Video content priority aware congestion management

摘要

In one embodiment, a method includes assigning at a server, priority levels to channels associated with video broadcast content, transmitting the assigned priority levels to a network device transmitting the video broadcast content to receivers, and updating the assigned priority levels based on channel information received at the server. A policy is applied to the video broadcast content based on the assigned priority levels when network congestion occurs. An apparatus is also disclosed herein.

主权项

1. A method comprising:
assigning at a server, priority levels to channels associated with video broadcast content, the server comprising a video caching server operable to cache recent program content for each of said channels; transmitting said assigned priority levels and a policy for priority content aware congestion management to a router transmitting said video broadcast content from a source to receivers to configure the router based on said assigned priority levels; monitoring at the server, channel information transmitted from the receivers and forwarded from the router to the server; and updating at the server, said assigned priority levels based on said channel information; receiving at the server, a multicast stream for each channel from the source via the router; wherein said policy is applied to said video broadcast content at the router based on said assigned priority levels when network congestion occurs to preserve quality of important content as defined by said assigned priority levels, said policy identifying a percent of traffic to drop if congestion occurs such that packets are dropped based on a priority level of the associated channel at the router experiencing congestion; and wherein the router is located in a communication path between a source of said video broadcast content and the receivers and the server is not within a direct communication path between the source and the receivers.