Hybrid Push-Based Streaming System for Video Segment Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
HTTP-based video streaming methods suffer from significant network overhead and high latency, leading to inconsistent viewing experiences across different clients, as clients repeatedly poll for new media content and reload playlist/manifest files, resulting in delayed content delivery and varying latency.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a push-based notification system where clients are alerted via 'Push Notices' when new video segments are available, allowing for synchronized content loading and reducing the need for frequent HTTP requests, thereby minimizing latency and network overhead.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If HTTP-based streaming methods are used where clients repeatedly poll for new media content and reload playlist/manifest files, then the system is highly scalable to permit high traffic, but network overhead increases significantly and latency becomes high and variable
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of clients polling the server for updates (pull-based), the server pushes notifications to clients when new segments are available. This inverts the traditional request-response model, eliminating the need for repeated client polling and reducing network overhead while maintaining scalability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a notification system that acts as an intermediary between the server and clients. The server sends push notifications through this intermediary layer, which then relays updates to clients efficiently, reducing direct communication overhead and latency
2Reliability
If HTTP-based streaming methods are used where clients reload playlist/manifest files frequently, then new media content can be delivered to clients, but network overhead increases due to repeated socket connections, handshakes, and header exchanges
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the notification function from the traditional HTTP request-response cycle. Instead of clients initiating full manifest reloads with complete handshakes and header exchanges, the server extracts and sends only the essential update information through push notifications, dramatically reducing network overhead
Solution Approach 2:
Rather than transmitting complete manifest files repeatedly, the system uses partial action by sending only the necessary notification data indicating new segment availability. This partial transmission approach maintains content delivery reliability while minimizing network resource consumption
3Productivity
If clients request and load manifests at different times in HTTP-based streaming, then the system can handle high traffic, but latency varies significantly between different clients creating inconsistent viewing experiences
Solution Approach 1:
The push notification system provides feedback to all clients simultaneously when new segments are available. This feedback mechanism ensures all clients receive updates at the same time, synchronizing their viewing experience while maintaining the ability to handle high traffic loads
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates equipotential conditions for all clients by pushing notifications to everyone simultaneously. This ensures all clients are at the same informational state regarding content availability, eliminating latency variations and creating consistent viewing experiences across the network
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems for hybrid push-based media streaming of encoded video (or media) content grouped into video segment (or chunk) files to one or more user devices are described, where push notices are provided from a manifest server to subscribing user devices over a persistent low bandwidth connection when the video segment files are ready to be viewed. The video segment files may be downloaded by the user devices from segment servers to the user devices via a separate HTTP high bandwidth streaming connection, or other form of separate connection. In addition, unique, personalized, or additional content may be inserted in the push notices and viewed by the user devices without impacting video playback performance.