Aggregating Time-Delayed Video Sessions for Network DVR Capacity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional network DVR systems face capacity issues and user experience challenges during 'moments of interest' in live broadcasts, such as the Super Bowl, where many users simultaneously request time-delayed video sessions, leading to system overload and delayed playback.
Innovation Solution
Implementing an aggregating network video delivery system that dynamically aggregates multiple user requests into a single session at the headend, using an aggregator to manage and share sessions transparently, reducing the number of sessions required and enhancing user command responsiveness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If individual unicast sessions are created for each user request during moments of interest, then each user receives personalized video delivery, but the system capacity is exceeded and many users cannot replay the event
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple individual unicast sessions into a single multicast session when detecting moments of interest. When the aggregator detects that multiple users are requesting replay of the same content within a threshold time window, it consolidates these requests into one multicast session that serves all users simultaneously, thereby preserving request fulfillment while maintaining system capacity within infrastructure limits.
2Ease of operation
If manual rewind commands are processed individually with predicted offset, then user playback control is improved, but additional delay is introduced due to communication and processing time
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-calculating and pre-positioning video content at the determined playback point before the user actually requests playback. When a user issues a rewind command, the system has already prepared the video at the offset position, eliminating the traditional delay between command issuance and playback resumption. This is achieved by detecting rewind patterns and proactively positioning content in advance.
3Productivity
If system infrastructure is expanded to provide excess session capacity, then system capacity is increased, but cost increases and infrastructure complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts between unicast and multicast session delivery modes based on real-time demand patterns. During normal operation, individual unicast sessions are provided. During moments of interest when multiple users simultaneously request replay, the system automatically switches to multicast mode for those specific content segments. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to handle peak loads without permanent infrastructure expansion, maintaining capacity while avoiding the cost and complexity of over-provisioning.
Data Source
AI summary
In a video network context, video sessions can be aggregated and delivered to users, and smart replay can be provided responsive to user commands. Various and different commands are received from users at different times. Video sessions (e.g., program streams) are identified and/or created based on the commands. Video sessions are multicasted to the users. Joining multiple users to a video session reduces a need to create multiple identical or similar individual sessions, thereby increasing session capacity. Delivering a video session to users likely to be seeking a particular moment of interest in a video, based on an increased tolerance of received user commands, increases the user experience by delivering the moment of interest directly, without requiring multiple commands from users attempting to navigate towards the moment of interest.