Delay Engine for Seamless Studio Remote Broadcast Switching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Broadcast programs experience unnatural pauses due to transmission delays when switching from a studio to a remote location, caused by signal distance and digital encoding/decoding processes, leading to disruptive and distracting gaps for viewers.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that determine the transmission delay between the remote and studio locations, using a delay engine to insert compensation delay into the studio audio/video feed before switching, ensuring a seamless transition by matching inserted frames and audio content to the existing signal, and automatically resetting or compressing the delay as needed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the studio broadcast switches to remote broadcast feed, then the remote location can be shown to viewers, but transmission delay causes unnatural pauses and gaps in the broadcast
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by inserting delay compensation into the studio feed before the switch occurs. The delay compensation is calculated based on the known transmission delay to the remote location, so when the switch happens, the timing is already synchronized and no gap is perceived by viewers.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces an intermediary element - delay compensation - that mediates between the studio feed and the remote feed. This compensation acts as a buffer that balances the timing differences caused by satellite transmission delays, allowing seamless switching without visible gaps.
2Reliability
If digital encoding and decoding is used for signal transmission, then signal quality is maintained, but encoding/decoding time adds to the overall transmission delay
Solution Approach 1:
The system calculates the encoding and decoding time in advance and incorporates this into the delay compensation value. By performing this calculation beforehand, the system can pre-compensate for the time loss, ensuring that the total delay (transmission + encoding/decoding) is accounted for and synchronized.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the studio feed is delayed to match remote feed timing, then seamless transition is achieved, but the studio feed timing is altered
Solution Approach 1:
The delay compensation is applied locally and specifically to the studio feed only during the transition period. The compensation is not a permanent alteration but a temporary, localized adjustment that occurs precisely when needed - during the switch to remote feed - allowing the studio feed to maintain its original timing when not being switched.
Data Source
AI summary
According to some embodiments, systems, methods, apparatus and means are provided to determine an amount of a delay when transmitting a signal from a remote broadcast location to a studio location over a transmission link, operate a delay engine to insert the amount of the delay in a studio audio/video feed, and operate a switch to switch from the studio audio/video feed to a remote audio/video feed, the delay in the studio audio/video feed inserted prior to the switch.