Client Device Profile Based Video Streaming Bandwidth Optimization

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for determining the optimal bit rate for streaming video content to networked client devices are either user-dependent, delayed due to sample data downloads, or initially suboptimal with adaptive bit rate adjustments, leading to delays or degraded quality.

Innovation Solution

A centralized routing system that uses a client device profile, including historical bandwidth data and real-time inputs, to calculate an optimal bandwidth for immediate and accurate bit rate determination, eliminating delays and inaccuracies.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the server uses adaptive bit rate to adjust according to bandwidth fluctuations, then the reliability of video streaming is improved, but the initial stream experiences delays or degraded quality while the bit rate adjusts itself

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevideo streaming reliabilityVSAvoidinitial stream delay

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by downloading sample data before the actual video stream begins. This sample data is used to determine the client device's available bandwidth in advance, allowing the server to calculate an accurate bit rate before streaming starts, thereby eliminating initial delays while maintaining reliability throughout the stream.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Measurement precision

If the client device downloads sample data before the stream to determine bit rate, then the measurement precision of available bandwidth is improved, but the loss of time before actual stream begins increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebandwidth measurement accuracyVSAvoidpre-stream delay

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system extracts only the necessary sample data (typically a few seconds of video) from the full stream before the actual playback begins. This extracted sample data is sufficient to accurately measure the client device's available bandwidth and calculate the appropriate bit rate, minimizing the time loss while maintaining measurement precision.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Manufacturing precision

If the server sends packets at high bit rate to maximize quality, then the manufacturing precision of video quality is improved, but the loss of time increases due to buffering requirements

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevideo qualityVSAvoidbuffering delay

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements feedback mechanisms where the server continuously monitors the client device's available bandwidth and adjusts the bit rate accordingly. This feedback loop ensures that the server sends packets at the optimal bit rate that matches the client's actual network capacity, maximizing video quality while preventing buffering delays caused by sending data faster than the client can receive it.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS9276981B2Optimized communication of media content to client devices

Publication Date: 2016.03.01 DISNEY ENTERPRISES INC

AI summary

There is provided a system and method for determining an optimal bandwidth for a communication between a networked client device and a server. There is provided a method comprising identifying the networked client device, identifying a location of the networked client device, obtaining a client device profile for the networked client device corresponding to the location, and determining the optimal bandwidth using the client device profile. In this manner, client devices may almost instantly stream the highest quality video available.