Distributed Streaming Apparatus for Bandwidth Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current streaming systems face inefficiencies in network bandwidth usage and storage capacity management, particularly due to high data traffic and the need for centralized content management, which can lead to system failures and increased costs.

Innovation Solution

A distributed network system with multiple streaming apparatuses that independently decide which media data to store and stream, allowing for redirection of streaming requests and eliminating the need for centralized management, thereby reducing bandwidth requirements and enhancing system robustness.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If centralized content management is used to distribute media data based on popularity, then content distribution efficiency is improved, but network bandwidth consumption increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontent distribution efficiencyVSAvoidnetwork bandwidth consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the centralized management system into distributed peer nodes. Instead of one central server managing all content distribution, multiple peers independently manage and share content based on their local popularity data. This segmentation reduces the bandwidth burden on any single node and distributes the management load across the network.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Each peer node autonomously determines which content to store and share based on locally collected popularity information from streaming requests. Peers self-organize the content distribution without requiring centralized coordination, thereby reducing control traffic and bandwidth consumption while maintaining efficient distribution.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Ease of operation

If centralized content management is implemented, then content distribution control is improved, but system reliability decreases due to single point of failure

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontent distribution controlVSAvoidsystem robustness

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The centralized management function is segmented and distributed across multiple peer nodes. Each peer maintains local content and popularity data, eliminating the single point of failure. The system remains operational even if individual peers fail, as other peers can continue to serve content and share popularity information.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system transitions from centralized control parameters to distributed autonomous parameters. Each peer independently adjusts its content storage decisions based on local popularity metrics, enabling the system to adapt to failures and maintain operation without centralized coordination.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If popular content is stored in multiple servers for redundancy, then service availability is improved, but storage capacity requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveservice availabilityVSAvoidstorage capacity requirements

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of uniformly replicating popular content across all servers, the patent implements local quality where each peer stores content based on its local popularity observations. Different peers may store different subsets of popular content depending on their local demand patterns, reducing total storage requirements while maintaining service availability through distributed redundancy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

4Loss of information

If frequent content re-distribution between servers is performed, then content freshness is improved, but network bandwidth utilization efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontent freshnessVSAvoidnetwork bandwidth utilization efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

Each peer autonomously updates its content inventory based on locally observed streaming requests and popularity changes. This self-service approach eliminates the need for frequent centralized re-distribution commands, reducing control traffic and bandwidth consumption while maintaining content freshness through local adaptation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS9276976B2Apparatus and a method for data streaming applications

Publication Date: 2016.03.01 EDGEWARE

AI summary

The present invention relates to a streaming apparatus, and a method in a network system, comprising at least a first and a second streaming apparatus (1001, 1002) for data streaming, each being adapted to upload and store media data, comprising a plurality of media data compositions, for example representing movies and/or TV channels, the network system further comprising a plurality of user devices (11). The method comprises the first streaming apparatus (1001) receiving a plurality of streaming requests from a plurality of the user devices (11), the first streaming apparatus (1001) determining whether to stream media data compositions according to the streaming requests, sending, if the first streaming apparatus (1001) determines not to stream a media data composition, the corresponding streaming request to the second streaming apparatus (1002), the first streaming apparatus (1001) creating request information related to streaming requests received by the first streaming apparatus (1001), and the first streaming apparatus (1001) determining, based at least partly on the request information, whether to upload and store a further media data composition (Mnpq).