Broadcast Media Asset Substitution Using Local Cache and OTA Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems face inefficiencies in receiving and processing data signals, particularly in ATSC 3.0 environments, where broadcast and network delivery paths are not optimally integrated, leading to suboptimal access and retrieval of media assets.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that utilizes both over-the-air (OTA) broadcast and network paths to efficiently retrieve media assets, using a central content controller to manage content distribution, regional controllers, and user devices with integrated communication interfaces to determine the availability of media assets in memory or current broadcasts, and retrieve them from network locations as needed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If media assets are retrieved solely from network locations via broadband connection, then system flexibility and on-demand access are improved, but access speed and reliability deteriorate due to network dependency
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by receiving and storing media assets from broadcast transmissions in local memory before they are requested. This advance preparation enables rapid local retrieval when assets are needed, eliminating the need for slow network downloads while maintaining on-demand access capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces local memory as an intermediary between the broadcast transmission system and the user device. This intermediary stores copies of media assets locally, allowing the device to retrieve assets from local storage rather than relying solely on network connections, thus improving access speed while maintaining flexibility.
2Speed
If media assets are stored in local memory, then access speed and reliability are improved, but system complexity and storage requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The user device is designed with multi-functionality, capable of receiving assets from both broadcast transmissions and network locations, storing them in local memory, and retrieving them for playback. This universal capability allows the system to handle multiple asset delivery scenarios without requiring separate specialized systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements self-service by automatically determining whether requested media assets are available in local memory or need to be retrieved from network locations. This automatic asset management reduces the need for complex manual configuration and simplifies the overall system operation.
3Reliability
If the system checks both local memory and broadcast availability, then media asset access reliability is improved, but processing time and computational overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary checking of local memory availability before attempting network retrieval. This preliminary action quickly determines whether the asset is already available locally, avoiding unnecessary network communication overhead and reducing overall processing time while maintaining high reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
When a media asset is found in local memory, the system skips the network retrieval process entirely and proceeds directly to playback. This skipping mechanism eliminates unnecessary processing steps, reducing computational overhead and access time while maintaining reliable asset delivery.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of communicating a media asset includes: receiving a media asset selection from a viewer, determining if the selected media asset is available in a memory of a user device or is currently being broadcast to the user device associated with the viewer, if the selected media asset is available in the memory: retrieving the selected media asset, else: retrieving the selected media asset from a network location and communicating an identity of the requested media asset to a controller.