For example, the adjustment can be done to a class of video that is classified as being a high definition video or that is classified as being in a particular genre. There is no limitation necessarily as to the classification that may be given to a video presentation in this context. Of course, the video quality and the audio quality can be adjusted on a video program by video program basis for a particular program. Furthermore, different viewers can preset a quality allocation profile that can be called up onscreen or though any other viewer identification process such as by logging in or obtaining biometric, psychographic, or behavioral information associated with a particular user. 
     Upon reviewing the aforementioned embodiments, it would be evident to an artisan with ordinary skill in the art that said embodiments can be modified, reduced, or enhanced without departing from the scope and spirit of the claims described below. For example, in a premise with multiple media processor or set top boxes can use the embodiments herein to allocate bandwidth among several media processors. For example, if enough bandwidth is allocated for 100 high definition (HD) video channels at the expense of lower quality audio channels for a particular premise, several HD video quality channels can be lowered in order to provide enhanced audio quality for a number of media processors or set top boxes within the particular premise. Thus, the allocation of quality can not only be between video and audio quality for a particular presentation, but the allocation can be further allocated among a plurality of devices within a premise. 
     Other suitable modifications can be applied to the present disclosure without departing from the scope of the claims below. Accordingly, the reader is directed to the claims section for a fuller understanding of the breadth and scope of the present disclosure. 
       FIG. 5  depicts an exemplary diagrammatic representation of a machine in the form of a computer system  500  within which a set of instructions, when executed, may cause the machine to perform any one or more of the methodologies discussed above. In some embodiments, the machine operates as a standalone device. In some embodiments, the machine may be connected (e.g., using a network) to other machines. In a networked deployment, the machine may operate in the capacity of a server or a client user machine in server-client user network environment, or as a peer machine in a peer-to-peer (or distributed) network environment. 
     The machine may comprise a server computer, a client user computer, a personal computer (PC), a tablet PC, a laptop computer, a desktop computer, a control system, a network router, switch or bridge, or any machine capable of executing a set of instructions (sequential or otherwise) that specify actions to be taken by that machine. It will be understood that a device of the present disclosure includes broadly any electronic device that provides voice, video or data communication. Further, while a single machine is illustrated, the term “machine” shall also be taken to include any collection of machines that individually or jointly execute a set (or multiple sets) of instructions to perform any one or more of the methodologies discussed herein. 
     The computer system  500  may include a processor  502  (e.g., a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU, or both), a main memory  504  and a static memory  506 , which communicate with each other via a bus  508 . The computer system  500  may further include a video display unit  510  (e.g., a liquid crystal display (LCD), a flat panel, a solid state display, or a cathode ray tube (CRT)). The computer system  500  may include an input device  512  (e.g., a keyboard), a cursor control device  514  (e.g., a mouse), a disk drive unit  516 , a signal generation device  518  (e.g., a speaker or remote control) and a network interface device  520 . 
     The disk drive unit  516  may include a machine-readable medium  522  on which is stored one or more sets of instructions (e.g., software  524 ) embodying any one or more of the methodologies or functions described herein, including those methods illustrated above. The instructions  524  may also reside, completely or at least partially, within the main memory  504 , the static memory  506 , and/or within the processor  502  during execution thereof by the computer system  500 . The main memory  504  and the processor  502  also may constitute machine-readable media. 
     Dedicated hardware implementations including, but not limited to, application specific integrated circuits, programmable logic arrays and other hardware devices can likewise be constructed to implement the methods described herein. Applications that may include the apparatus and systems of various embodiments broadly include a variety of electronic and computer systems. Some embodiments implement functions in two or more specific interconnected hardware modules or devices with related control and data signals communicated between and through the modules, or as portions of an application-specific integrated circuit. Thus, the example system is applicable to software, firmware, and hardware implementations. 
     In accordance with various embodiments of the present disclosure, the methods described herein are intended for operation as software programs running on a computer processor. Furthermore, software implementations can include, but not limited to, distributed processing or component/object distributed processing, parallel processing, or virtual machine processing can also be constructed to implement the methods described herein. 
     The present disclosure contemplates a machine readable medium containing instructions  524 , or that which receives and executes instructions  524  from a propagated signal so that a device connected to a network environment  526  can send or receive voice, video or data, and to communicate over the network  526  using the instructions  524 . The instructions  524  may further be transmitted or received over a network  526  via the network interface device  520 . 
     While the machine-readable medium  522  is shown in an example embodiment to be a single medium, the term “machine-readable medium” should be taken to include a single medium or multiple media (e.g., a centralized or distributed database, and/or associated caches and servers) that store the one or more sets of instructions. The term “machine-readable medium” shall also be taken to include any medium that is capable of storing, encoding or carrying a set of instructions for execution by the machine and that cause the machine to perform any one or more of the methodologies of the present disclosure. 
     The term “machine-readable medium” shall accordingly be taken to include, but not be limited to: solid-state memories such as a memory card or other package that houses one or more read-only (non-volatile) memories, random access memories, or other re-writable (volatile) memories; magneto-optical or optical medium such as a disk or tape; and/or a digital file attachment to e-mail or other self-contained information archive or set of archives is considered a distribution medium equivalent to a tangible storage medium. Accordingly, the disclosure is considered to include any one or more of a machine-readable medium or a distribution medium, as listed herein and including art-recognized equivalents and successor media, in which the software implementations herein are stored. 
     Although the present specification describes components and functions implemented in the embodiments with reference to particular standards and protocols, the disclosure is not limited to such standards and protocols. Each of the standards for Internet and other packet switched network transmission (e.g., TCP/IP, UDP/IP, HTML, HTTP) represent examples of the state of the art. Such standards are periodically superseded by faster or more efficient equivalents having essentially the same functions. Accordingly, replacement standards and protocols having the same functions are considered equivalents. 
     The illustrations of embodiments described herein are intended to provide a general understanding of the structure of various embodiments, and they are not intended to serve as a complete description of all the elements and features of apparatus and systems that might make use of the structures described herein. Many other embodiments will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the above description. Other embodiments may be utilized and derived therefrom, such that structural and logical substitutions and changes may be made without departing from the scope of this disclosure. FIGS. are also merely representational and may not be drawn to scale. Certain proportions thereof may be exaggerated, while others may be minimized Accordingly, the specification and drawings are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense. 
     Such embodiments of the inventive subject matter may be referred to herein, individually and/or collectively, by the term “invention” merely for convenience and without intending to voluntarily limit the scope of this application to any single invention or inventive concept if more than one is in fact disclosed. Thus, although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, it should be appreciated that any arrangement calculated to achieve the same purpose may be substituted for the specific embodiments shown. This disclosure is intended to cover any and all adaptations or variations of various embodiments. Combinations of the above embodiments, and other embodiments not specifically described herein, will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the above description. 
     The Abstract of the Disclosure is provided to comply with 37 C.F.R. §1.72(b), requiring an abstract that will allow the reader to quickly ascertain the nature of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. In addition, in the foregoing Detailed Description, it can be seen that various features are grouped together in a single embodiment for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed embodiments require more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive subject matter lies in less than all features of a single disclosed embodiment. Thus the following claims are hereby incorporated into the Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separately claimed subject matter.