Systems and methods for providing improved quality of experience for media content consumption

Abstract

Embodiments described herein are related to providing an improved quality of experience (QoE) for users consuming video content. An improved QoE may be provided to a user by allocating an appropriate bandwidth at which content is provided to the user. The appropriate bandwidth may be determined by an application function of the communications network used to provide the content to the user. The application function analyzes messages received from the content provider to determine characteristics of the content, determines the appropriate bandwidth accordingly, and generates a policy control rule to be enforced by the communications network when transmitting the content. Alternatively, a mobile device used to engage in the content determines the appropriate bandwidth at which video is to be transmitted thereto. The determined bandwidth is provided to the application function, which generates a policy control rule to be enforced by the communications network based on the determined bandwidth.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method implemented by a mobile device, comprising:
 receiving a first portion of video content from a content provider via a network;   determining a recommended bit rate at which one or more remaining portions of the video content are to be provided to the mobile device via the network based on a number of bytes to be downloaded for the one or more remaining portions of the video content and a video duration time of the one or more remaining portions of the video content; and   providing, via the network, the recommended bit rate to an application server coupled between the mobile device and the content provider.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 storing at least the first portion of the video content in a video buffer included in the mobile device;   limiting access to the video buffer to a video playback application executing on the mobile device; and   erasing the video buffer upon detection of an event.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the event comprises at least one of:
 an expiration of a predetermined time period; or   detecting that the video playback application has been terminated.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 determining whether an underflow condition or an overflow condition exists within the video buffer;   in response to determining that an underflow condition exits, increasing the recommended bit rate and providing the increased recommended bit rate to the application server; and   in response to determining that an overflow condition exits, decreasing the recommended bit rate and providing the decreased recommended bit rate to the application server.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 determining a size allocated for the video buffer,   wherein the recommended bit rate is further determined based on the size allocated for the video buffer.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the number of bytes to be downloaded for the one or more remaining portions of the video content and the video duration time of the one or more remaining portions of the video content are determined based on a total file size of the video content and a total video duration time of the video content,
 wherein the total file size and the total video duration are determined from a manifest file associated with the video content.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the mobile device requests and receives the manifest file from the content provider. 
     
     
         8 . A system, comprising:
 one or more processing units; and   a memory coupled to the one or more processing units, the memory storing instructions, which, when executed by the one or more processing units, cause the one or more processing units to perform operations, the operations comprising:
 receiving a first portion of video content from a content provider via a network; 
 determining a recommended bit rate at which one or more remaining portions of the video content are to be provided to the mobile device via the network based on a number of bytes to be downloaded for the one or more remaining portions of the video content and a video duration time of the one or more remaining portions of the video content; and 
 providing, via the network, the recommended bit rate to an application server coupled between the mobile device and the content provider. 
   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , the operations further comprising:
 storing at least the first portion of the video content in a video buffer included in the mobile device;   limiting access to the video buffer to a video playback application executing on the mobile device; and   erasing the video buffer upon detection of an event.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the event comprises at least one of:
 an expiration of a predetermined time period; or   detecting that the video playback application has been terminated.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , the operations further comprising:
 determining whether an underflow condition or an overflow condition exists within the video buffer;   in response to determining that an underflow condition exits, increasing the recommended bit rate and providing the increased recommended bit rate to the application server; and   in response to determining that an overflow condition exits, decreasing the recommended bit rate and providing the decreased recommended bit rate to the application server.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 9 , the operations further comprising:
 determining a size allocated for the video buffer,   wherein the recommended bit rate is further determined based on the size allocated for the video buffer.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the number of bytes to be downloaded for the one or more remaining portions of the video content and the video duration time of the one or more remaining portions of the video content are determined based on a total file size of the video content and a total video duration time of the video content,
 wherein the total file size and the total video duration are determined from a manifest file associated with the video content.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the mobile device requests and receives the manifest file from the content provider. 
     
     
         15 . A system, comprising:
 one or more processing units; and   a memory coupled to the one or more processing units, the memory storing instructions, which, when executed by the one or more processing units, cause the one or more processing units to perform operations, the operations comprising:
 receiving, from a mobile device, a total video duration time of video content to be provided to the mobile device and a total size of the video content before the video content is provided to the mobile device; and 
 determining a bandwidth at which the video content is to be provided to the mobile device based on the received total video duration time and the received total size. 
   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the mobile device determines the total video duration time and the total size of the video content from a manifest file received from a content provider of the video content. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the system is coupled between the content provider and the mobile device. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 15 , the operations further comprising:
 generating a policy control rule in accordance with the determined bandwidth; and   updating a control function of a communications network, via which the video content is provided to the mobile device, with the policy control rule.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the control function is a Policy and Charging Rules Function. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the video content is provided in accordance with the determined bandwidth regardless of a bandwidth specified by a subscription level to which a user of the mobile device subscribes.