System, Apparatus for Content Delivery for Internet Traffic and Methods Thereof

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method of serving media includes receiving user profiles from a layer3 node in an access network, and receiving a request to serve media content to a user equipment. The user profiles include information relating to user account and/or network characteristics of the user equipment. The method further includes using an user equipment information from the user profiles, assigning a first media server from a hierarchical set of media servers to serve the user equipment if the media content to be served is cacheable. The hierarchical set of media servers include a plurality of first type of media servers deployed in a plurality of layer2 (L2) access networks. The user equipment is coupled to a content delivery network through a layer2 access network of the plurality of layer2 access networks.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of serving media, the method comprising:
 receiving user profiles from a media controller in a content delivery network, the user profiles including information relating to user account and/or network characteristics of a user equipment;   receiving a request to serve a cacheable media content to the user equipment, the user equipment being coupled to the content delivery network through a access network;   using an user equipment information from the user profiles, determining a quality of experience for the user equipment; and   serving the cacheable media content to the user equipment at the quality of experience for the user equipment.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the user profiles are received at a first media server deployed in a layer2 access network of the access network. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 determining if the cacheable media content is stored in a cache of the first media server, wherein the first media server does not determine if the cacheable media content is cacheable content; and   wherein the cacheable media content is served from the cache to the user equipment if the media content is stored in the cache of the first media server.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein serving the cacheable media content comprises selecting a bit rate that matches a guaranteed throughput of the access network. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein serving the cacheable media content comprises selecting a video rate from a list of transcoded video rates. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein selecting the video rate from the list of transcoded video rates comprises dynamically adjusting the video rate according to changes in network conditions. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising serving the cacheable media to the user equipment utilizing at least one of fast start, intelligent buffer control for smooth playback, hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) rate capping, mid-stream redirect to a new media server, recovery from a media server failure, and collection of quality of service data from a media player. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising dynamically performing at least one of bitrate adaptation performing on demand transrating at MX, changing a media file format, changing a media file characteristic according to quality of service requirements. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the media file characteristics include at least one of resolution, bitrates, mobile screen dimension, and media profile. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising selecting a coding rate for serving the cacheable media content to the user equipment according to characteristics of the user equipment. 
     
     
         11 . A network component comprising:
 a processor; and   a non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing programming for execution by the processor, the programming including instructions for:
 receiving user profiles from a media controller in a content delivery network, the user profiles including information relating to user account and/or network characteristics of a user equipment; 
 receiving a request to serve a cacheable media content to the user equipment, the user equipment being coupled to the content delivery network through a access network; 
 using an user equipment information from the user profiles, determining a quality of experience for the user equipment; and 
 serving the cacheable media content to the user equipment at the quality of experience for the user equipment. 
   
     
     
         12 . The network component of  claim 11 , wherein the user profiles are received at a first media server deployed in a layer2 access network of the access network. 
     
     
         13 . The network component of  claim 12 , wherein the programming further includes instructions for:
 determining if the cacheable media content is stored in a cache of the first media server, wherein the first media server does not determine if the cacheable media content is cacheable content; and   wherein the cacheable media content is served from the cache to the user equipment if the media content is stored in the cache of the first media server.   
     
     
         14 . The network component of  claim 13 , wherein serving the cacheable media content comprises selecting a bit rate that matches a guaranteed throughput of the access network. 
     
     
         15 . The network component of  claim 13 , wherein serving the cacheable media content comprises selecting a video rate from a list of transcoded video rates. 
     
     
         16 . A non-transitory computer-readable media storing computer instructions for serving media, that when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the steps of:
 receiving user profiles from a media controller in a content delivery network, the user profiles including information relating to user account and/or network characteristics of a user equipment;   receiving a request to serve a cacheable media content to the user equipment, the user equipment being coupled to the content delivery network through a access network;   using an user equipment information from the user profiles, determining a quality of experience for the user equipment; and   serving the cacheable media content to the user equipment at the quality of experience for the user equipment.   
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 16 , wherein the user profiles are received at a first media server deployed in a layer2 access network of the access network. 
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 17 , wherein the computer instructions for serving media further include computer instructions, that when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the steps of:
 determining if the cacheable media content is stored in a cache of the first media server, wherein the first media server does not determine if the cacheable media content is cacheable content; and   wherein the cacheable media content is served from the cache to the user equipment if the media content is stored in the cache of the first media server.   
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 18 , wherein serving the cacheable media content comprises selecting a bit rate that matches a guaranteed throughput of the access network. 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 16 , wherein serving the cacheable media content comprises selecting a video rate from a list of transcoded video rates.