Distributed Transcoding Pipeline with Parallel Recording
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Solution Overview
Problem
In distributed transcoding systems, time delays occur due to competing access to a recording medium, where one processing entity has lower priority, leading to inefficient processing time when converting digital streams between different coding formats.
Innovation Solution
A system where a recording device and an auxiliary device perform transcoding in parallel, with the recording device writing its transcoding results while the auxiliary device is processing, allowing simultaneous writing and reception of transcoding results onto a single medium, thereby reducing time delays and improving efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If distributed processing is used to transcode multiple coded pieces, then processing time should be reduced, but time delay occurs due to competing access to the recording medium
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the transcoding process into multiple independent units (coded pieces) that can be processed in parallel by multiple processing entities. Each coded piece is transcoded independently, allowing distributed processing while maintaining manageable units that can be written to the recording medium without causing excessive access conflicts.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary action by having processing entities prepare and buffer coded pieces before writing to the recording medium. The recording device buffers coded pieces and writes them in advance, allowing the auxiliary device to continue processing without immediate access conflicts. This buffering mechanism enables overlapping of processing and writing operations, reducing time delay.
2Reliability
If one processing entity waits for another to complete access, then data integrity is maintained, but processing efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The recording device performs preliminary buffering of coded pieces and writes them to the recording medium in advance before the auxiliary device completes its processing. This allows the system to maintain data integrity through controlled buffering while improving throughput by overlapping operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent ensures continuity of useful action by maintaining overlapping operations where the recording device buffers and writes coded pieces continuously while the auxiliary device processes other coded pieces. The system uses buffering to bridge the timing differences, ensuring that useful processing actions continue without interruption despite the distributed nature of the system.
Data Source
AI summary
A system, which minimizes a time delay caused by one device being unable to access a recording medium until access by another device ends, when transcoding is performed by distributed processing, includes a main device transcoding each coded piece allocated to itself from among a plurality of coded pieces of a digital stream, and writing a transcoding result onto the recording medium, in a pipeline. While the recording device is performing the transcoding and the writing, an auxiliary device transcodes each coded piece allocated to itself one by one. Having completed the transcoding of all coded pieces allocated to itself, the auxiliary device transmits its transcoding results to the recording device and has the recording device write the transcoding results onto the recording medium which is a copy destination.