Apparatus and methods for controlled bandwidth reclamation
US9602414B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 9, 2011 |
| Grant date | Mar 21, 2017 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 6, 2033 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L41/0896
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Apparatus and methods for control of bandwidth reclamation in a content distribution network. In one embodiment, the invention provides a network operator or subscriber with the ability to disable or otherwise control reclamation in a switched digital video (SDV) network. A controller uses rules in determining whether to reclaim bandwidth. These rules designate certain carriers, content, devices and/or subscribers as high priority (or protected from reclamation). In one variant, the rules determine which subscribers are queried (“pinged”) in order to evaluate whether delivered content is actually being utilized by these subscribers. Alternatively, selected ones of the devices are configured so as to generate an automatic response to any ping messages. In another variant, the rules for disabling bandwidth reclamation are entered via user interaction with an application running on a client device and in communication with the controller via a network proxy, or with the SDV server directly.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.