Cross-Party Diagnostics for OTT Interruption Root Cause
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Solution Overview
Problem
Over-the-top (OTT) content delivery experiences interruptions due to signal deviations and variations, making it difficult for viewers to identify the root cause of issues, leading to costly and inefficient troubleshooting processes.
Innovation Solution
A device with a diagnostic application that performs cross-party diagnostic testing by comparing signal measurements across multiple channels, such as ISP and cellular networks, to determine the root cause of interruptions, allowing for targeted in-depth diagnostic testing and reducing unnecessary escalation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If cross-party diagnostic testing is performed across multiple channels, then measurement precision and root cause identification improve, but device complexity and testing overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The diagnostic testing system is segmented into multiple independent channels (first channel for OTT content delivery, second channel for telemetry data collection). Each channel operates independently to measure different aspects of system performance, allowing precise root cause identification without requiring complete system redesign. The segmentation enables parallel testing across multiple dimensions while maintaining manageable complexity in each individual channel.
Solution Approach 2:
The device performs multiple functions using the same hardware infrastructure: it delivers OTT content through the first channel while simultaneously collecting diagnostic telemetry data through the second channel. This multi-functionality allows the system to improve measurement precision for troubleshooting without requiring separate dedicated testing equipment, thereby avoiding increased device complexity.
2Productivity
If in-depth diagnostic testing is performed on suspected root causes, then productivity and troubleshooting efficiency improve, but loss of time for testing and analysis increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously collects and stores telemetry data in the second channel before diagnostic testing is triggered. When an interruption occurs, this pre-collected data is immediately available for analysis, eliminating the need to start data collection from scratch. This preliminary action significantly reduces the time required for in-depth diagnostic testing while maintaining high troubleshooting efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements continuous feedback loops where telemetry data from the second channel is constantly monitored and compared against performance thresholds. When anomalies are detected, the feedback mechanism automatically triggers targeted in-depth diagnostic testing on specific suspected components. This feedback-driven approach ensures that testing time is focused only on relevant areas, improving productivity without excessive time loss.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques described herein improve viewer experience by leveraging the ability of a viewer's device to access an over-the-top (OTT) content via the device's multi-channel connections to an OTT content server. In an example embodiment, the device receives the OTT content via a first channel and performs cross-party diagnostic testing through a second channel. In this embodiment, a diagnostic app in the device compares measured signals in the first channel with a first set of threshold values and further compares acquired telemetry data in the second channel with a second set of threshold values. Based on the comparison results, the device determines the possible root cause of the interruption. Further, the device performs an in-depth diagnostic testing on a determined possible root cause (e.g., OTT content server) and sends an in-depth diagnostic report to a viewer.