OTT Media QoE Isolation via Distributed Test Agents
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing solutions for HTTP Adaptive Streaming (HAS) services fail to reliably measure and isolate Quality of Experience (QoE) issues at intermediate points in the network, such as caching and transport problems, and OTT provider server congestion, making it difficult to identify bottlenecks and ensure optimal user experience.
Innovation Solution
Deploying multiple test agents throughout the network to form a single media service delivery path with coherent measurement points, where agents act as both HAS clients and servers, simulating media playback and monitoring buffer levels and stalling events to collect metrics and estimate QoE scores, allowing for the identification of performance degradation across the network.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple independent HAS clients perform client-side controlled quality adaptation, then each client can dynamically adjust media quality based on perceived network state, but comparison of network performance at multiple points becomes difficult and assessment precision is lowered
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a standardized measurement framework that acts as an intermediary between independent HAS clients and the network performance assessment system. This framework provides common metrics and measurement points that enable precise comparison across multiple clients while preserving their independent adaptation capabilities
Solution Approach 2:
The patent establishes homogeneous measurement conditions and standardized metrics across all measurement points in the network. This allows independent HAS clients to operate with client-side adaptation while their performance can be accurately compared through standardized QoE measurements at defined network points
2Reliability
If existing OTT video testing solutions are used, then general QoE measurement is possible, but reliable measurement and isolation of QoE issues at intermediate network points cannot be achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the network delivery path into multiple defined measurement points that can independently measure QoE metrics. This segmentation enables isolation of QoE issues at intermediate points such as caching and transport layers, while maintaining reliable overall QoE measurement through the coordinated operation of all measurement points
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces standardized measurement agents as intermediaries at intermediate network points. These agents enable reliable detection and measurement of QoE issues at specific network locations without disrupting the overall service delivery, bridging the gap between general QoE measurement and specific issue isolation
Data Source
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AI summary
A method for Over-The-Top (OTT) media service monitoring and testing including deploying multiple test agents throughout the network and orchestrating them together to create a single OTT media service delivery path with coherent measurement points. The method includes selecting and configuring all test agents forming an OTT media service delivery path in a network, wherein the test agents are deployed on devices in the network with pairs of agents in a client-server relationship; for each selected test agent, simulating a Hyper Text Transport Protocol (HTTP) Adaptive Streaming (HAS) media playback using a pair test agent as a HAS server; for each selected test agent, monitoring the HAS media playback via a Quality of Experience (QoE) model to collect metrics, influence factors, and QoE scores; and reporting collected metrics, influence factors and QoE scores, wherein the QoE scores are compared to isolate any performance degradation.