Gateway-Based Content Delivery Switching for Network Congestion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Unicast IP content delivery methods can lead to network congestion in cable and fiber networks due to increased demand, as multiple devices requesting the same content can overwhelm shared links, particularly during high-demand events, resulting in inferior video quality and potential service outages.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a system that switches from unicast content delivery to QAM broadcast or SDV delivery methods in regions or service groups experiencing congestion, utilizing gateway devices to receive and transcode content from a common channel, reducing the load on network links and maintaining or increasing data rates for devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If unicast IP content delivery is used to support multiple devices with different capabilities, then device compatibility and content optimization are improved, but network bandwidth consumption and congestion increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the content delivery system into two parts: a centralized headend that performs high-quality multi-rate encoding once, and distributed gateway devices that receive and redistribute content locally. This segmentation allows the encoding work to be done once rather than replicated across multiple unicast streams, reducing overall bandwidth consumption while maintaining device compatibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces gateway devices as intermediaries between the headend and end-user devices. These gateways receive content via efficient non-unicast methods and then deliver it to multiple devices locally, acting as mediators that reduce the burden on the core network while still providing optimized content to diverse devices.
2Manufacturing precision
If unicast IP streams are supplied to multiple playback devices, then individual device optimization is achieved, but network congestion and service reliability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple unicast streams into a single efficient delivery path by using non-unicast methods (broadcast/multicast) from the headend to gateway devices. This combining approach maintains content optimization quality while improving service reliability by reducing network congestion and the risk of service outages.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple encoders are deployed at headend for different coding schemes, then content adaptability improves, but system complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the headend encoder universal by designing it to produce multiple encoded versions of content in different coding schemes and data rates simultaneously. This single multi-functional encoder replaces what would otherwise require multiple specialized encoders, reducing headend complexity while maintaining broad content adaptability.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and apparatus for content delivery and managing and conserving network bandwidth in a content delivery system are described. In accordance with one aspect of some embodiments, when the number content playback devices, e.g., IP set top boxes, iPADs, etc., in a region or service group receiving the same program content via individual unicast streams over a first network, e.g., cable network, exceeds a threshold number large, the IP capable playback devices are instructed to switch to receive the same programming content from a local device, e.g., a gateway device, via a home network. The local device receives the programming content via the cable network over a broadcast or SDV or VOD channel established by the cable service provider's headend/hubsite.