Broadcast-Unicast Content Delivery for Spectral Efficiency Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing content distribution systems face inefficiencies in wireless networks due to unicast delivery schemes that waste radio resources and lack integration with broadcast systems, leading to sub-optimal performance and inability to adjust spectral efficiency based on user radio conditions, resulting in lower throughput and quality for both real-time and non-real-time content delivery.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that utilize radio and broadcast network awareness to optimize spectral efficiency by selecting appropriate delivery modes (broadcast or unicast) based on device radio conditions, adjusting transmission parameters, and subdividing content into smaller chunks for improved robustness and delivery effectiveness, while incorporating performance feedback to enhance delivery success.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If unicast delivery is used to serve individual users, then each user receives dedicated content delivery, but radio resources are wasted when multiple users consume the same content simultaneously
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges unicast and broadcast delivery modes into a unified system. When multiple users request the same content, the system switches from individual unicast transmissions to a single broadcast transmission, combining the delivery path for multiple recipients and eliminating redundant radio resource usage while maintaining dedicated service quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically selects between unicast and broadcast delivery modes based on real-time conditions such as number of users requesting the same content, radio channel quality, and network load. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to optimize resource allocation continuously, switching from unicast to broadcast when conditions favor shared delivery and vice versa.
2Productivity
If broadcast is used to deliver content to multiple users, then spectral efficiency is improved, but radio-disadvantaged users experience poor or no coverage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different delivery qualities to different user groups based on their radio conditions. Radio-advantaged users receive high-quality broadcast content, while radio-disadvantaged users receive enhanced coverage through targeted unicast supplements or retransmissions, ensuring each user group receives appropriate service quality matched to their reception capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where user reception quality is monitored and reported back to the network. Based on this feedback, the system adjusts delivery parameters such as modulation schemes, coding rates, and retransmission strategies to maintain reliable service for radio-disadvantaged users while preserving spectral efficiency for the overall broadcast.
3Reliability
If broadcast operates at fixed spectral efficiency to maximize coverage, then all users receive service, but radio-advantaged users experience sub-optimal throughput
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts spectral efficiency parameters such as modulation order and coding rate based on the composition of the user group and channel conditions. When the broadcast group contains primarily radio-advantaged users, the system increases spectral efficiency to maximize throughput. When radio-disadvantaged users are present, parameters are adjusted to maintain their coverage while minimizing impact on overall system performance.
4Ease of operation
If unicast delivery is used for each user stream, then dedicated content delivery is ensured, but network resources are multiply allocated for the same content
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple unicast content streams into a single broadcast stream when the same content is requested by multiple users. The network identifies content redundancy and consolidates delivery paths, reducing the total quantity of network resources allocated while maintaining the flexibility to switch back to unicast when user requests diverge.
Solution Approach 2:
The broadcast channel is designed to serve multiple functions: it can deliver content to multiple users simultaneously, provide fallback service for unicast failures, and adapt its parameters based on the diversity of user requirements. This multi-functionality allows a single broadcast infrastructure to replace multiple dedicated unicast allocations.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method and system of broadcasting includes determining an identified content for a broadcast to a broadcast group that may include a plurality of devices in a service area. The method also includes determining a priority for the identified content for the plurality of devices, determining radio conditions for each of the plurality of devices in the service area; and determining an available network capacity of a network for broadcasting in the service area; determining a spectral efficiency for the broadcast to achieve a performance target, said. The method also includes performance target based on the priority for the identified content, the radio conditions and the available network capacity. The method also includes broadcasting the identified content to the plurality of devices in the service area based on the spectral efficiency for the broadcast.