Communication Apparatus Packet Segmentation for Real-Time Streaming

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current adaptive streaming techniques, such as DASH, are inadequate for simultaneous content delivery to multiple clients, leading to delays and inefficiencies in real-time reproduction, especially in scenarios like sports relays, due to their point-to-point HTTP streaming nature and lack of scalability.

Innovation Solution

A communication system that transmits packets with additional information for determining the processing order of storage data, allowing for real-time reproduction by segmenting data into sub-GOP units and distributing them across multiple packets, enabling efficient decoding and reproduction even under high-bandwidth constraints.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If point-to-point HTTP streaming (DASH) is used for content delivery, then adaptive streaming and client-side bit rate selection are enabled, but scalability for simultaneous delivery to multiple clients is limited and transmission delays increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadaptive streaming capabilityVSAvoidtransmission delay
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments video content into GOP (Group of Pictures) units and further divides them into sub-GOP units for parallel transmission. This segmentation enables multiple clients to receive different segments simultaneously through broadcast/multicast, reducing transmission delays while maintaining adaptive streaming capabilities. The manifest file is also segmented to provide parallel access paths for multiple clients.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent combines broadcast/multicast transmission with HTTP adaptive streaming by delivering segmented video content through broadcast channels while maintaining HTTP-based manifest files for client-side control. This merging enables scalable simultaneous delivery to multiple clients while preserving adaptive bit rate selection capabilities.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Productivity

If CDN is applied to DASH for simultaneous content delivery to multiple clients, then content delivery capability is improved, but construction cost increases and scalability is still limited compared to broadcast delivery

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontent delivery capabilityVSAvoidsystem construction complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent makes the system universal by enabling it to function in both unicast (HTTP streaming) and broadcast/multicast modes. The same segmented content structure and manifest file mechanism work for both delivery methods, allowing flexible deployment without requiring separate CDN infrastructure when broadcast delivery is available.

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

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses broadcast/multicast to create multiple copies of segmented video content that are simultaneously delivered to multiple clients. This copying mechanism eliminates the need for separate CDN nodes at each client location, reducing construction complexity while maintaining high content delivery capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

3Ease of operation

If data is transmitted as complete GOP units, then decoding simplicity is maintained, but transmission delays increase and real-time reproduction quality deteriorates under bandwidth constraints

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedecoding simplicityVSAvoidreal-time reproduction delay
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments GOP units into smaller sub-GOP units that can be transmitted and decoded in parallel. Each sub-GOP unit contains sufficient information for independent or semi-independent decoding, reducing the overall transmission time while maintaining relatively simple decoding processes. This enables real-time reproduction even under bandwidth constraints.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP3096526B1Communication apparatus, communication data generation method, and communication data processing method
Publication Date: 2020.02.05 SATURN LICENSING LLC
  • EP3096526B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3096526B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3096526B1 patent drawingFigure 3(a)~3(b)

AI summary

It is possible to transmit and receive packets to which additional information applied for deciding a processing order of storage data of communication packets is set and determine a process order in units of packets. A transmission apparatus generates a packet storing NAL units configuring a group of pictures (GOP) serving as a processing unit of encoded data or NAL unit fragments obtained by dividing the NAL unit, sets additional information applied for deciding a processing order of packet storage data as additional packet information, and transmits the resulting packet through a communication unit. A reception apparatus determines a processing priority of packet storage data with reference to the additional packet information, decides the processing order, and performs a process of decoding packet storage data according to the decided order.