Dynamic Bandwidth Allocation for Personalized Video-on-Demand
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Solution Overview
Problem
Interactive television broadcasters face challenges in delivering individualized and localized content due to bandwidth limitations, and traditional targeted advertising methods intrude on user privacy by requiring profile data storage.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that aggregates individualized program data into a single channel, allocating bandwidth on demand for short video programs and provides real-time, single-user-targeted advertising based on recent interests, reducing bandwidth usage and eliminating the need for stored user profiles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If dedicated broadcast channels are provided for each local region and interest group, then individualized content delivery is improved, but bandwidth availability deteriorates due to permanent channel allocation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic channel allocation where broadcast channels are not permanently dedicated to specific regions or interest groups, but are dynamically assigned based on real-time user demand. The system monitors viewer requests and activates specific localized content channels only when needed, allowing the same physical bandwidth to serve multiple different localized audiences at different times, thereby resolving the contradiction between individualized content delivery and bandwidth availability
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs periodic broadcasting cycles where content is transmitted in repeated cycles across different regional and interest-based configurations. Instead of maintaining continuous dedicated channels, the broadcast system cycles through different localized content streams periodically, allowing users to access their preferred localized content during its broadcast window while freeing bandwidth for other uses during off-peak periods
2Productivity
If user profiles and transaction history are stored for targeted advertising, then advertising effectiveness is improved, but user privacy deteriorates due to data collection and storage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential advertising targeting information needed for effective ad delivery without storing comprehensive user profiles or transaction history. The system identifies and extracts minimal necessary data elements (such as current viewing context and basic demographic information) to deliver relevant advertisements, thereby maintaining advertising effectiveness while minimizing privacy intrusion by not retaining detailed personal data
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables users to self-determine their advertising preferences through opt-in/opt-out mechanisms and preference selections, allowing users to control what advertising information is collected about them. This self-service approach to advertising preference management reduces privacy intrusion by giving users direct control over their data, while still enabling effective targeted advertising for those who choose to participate
Data Source
AI summary
A method and apparatus for aggregating the data for a plurality of individualized programs into a single channel, and allocating the channel bandwidth as-needed for provision of short video programs on an “on demand” basis, so that the total bandwidth required to provide the individualized channels and associated video clips is substantially reduced. Also provided is a real-time, single-user-targeted individualized advertising associated with the viewer selection that personalizes the user's iTV experience. The advertisements are targeted in real-time based on an immediate interest revealed by the user in a search request for content. Short duration videos are provided so as not to over-tax the individualized “on demand” channel's limited bandwidth.