Systems and methods for accessing content over a network

Abstract

A client may be configured to access a network by identifying a network bandwidth configuration setting to be used by the client in accessing a networked content source, enabling the client to access the content source using the network bandwidth configuration setting, monitoring client access to the content source, comparing client access metrics to metrics associated with the network bandwidth configuration setting, determining, based on the comparison, whether to adjust the network bandwidth configuration settings for the client, and adjusting the network bandwidth configuration setting if appropriate.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A computer-implemented method performed at a first client device for accessing content over a network, the method comprising the following operations performed by at least one processor:
 identifying a network access environment of the first client device;   determining a previously established bandwidth configuration setting for the identified network access environment, the previously established bandwidth configuration setting being established based on network performance experienced by a second client device; and   accessing content over the network using the previously established bandwidth configuration setting.   
     
     
         3 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , wherein identifying the network access environment includes identifying an underlying network transport infrastructure used by the first client device. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the underlying network transport infrastructure includes at least one of a dial up modem, a wireless network, or a cable network. 
     
     
         5 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , wherein the bandwidth configuration setting identifies at least one of a network bandwidth or bit rate to use to access content. 
     
     
         6 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 generating a metric indicative of a performance of reception of second content by the first client device; and   updating the previously established bandwidth configuration setting based on the generated metric.   
     
     
         7 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 6 , wherein updating the previously established bandwidth configuration setting includes determining whether a particular event has occurred at a specified frequency or a specified number of times. 
     
     
         8 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , wherein identifying a network access environment includes identifying one or more of a media access control (MAC) address or an Internet protocol (IP) address of the first client device. 
     
     
         9 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , wherein identifying the network access environment includes identifying a screen name associated with the first client device. 
     
     
         10 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , wherein identifying the network access environment includes identifying a geographical descriptor. 
     
     
         11 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , wherein the first client device and the second device have the same identified network access environment. 
     
     
         12 . A system for accessing content by a first client device over a network, comprising:
 at least one memory device that stores instructions; and   at least one processor that executes the instructions and is configured to:
 identify a network access environment of the first client device; 
 determine a previously established bandwidth configuration setting for the identified network access environment, the previously established bandwidth configuration setting being established based on network performance experienced by a second client device; and 
 access content over the network using the previously established bandwidth configuration setting. 
   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to identify the network access environment by identifying an underlying network transport infrastructure used by the first client device. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the underlying network transport infrastructure includes at least one of a dial up modem, a wireless network, or a cable network. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the bandwidth configuration setting identifies at least one of a network bandwidth or bit rate to use to access content. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured by the instructions to:
 generate a metric indicative of a performance of reception of second content by the first client device; and   update the previously established bandwidth configuration setting based on the generated metric.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to update the previously established bandwidth configuration setting by determining whether a particular event has occurred at a specified frequency or a specified number of times. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 12 , the at least one processor is configured to identify the network access environment by identifying one or more of a media access control (MAC) address or an Internet protocol (IP) address of the first client device. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to identify the network access environment by identifying a screen name associated with the first client device. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 12 , the at least one processor is configured to identify the network access environment by identifying a geographical descriptor. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the first client device and the second device have the same identified network access environment.