Cache-Based Content Delivery for Bandwidth-Constrained Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing non-linear content delivery systems face challenges in efficiently providing consistent and high-quality content to consumer devices due to insufficient bandwidth and varying processing and memory capabilities, leading to inconsistent quality and frequent interruptions.
Innovation Solution
A cache-based content delivery system that uses a processor and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium to generate cache instructions for consumer devices, instructing them to cache specific portions of content, thereby reducing reliance on network bandwidth and improving content accessibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If non-linear content delivery is provided through cloud platforms to multiple devices, then content accessibility and user convenience are improved, but network bandwidth requirements increase and become insufficient to meet consumer demand
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by caching content portions on consumer devices before they are actually needed for playback. The content delivery system identifies upcoming content and pre-loads it into local cache storage on user devices, so that when users request the content, it is already available locally rather than needing to be streamed in real-time over the network. This resolves the bandwidth contradiction by shifting the timing of data transfer from on-demand streaming to advance caching.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary caching layer between the cloud content delivery system and the consumer device. This cache acts as a mediator that stores content portions locally, reducing the need for continuous network communication. The cache intermediary handles content retrieval requests by serving cached content directly to the player, thereby reducing network bandwidth consumption while maintaining content accessibility across multiple devices.
2Adaptability or versatility
If content is delivered to various consumer devices with different processing and memory capabilities, then device compatibility and user choice are improved, but content quality consistency deteriorates and access is frequently interrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by tailoring the content delivery to the specific capabilities of each consumer device. The system analyzes device characteristics such as processing power, memory capacity, and network bandwidth, then adjusts the content portion selection, cache size, and quality parameters accordingly. Each device receives a customized content delivery profile that optimizes for its specific capabilities, ensuring consistent quality experience across diverse device types without requiring uniform hardware specifications.
3Reliability
If software and hardware are integrated into consumer devices to address bandwidth and quality issues, then content delivery reliability is improved, but device complexity and integration difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service by enabling consumer devices to autonomously manage their own content caching without requiring complex external control systems. Each device includes a cache manager that automatically monitors its own storage capacity, processing capabilities, and network conditions, then independently decides what content to cache, when to evict cached content, and how to allocate cache resources. This self-managing approach improves reliability through local intelligence while avoiding the complexity of centralized control software and hardware integration.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, systems, and computer-readable media for cache-based management of non-linear content delivery are generally described. In some embodiments, content to be presented using consumer devices may be cached at a cache device of the consumer device. A cache policy server may transmit cache messages instruction the consumer devices which content to cache, which cache device to store the content, where to locate the content, and how much of the content to cache. When it is time to play the content at the consumer device, the content may be played back from the cache.