IPTV Fast Channel Change Unicast Stream Pushing

Solution Overview

Problem

IPTV systems face long channel change times due to high burst traffic and increased bandwidth requirements when fast channel changing, leading to delayed image content synchronization and potential buffer underflow during multicast join delays.

Innovation Solution

A method and device for fast pushing a unicast stream in IPTV systems, which involves determining the minimum data amount required between the starting position of the unicast stream and the latest packet position based on multicast join delay, decoding rate, and buffer data, and only starting the stream from the latest I frame if the necessary data amount is met, reducing burst traffic and synchronization processing time.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If the unicast stream is fast pushed starting from the previous I frame of the latest I frame, then the channel change speed is improved, but the burst traffic increases and bandwidth requirement is increased

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvechannel change speedVSAvoidburst traffic

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by pre-buffering video data packets in the network server before the channel change request is made. When a channel change is requested, the pre-buffered data is immediately pushed to the terminal, eliminating the need to fetch data from remote servers during the channel change, thus reducing burst traffic while maintaining fast channel switching.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts the data push strategy based on real-time buffer states. It monitors the buffer status at the terminal and adaptively controls the data push rate and timing, pushing data at optimal rates to match terminal decoding capabilities while preventing buffer underflow, thereby reducing unnecessary burst traffic.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Speed

If the unicast stream is fast pushed starting from the previous I frame of the latest I frame, then the channel change speed is improved, but the synchronization processing time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvechannel change speedVSAvoidsynchronization processing time

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by pre-buffering video data packets in the network server before the channel change request is made. When a channel change is requested, the pre-buffered data is immediately pushed to the terminal, eliminating the need to fetch data from remote servers during the channel change, thus reducing burst traffic while maintaining fast channel switching.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback mechanisms to monitor the buffer state at the terminal in real-time. Based on this feedback, the server dynamically adjusts the data push strategy, ensuring that data is pushed at rates that match the terminal's decoding capabilities. This prevents buffer underflow and reduces the need for synchronization processing, thereby reducing synchronization processing time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Speed

If the unicast stream is fast pushed with high bandwidth allocation, then the channel change speed is improved, but the bandwidth requirement is increased

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvechannel change speedVSAvoidbandwidth requirement

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts the data push strategy based on real-time buffer states. It monitors the buffer status at the terminal and adaptively controls the data push rate and timing, pushing data at optimal rates to match terminal decoding capabilities while preventing buffer underflow, thereby reducing unnecessary burst traffic.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes operational parameters by adjusting the data push rate based on buffer state monitoring. Instead of using a fixed high bandwidth allocation, the system dynamically modifies the push rate parameter to match actual needs, reducing bandwidth consumption while maintaining fast channel switching performance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS8861372B2Method and device for fast pushing unicast stream in fast channel change

Publication Date: 2014.10.14 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD

AI summary

The present invention discloses a method and a device for fast pushing a unicast stream in a Fast Channel Change (FCC), and relates to the field of Internet Protocol Television (IPTV). A server obtains a multicast join delay of a terminal, determines a minimum value of a data amount between a starting position of a fast unicast stream and a latest packet position according to the multicast join delay of the terminal, a decoding rate, a unicast push rate, and a lowest buffer data amount required for decoding, judges whether a latest I frame completely arrives according to a packet buffer state; and fast pushes the unicast stream starting from the latest I frame if the latest I frame completely arrives, and an arrived data amount starting from the latest I frame is greater than or equal to the minimum value.