Backhaul Protocol for Secure Video Streaming

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional protocols for transmitting video and audio data over networks, such as RTP over UDP, face issues with packet loss, security vulnerabilities, and susceptibility to eavesdropping and content manipulation, lacking effective measures for error correction and encryption within CPU and memory constraints of streaming devices.

Innovation Solution

An improved backhaul protocol that employs encryption schemes like eBC-0 and eBC-x16 to secure data and a 1-dimensional XOR error correction scheme to recover from packet losses, while minimizing CPU and memory usage, ensuring data integrity and security.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of time

If RTP over UDP is used for transmission, then latency is reduced and buffering is minimized, but packet loss occurs and data integrity deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovelatencyVSAvoiddata integrity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by embedding forward error correction codes and encryption before transmission occurs. The encoder pre-processes video data with FEC codes added and encryption applied, so that when packets are lost during transmission, the receiver can reconstruct the original data without requiring retransmission, thus maintaining low latency while improving reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements beforehand cushioning through the use of redundancy codes and encryption schemes that are prepared in advance. These protective measures are built into the data stream before transmission, creating a cushion against packet loss and unauthorized access that allows the system to tolerate network issues without compromising data integrity or increasing latency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

2Reliability

If encryption schemes are implemented to secure data, then security is enhanced, but CPU and memory usage increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovesecurityVSAvoidCPU and memory usage

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by implementing encryption schemes with variable key lengths and complexity levels. The system can adjust encryption parameters based on the computational capabilities of the streaming device, allowing secure transmission while optimizing resource consumption. Different security levels can be selected to match the device's CPU and memory constraints.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements partial action by applying encryption selectively to different portions of the data stream or using different encryption strengths for different types of data. This approach provides adequate security for most data while reducing the overall computational burden on the streaming device, balancing security requirements with resource constraints.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Reliability

If error correction schemes are implemented to recover from packet loss, then data integrity is improved, but transmission overhead increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata integrityVSAvoidtransmission overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by implementing error correction codes with variable redundancy ratios. The system can adjust the amount of correction data added based on the observed network conditions and the importance of the video data being transmitted. This allows optimization of the balance between error recovery capability and transmission overhead.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements partial action by applying error correction selectively based on the type of video data. Different error correction strategies are used for different portions of the video stream, such as applying stronger correction to keyframes and less to interframes, thereby improving data integrity where most needed while minimizing overall transmission overhead.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

4Ease of operation

If conventional protocols are used, then ease of operation is maintained, but security vulnerabilities and susceptibility to eavesdropping increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotocol simplicityVSAvoidsecurity vulnerabilities

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary layer of encryption and error correction that sits between the conventional RTP/UDP protocol and the actual video data. This intermediary layer maintains compatibility with existing protocols and devices while providing enhanced security and reliability, allowing the system to operate easily with standard infrastructure without exposing data to eavesdropping or manipulation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS12126873B1Method and protocol for transmission of video and audio data

Publication Date: 2024.10.22 BOXCAST INC

AI summary

An improved backhaul protocol is provided, as well as computer-implemented systems and methods for autonomously broadcasting video data, audio data, or video and audio data during an event, wherein the broadcasting can be scheduled in advance and from a remote location (e.g., using a web browser), and wherein the video/audio data is streamed to a remote user over a network using the improved backhaul protocol.