Broadcast Receiver Handoff Using SLS Content Path Matching

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Solution Overview

Problem

The MMT protocol in ATSC 3.0 lacks a standard for handoff, preventing seamless content delivery between broadcast and broadband transmission paths, leading to instability in broadcast viewing.

Innovation Solution

A broadcast receiving device utilizing Service Layer Signaling (SLS) to identify and switch between different transmission paths, ensuring continuous delivery of the same content by matching content metadata across broadcast and broadband networks.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the MMT protocol is used for broadcast transmission, then high data rate and network convergence service are achieved, but handoff function between broadcast and broadband is not supported

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata rateVSAvoidhandoff function
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces Service Layer Signaling (SLS) as an intermediary mechanism that carries content identification information and transfer path information. This SLS acts as a mediator between the MMT protocol and the handoff function, enabling the system to identify equivalent contents across different transmission paths (broadcast and broadband) without requiring changes to the core MMT protocol, thus resolving the contradiction between maintaining high data rate and enabling handoff capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Device complexity

If no handoff standard is specified for MMT protocol, then protocol simplicity is maintained, but content continuity between different transfer paths cannot be ensured

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprotocol complexityVSAvoidcontent continuity
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the handoff functionality into distinct components: content identification information extracted from SLS, transfer path information from location data, and matching logic that compares these segments. This segmentation allows the system to implement handoff capability through modular additions rather than redesigning the entire MMT protocol, maintaining protocol simplicity while ensuring content continuity through structured information processing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Device complexity

If content matching between broadcast and broadband is not implemented, then system complexity is reduced, but stable broadcast viewing cannot be assured

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem complexityVSAvoidbroadcast viewing stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements preliminary action by pre-extracting and storing content identification information and transfer path information from Service Layer Signaling before handoff is needed. This advance preparation allows the system to quickly match contents across different transfer paths when handoff becomes necessary, ensuring stable broadcast viewing without requiring complex real-time analysis, thus balancing system complexity with reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3934266B1Broadcast receiving device and operating method thereof
Publication Date: 2026.01.07 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD
  • EP3934266B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3934266B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3934266B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A broadcast receiving device for receiving a transmitted service by using an MPEG Media Transport (MMT) protocol includes a tuner configured to receive Service Layer Signaling (SLS); a memory storing one or more instructions; and a processor configured to execute the one or more instructions stored in the memory to obtain information of one or more contents constituting the service, from an MMT Package (MP) table included in the SLS, determine whether there is second content that is the same as first content being currently received through a first transfer path and is received through a different transfer path from a transfer path of the first content, among the one or more contents, based on the information of the one or more contents, and perform, when there is the second content, a handoff of a content receiving channel from the first transfer path to a second transfer path corresponding to the second content to receive the second content.