Cloud Antenna Array for Over-the-Air Broadcast Streaming
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Solution Overview
Problem
Over the air television content is typically only accessible through cable or satellite subscriptions or by installing a home antenna, limiting access to devices without tuners or decoders, such as mobile devices, and is not easily available for streaming or recording without maintaining own antenna infrastructure.
Innovation Solution
A system that assigns individual antennas to users for streaming or recording over the air broadcasts, allowing access via network connections, with a two-dimensional array of omni-directional antenna elements and an encoder system to convert broadcasts into content data for storage or streaming, enabling access on various devices without requiring users to maintain their own antenna infrastructure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If users install their own antenna infrastructure to access over the air content, then they can receive broadcast content, but they must maintain complex antenna equipment and infrastructure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a cloud-based antenna system as an intermediary service. Instead of users maintaining their own antenna infrastructure, the system provides remote antenna elements accessed through a network connection. The cloud system acts as a mediator between broadcast towers and user devices, eliminating the need for local antenna installations while maintaining content accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates virtual copies of antenna functionality through software-based receivers. Rather than requiring physical antenna hardware at each user location, the patent implements remote antenna elements that can be allocated to users on-demand. These virtual antenna copies are accessed through network connections, allowing multiple users to access broadcast content without maintaining physical infrastructure.
2Adaptability or versatility
If traditional antenna systems are used, then broadcast content can be received, but content is only available on traditional televisions without tuners or decoders
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal access architecture where a single cloud-based antenna system serves multiple device types. The system provides standardized network access points that can be connected to various devices including smartphones, tablets, computers, and televisions. This multi-functional approach allows any device with network connectivity to access broadcast content without requiring device-specific antenna hardware or tuners.
Solution Approach 2:
The cloud-based system acts as an intermediary layer between broadcast content and diverse user devices. It provides standardized network protocols and content delivery mechanisms that work across different device types, eliminating the need for each device to have its own specialized antenna or decoder hardware.
3Productivity
If individual antennas are assigned to users, then content can be streamed or recorded, but antenna resources must be allocated and managed efficiently
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic resource allocation system where antenna elements can be assigned and reassigned to users based on real-time demand. Rather than static permanent assignments, the system dynamically allocates antenna resources to active users, allowing for flexible scaling of content delivery capability. This dynamic approach enables efficient resource utilization while maintaining high productivity in content delivery.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates feedback mechanisms to monitor and manage antenna resource usage. By tracking which antenna elements are currently allocated to which users and monitoring demand patterns, the system can optimize resource allocation decisions. This feedback-driven management enables efficient productivity while simplifying the complexity of resource coordination through automated control.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables users to access and record over the air content on multiple devices without needing their own antennas, providing a convenient and flexible way to view broadcast content, including live streaming and future recordings, while allowing for efficient resource allocation and usage.
Implementation Method 1
a two dimensional array of antenna elements for receiving over the air broadcasts
Data Source
AI summary
A method and system for capturing, storing, and streaming over the air broadcasts based on user requests is disclosed. The system and method utilize subarrays of antenna elements for receiving over the air broadcasts. Processing pipelines are used to demodulate, transcode and index the content transmissions to produce content data that are streamed to users. In this way, the feeds from antennas can be accessed by users over a network connection.