Collaborative Video Delivery via Local Network Aggregation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mobile devices experience fluctuating video quality due to network congestion, which existing technologies fail to consistently mitigate effectively.
Innovation Solution
A collaborative group of user equipment devices share resources via a local wireless network, predicting and mitigating video quality degradation by segmenting video content and retrieving subportions from different network channels, thereby aggregating them for improved presentation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If video content is received through a single network channel, then the system complexity is low, but the video quality degrades under network congestion
Solution Approach 1:
The video content is divided into multiple segments that can be retrieved through different network channels. Each segment is independently obtained from collaborating UEs via distinct network paths, allowing parallel retrieval and reducing dependency on a single congested channel, thereby improving video quality reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple network channels are combined to retrieve video segments. The system merges the capabilities of multiple UEs and their respective network connections into a unified video delivery mechanism, where segments from different channels are aggregated and reassembled to form the complete video content.
2Reliability
If multiple network channels are used to retrieve video segments, then the video quality is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
A coordinating UE acts as an intermediary that manages the retrieval process across multiple network channels. This mediator UE receives requests, coordinates with collaborating UEs, and manages the aggregation of video segments, thereby reducing the coordination burden on all participating devices and simplifying the overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
Collaborating UEs autonomously provide video segments from their local buffers or network connections without requiring complex centralized control. Each UE independently responds to retrieval requests based on its available resources, reducing the need for sophisticated coordination mechanisms and lowering overall system complexity.
3Quantity of substance
If video segments are retrieved from collaborating UEs, then the bandwidth is increased, but the loss of time for coordination occurs
Solution Approach 1:
Video content is pre-segmented and distributed to collaborating UEs before the actual retrieval process. This preliminary distribution allows UEs to store video segments in their local buffers in advance, so that during playback, segments can be quickly retrieved without real-time coordination overhead, reducing the time loss associated with inter-UE communication.
Solution Approach 2:
Video segments are copied to multiple collaborating UEs in advance, creating redundant copies distributed across the network. This copying mechanism allows any UE to serve as a source for requested segments, eliminating the need for complex real-time coordination and reducing retrieval time while maintaining increased effective bandwidth.
Data Source
AI summary
A method embodying the disclosure includes facilitating communications with mobile user equipment (UE) devices to form a collaborative group that uses a local wireless network. A UE receives video content from a content provider via a first network, presents the video content, and predicts a degradation of presentation quality for a portion of the video content. The UE sends requests to other UEs in the group for subportions of the video content, and receives the subportions via the local wireless network. The requesting UE aggregates the received subportions to obtain an alternate video portion for presentation and thus mitigate the predicted degradation of presentation quality. Other embodiments are disclosed.