Intermediate Device Content Pre-positioning for Rural Video Delivery
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Rural areas and underserved regions face challenges in accessing high-speed internet necessary for streaming high-quality video content due to inadequate broadband infrastructure, leading to limited options for over-the-top video services and high data costs.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that utilize remnant capacity in communication networks to pre-position content on intermediate devices, allowing for efficient delivery of data-intensive content, such as video streaming, without burdening the primary communication network, using a combination of real-time and non-real-time communication systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If content is delivered through traditional broadband infrastructure in rural areas, then high-quality video content can be streamed, but the infrastructure cost and data expenses are excessively high
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-positions video content on intermediate devices (set-top boxes, DVRs, personal computers) in rural areas before users request it. This allows content to be stored locally on user premises and delivered without requiring high-speed broadband infrastructure during streaming, thereby reducing infrastructure costs and data expenses while maintaining content delivery availability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces intermediate devices as mediators between the content delivery network and end-user televisions. These devices receive and store content via low-cost communication channels (satellite, wireless, or low-speed internet), then deliver it locally to TVs, eliminating the need for expensive high-speed broadband infrastructure in rural areas
2Speed
If high-speed broadband infrastructure is deployed in rural areas, then video streaming service quality improves, but infrastructure deployment cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
Content is downloaded and stored on intermediate devices during off-peak hours or in advance of user requests, eliminating the need for high-speed infrastructure during peak streaming times. This allows rural areas to use existing low-speed infrastructure while achieving high-quality video delivery
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates local copies of video content on intermediate devices stored at user premises. These local copies can be played back without requiring continuous high-speed connectivity, effectively decoupling video streaming quality from infrastructure speed requirements
3Ease of operation
If mobile broadband data caps are increased to support video streaming, then service affordability improves, but data consumption costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
Video content is downloaded to intermediate devices when network conditions are favorable or during off-peak periods, then stored for later local playback. This shifts data consumption away from capped mobile broadband connections, allowing users to stream video without exceeding data caps while maintaining service accessibility
Solution Approach 2:
The intermediate device acts as a buffer between the mobile broadband network and the video streaming service. It pre-loads content when data caps are not yet reached, then delivers it locally, effectively bypassing the data cap limitation for video consumption
4Productivity
If content is pre-positioned on intermediate devices, then network congestion is reduced, but intermediate device storage requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system allocates storage capacity specifically to intermediate devices (set-top boxes, DVRs, personal computers) that are strategically positioned in rural areas. These devices have dedicated storage space for pre-positioned content, allowing the main network to operate at full throughput without being congested by video delivery traffic
Solution Approach 2:
Intermediate devices serve as local content repositories that offload storage and delivery functions from the central network infrastructure. By positioning content locally on these intermediary devices, the system reduces network congestion and improves throughput while the storage burden is distributed to edge devices rather than centralized infrastructure
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for communicating content using remnant capacity includes an intermediate device having a content storage, a user device in communication with the intermediate device and a communication system provider communicating content to the intermediate device. The intermediate device stores the content the content storage. The user device requests content from the content storage. The intermediate device communicates content from the content storage to the user device in real time in response to requesting.