Video policy server

Abstract

A system for distributing digital content includes two or more digital content sources. Each source has a separate session manager that is distinct from other session managers associated with other digital content sources. The system further includes at least one set of network resources that receive digital content from the two or more digital content sources, modulate the digital content onto a carrier signal suitable for transmission over an access network, and transmit the carrier signal over the access network. The system also includes a receiving device for terminating the carrier signal. The receiving device generates a digital content stream corresponding to the digital content from the two or more digital content sources. The system further includes a policy server for allocating bandwidth of the network resources to the digital content sources, and for monitoring a utilization state of the network resources.

1 . A system for distributing digital content, comprising: 
 two or more digital content sources, each having a separate session manager that is distinct from other session managers associated with other digital content sources;    at least one set of network resources for (i) receiving digital content from the two or more digital content sources, (ii) modulating the digital content onto a carrier signal suitable for transmission over an access network, and (iii) transmitting the carrier signal over the access network;    a receiving device for terminating the carrier signal and generating a digital content stream corresponding to the digital content from the two or more digital content sources;    a policy server for monitoring a utilization state of the network resources, and for allocating a set of bandwidth segments of the at least one set of network resources to the two or more digital content sources.    
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the policy server allocates the bandwidth segments according to the utilization state of the at least one set of network resources.  
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the policy server allocates the bandwidth segments according to a set of policy rules.  
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the policy rules define resource allocation according to subscriber priority.  
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the policy rules define resource allocation according to a category of the digital content.  
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the two or more digital content sources includes a video-on-demand server for providing video content.  
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the receiving device includes a set top box for generating an output signal suitable for one or more subscriber video equipment components.  
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the policy server issues instructions to the session manager associated with a digital content source to send video content to the at least one set of network resources.  
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the policy server is a video policy server for allocating the set of bandwidth segments of the at least one set of network resources to two or more video content sources.  
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the utilization state includes information about how much bandwidth of the at least one set of network resources is allocated and how much bandwidth of the at least one set of network resources is available.  
   
   
       11 . A method of distributing digital content, comprising: 
 providing digital content from two or more digital content sources, each having a separate session manager that is distinct from other session managers associated with other digital content sources;    receiving, at one or more sets of network resources, digital content from the two or more digital content sources;    modulating the digital content onto a carrier signal suitable for transmission over an access network;    transmitting the carrier signal over the access network;    terminating the carrier signal and generating a digital content stream corresponding to the digital content from the two or more digital content sources;    allocating, with a policy server, a set of bandwidth segments of the at least one set of network resources to the two or more digital content sources, and for monitoring a utilization state of the network resources.    
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , further including allocating, using policy rules, the bandwidth segments according to the utilization state of the at least one set of network resources.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 11 , further including allocating, using policy rules, the bandwidth segments according to a set of policy rules.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , further including defining resource allocation according to subscriber priority.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 13 , further including defining resource allocation according to a category of the digital content.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 11 , further including issuing instructions from the policy server to the session manager associated with a digital content source to send video content to the at least one set of network resources.  
   
   
       17 . A method of distributing digital content from a content source to a receiving device over a network, comprising: 
 sending an initiating request for digital content, from the receiving device to a session manager associated with the content source;    sending a resource request for network resources, from the session manager to a policy server, as a result of the initiating request;    evaluating and executing one or more policy rules to determine whether or not the resource request should be granted;    sending an instruction from the policy server to the session manager instructing the session manager to send digital content to a specific set of network resources;    sending receiving information for receiving the digital content to the receiving device; and,    sending digital content from the session manager to the network resources.    
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , further including sending a notification from the policy server to the network resources notifying the network resources of a transfer of digital content from the session manager to the network resources.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the network resources include edge QAM interfacing devices.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the digital content includes video content, and the content source includes one or more video-on-demand servers.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 17 , further including monitoring a utilization state of the network resources.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the policy rules define resource allocation according to subscriber priority.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the policy rules define resource allocation according to a category of the digital content.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 17 , furthering including evaluating and executing the one or more policy rules to determine how much bandwidth of the network resources should be allocated to the session manager.