IMS Control Channel for IPTV Setup Latency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing IPTV systems face limitations in bandwidth, leading to setup delays for interactive services due to the need for extensive communication between the set-top box (STB) and application servers, especially when adding new services like videoconferencing, which requires multiple control channels and increased bandwidth.
Innovation Solution
Establishing an IMS-enabled control channel using standard IMS procedures between the STB and IPTV Application Server (AS), maintaining an open channel for control information and commands, reducing setup delays and enabling a single control channel for various applications, and providing an always-on encrypted data pipe for secure communication.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple control channels are established for each new service (e.g., videoconferencing), then service functionality is improved, but setup delay increases and bandwidth consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple control channels into a single unified control channel that handles multiple services (IPTV, videoconferencing, messaging) simultaneously. This consolidation eliminates the need to establish separate control channels for each service, thereby reducing setup delay while maintaining full service functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The control channel is designed with multi-functionality to handle various service types including IPTV control, videoconferencing setup, and messaging operations through a single channel. This universal approach allows the same channel to serve multiple purposes, avoiding the time penalty of establishing dedicated channels for each service.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple control channels are established for each new service, then service functionality is improved, but bandwidth consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple control channels into one unified channel that multiplexes control traffic for different services. This merging reduces the total bandwidth consumption by eliminating redundant channel overhead and allowing efficient sharing of the control channel resource across multiple service types.
Solution Approach 2:
The single control channel is designed to be universal, handling control plane traffic for IPTV, videoconferencing, and messaging services simultaneously. This multi-functional design optimizes bandwidth utilization by avoiding the need to allocate separate bandwidth resources for each service's control channel.
3Productivity
If control channels are established on-demand for each service, then resource efficiency is improved, but setup delay increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent establishes a single control channel in advance that is ready to handle multiple service types. This preliminary setup eliminates the need for on-demand channel establishment, thereby reducing setup delay while maintaining resource efficiency through the channel's ability to serve multiple purposes.
Data Source
AI summary
An IMS-enabled control channel for an IPTV service is provided by receiving at a Serving Call/State Control Function (S-CSCF) a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) REGISTER message, the SIP REGISTER message identifying the originating user, receiving at the originating user a response from the S-CSCF indicating that the originating user has been authorized, and sending a SIP INVITE message from the S-CSCF to establish an open channel connection with a selected IPTV Application Server (AS). This open channel connection can then be used for the transmission of control messages, such as for starting play, starting recording, stopping play, etc., between the STB and the IPTV applications server, as well as for the delivery of personalized content, such as advertisements, voting responses, personalized voting triggers and targeted interactive events. By maintaining an open control channel with the IPTV AS, this offers a substantial reduction in the setup delay times for different applications.