Aircraft OTT Streaming With Ground-to-Onboard Content Caching
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Solution Overview
Problem
It is challenging to efficiently present over-the-top (OTT) content on aircrafts and other transportation vehicles due to limitations in network connectivity and the need for seamless user authentication.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a ground caching device and an on-board OTT cache that pre-cache OTT content based on user preferences and viewing history, combined with methods for managing OTT credentials through wireless connections or seat device cameras, enables secure and efficient access to OTT content even without internet connectivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If OTT content is streamed directly over the aircraft network, then users can access content during flight, but network bandwidth is insufficient and connectivity is unreliable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements pre-caching of OTT content on ground infrastructure before flights. Content is downloaded and stored on ground caching servers in advance, then transferred to aircraft storage systems prior to departure. This preliminary action ensures content is available locally during flight without requiring high-speed in-flight internet, resolving the contradiction between reliable access and network infrastructure complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces ground caching servers as intermediary components between OTT content providers and aircraft entertainment systems. These intermediaries pre-process and store content locally, enabling seamless playback during flight without direct real-time connection to external networks. This intermediary approach maintains content availability reliability while avoiding the complexity of maintaining high-bandwidth network infrastructure on aircraft.
2Ease of operation
If user credentials are stored on multiple devices for seamless access, then user convenience is improved, but security and privacy risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts credential verification from the user device to the aircraft entertainment system. Instead of storing sensitive credentials on personal devices, the system uses device-agnostic authentication where the aircraft system verifies user identity and grants access locally. This extraction eliminates the security risk of credential storage on multiple user devices while maintaining seamless access convenience through local authentication caching.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements secure credential copying from a user's personal device to the aircraft entertainment system through encrypted wireless communication. The credentials are transmitted securely and then verified locally by the aircraft system, allowing seamless access without continuously storing sensitive data on user devices. This copying approach balances convenience with security by using temporary, encrypted credential transfer rather than persistent multi-device storage.
3Speed
If content is pre-loaded on aircraft before flight, then access speed is improved, but storage space and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the content delivery system into ground-based caching infrastructure and aircraft-based playback systems. Content is divided into manageable segments that are pre-loaded onto aircraft storage systems in advance. This segmentation allows efficient use of aircraft storage capacity by only loading relevant content for upcoming flights, while ground servers maintain the complete content library. The result is fast content delivery speed without requiring excessive storage volume on aircraft.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements partial pre-loading of content based on flight schedules, passenger preferences, and popularity metrics. Instead of loading all possible content, the system selectively pre-loads only the most relevant content for each specific flight. This partial action approach achieves fast content delivery for anticipated viewing while minimizing storage space and energy consumption by avoiding unnecessary content transfers.
4Ease of operation
If wireless credential transfer is used between devices, then ease of setup is improved, but connection reliability and security may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual credential entry with automated wireless credential transfer using encrypted communication protocols. The system automatically detects and pairs with the user's personal device, then securely transmits credentials without manual intervention. This substitution of manual mechanical entry with automated encrypted wireless transfer maintains simplicity while significantly improving reliability through error-free transmission and built-in verification mechanisms.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems are provided for a transportation vehicle. One method includes linking a streaming service application to an application to enable access to passenger related information to the streaming service application provided by the application and enable access to media content related information by the application; presenting, by the streaming service application, media content to a passenger on an electronic device, prior to a first flight; predicting, by the streaming service application, media content that the passenger is likely to watch during the first flight; obtaining, by the application, information regarding the first flight likely to watch media content; pre-loading the first flight likely to watch media content in a storage device accessible by an in-flight entertainment (IFE) system during the first flight; and presenting, by the IFE system, the first flight likely to watch media content on a display device.