Cloud-Based UI Rendering via Hybrid Control Commands

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Pay broadcasting providers face significant costs and time burdens in upgrading their systems to provide real-time broadcasting and on-demand video services across various devices, with existing technologies struggling to efficiently manage bandwidth and server loads in cloud-based UI delivery, leading to inconsistent user experiences and high development costs.

Innovation Solution

A system and method that allows subscriber terminal devices to receive and render content and UI resources from a remote application server, using state information to generate control commands that reduce server load and enable seamless UI delivery, even in low-performance devices, by utilizing a hybrid control command for rendering when session connections are not smooth.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stability of the object's composition

If cloud based server processes all UI rendering and content delivery, then centralized control and consistency are improved, but server bandwidth and processing load increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveUI consistencyVSAvoidserver bandwidth
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the UI delivery system into multiple independent components: UI definition files (XML format) are separated from content files, and further divided into UI resource files and configuration files. This segmentation allows selective transmission and processing, reducing the bandwidth burden on the server while maintaining UI consistency through centralized definition files.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts the UI rendering logic from the server-side processing and places it in client-side UI players. The server only needs to deliver predefined UI definition files and control commands, while the actual UI rendering and interaction handling are performed locally on the subscriber's device, significantly reducing server processing load.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Reliability

If high performance set-top boxes are deployed to support new services and UI/UX, then service quality is improved, but capital requirements and purchase costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice qualityVSAvoidpurchase cost
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses lightweight UI definition files (XML format) that can be copied and transmitted efficiently from the server to various client devices. These definition files contain all necessary UI structure and resource references, allowing any device with a basic UI player to render complex interfaces without requiring expensive hardware upgrades.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the parameter of UI delivery from binary executable files to text-based XML definition files. This parameter change reduces the processing power and memory requirements for UI rendering, enabling deployment on low-cost set-top boxes and other media devices while maintaining service quality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Speed

If comprehensive UI resources are pre-loaded on all devices, then UI rendering speed is improved, but device storage requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveUI rendering speedVSAvoiddevice storage
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary action by pre-defining UI structures and resource references in XML definition files on the server side. These definition files are transmitted to client devices and cached locally, enabling fast UI rendering without requiring complete pre-loading of all actual UI resources (images, videos, etc.) on each device.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces UI definition files as an intermediary between the server and actual UI resources. These definition files contain references to resource locations and rendering instructions, allowing the system to achieve fast UI rendering by only caching lightweight definition files rather than large binary resource files on each device.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Adaptability or versatility

If existing set-top boxes are replaced with high performance models, then service capabilities are improved, but implementation time and financial burden increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice capabilitiesVSAvoidimplementation time
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a universal UI delivery system using XML-based definition files that can be rendered on any device with a compatible UI player, including set-top boxes, smart TVs, tablets, and mobile devices. This multi-functional approach allows the same UI definitions to serve multiple device types without requiring device-specific development or replacement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces dynamic UI configuration through XML definition files that can be updated and retransmitted from the server to client devices without requiring hardware changes. This dynamic approach allows service capabilities to be enhanced by simply updating definition files rather than replacing physical devices, significantly reducing implementation time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP3036908B1System and method for providing cloud based user interfaces
Publication Date: 2021.01.20 ALTICAST CORP
  • EP3036908B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3036908B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3036908B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Provided is a method and system for providing cloud based user interface (UIs) that may store video content and a UI resource in a storage separate from a server, and may control the video content and the UI resource to be synthesized at a subscriber terminal device, thereby significantly decreasing load of a UIs providing server. The method and system for providing cloud based UIs may provide consistent UIs to various set-top boxes and media devices and may easily perform a change and a test of UIs.