US 12,149,799 B2
Streaming assistance system and computer-implemented method
Lucia D'Acunto, Delft (NL); Miodrag Djurica, Rotterdam (NL); and Jan Willem Martin Kleinrouweler, Pijnacker (NL)
Assigned to Koninklijke KPN N.V., Rotterdam (NL); and Nederlandse Organisatie Voor Toegepast-Natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek TNO, s-Gravenhage (NL)
Appl. No. 17/635,662
Filed by Koninklijke KPN N.V., Rotterdam (NL); and Nederlandse Organisatie Voor Toegepast-Natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek TNO, 's-Gravenhage (NL)
PCT Filed Aug. 18, 2020, PCT No. PCT/EP2020/073050
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Feb. 15, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/032706, PCT Pub. Date Feb. 25, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 19192251 (EP), filed on Aug. 19, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2023/0224548 A1, Jul. 13, 2023
Int. Cl. H04N 21/61 (2011.01); H04N 21/6377 (2011.01); H04N 21/845 (2011.01)
CPC H04N 21/6125 (2013.01) [H04N 21/6377 (2013.01); H04N 21/8456 (2013.01)] 13 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A streaming assistance system configured for assisting in a streaming of media content which is streamed from one or more media servers to a client device, the system comprising:
a communication interface to the client device;
a network interface to the one or more media servers;
a processor subsystem configured to, during a streaming session in which the media content is streamed to the client device:
identify a media fragment of the media content which is expected to be requested next by the client device based on auxiliary data which is obtained during the streaming session and which is indicative of the media fragment;
select a backhaul network link to be used for the streaming of the media fragment to the client device by selecting between at least a first backhaul network link and a second backhaul network link which are available for use in the streaming of the media fragment from the one or more media servers to the client device; and
effect a pre-fetching of the media fragment by requesting the media fragment to be streamed via said selected backhaul network link before such a request is made by the client device.