IPTV Video Streaming via Time Zone Caching

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) systems face bandwidth challenges when broadcasting high-definition video streams to a large number of clients, leading to poor video and audio quality due to high bandwidth requirements at servers, especially across different time zones.

Innovation Solution

The system optimizes video and audio stream transmission by leveraging time zone differences to use higher bitrates and resolutions, employing Peer-to-Peer networks and 1-to-N communication schemes, and strategically using duplicate servers to distribute bandwidth efficiently, reducing redundant content and peak server loads.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If higher bitrate and resolution are used for better video quality, then video quality is improved, but bandwidth requirement increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevideo qualityVSAvoidbandwidth

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-fetching and caching video segments during off-peak hours (when bandwidth is available) before the actual playback time. This allows high-bitrate content to be downloaded in advance and stored locally, enabling high video quality during playback without requiring high bandwidth at the moment of viewing. The system schedules content delivery ahead of time to avoid bandwidth constraints during peak usage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments video content into smaller manageable segments that can be independently fetched, cached, and played back. This segmentation allows the system to download and store only the specific segments needed for upcoming playback, reducing the overall bandwidth requirement while maintaining high video quality. Each segment can be optimized and cached separately, enabling efficient bandwidth utilization across multiple clients.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Productivity

If more clients are supported, then system capacity is improved, but server bandwidth requirement increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenumber of clientsVSAvoidserver bandwidth

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary caching layer between the server and clients. Instead of the server directly serving all clients, content is first cached in intermediate storage systems during off-peak hours. During peak times, clients retrieve content from these intermediaries rather than directly from the server, dramatically reducing server bandwidth requirements while supporting a larger number of concurrent clients.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary content delivery during off-peak hours when bandwidth is abundant, pre-positioning content in cache systems before demand occurs. This time-shifted approach allows the server to handle content delivery in batches during low-utilization periods, thereby supporting many more clients during peak hours without proportionally increasing server bandwidth requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Adaptability or versatility

If live broadcasting is provided across time zones, then service coverage is improved, but bandwidth utilization is inefficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetime zone coverageVSAvoidbandwidth utilization

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by scheduling and pre-delivering content to clients in lagging time zones during off-peak hours in the source time zone. For example, content intended for evening playback in a lagging time zone is downloaded and cached during the night hours when bandwidth utilization is low in the source region. This eliminates the need for continuous high-bandwidth live streaming across all time zones simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements periodic content delivery schedules that align with the operational cycles of different time zones. Content is delivered periodically during off-peak hours for each target time zone, rather than maintaining continuous live streams. This periodic batching approach improves bandwidth utilization by concentrating transfers during low-utilization periods while still providing timely content to clients across multiple time zones.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Data Source

PatentUS7584289B2System and method to efficiently broadcast television video and audio streams through the internet from a source in single leading time zone to multiple destinations in lagging time zones

Publication Date: 2009.09.01 ABROADCASTING CO

AI summary

According to one embodiment of the invention, a method for improving video quality by leveraging time zone delays occurring during transmissions of programs. The method comprises an operation of determining a time zone delay between a broadcasting source of a program and a targeted destination for the program. Thereafter, the program is transmitted to the targeted destination where the resolution is equal to at least twice of a normal resolution and/or transmission data rate is equal to no more than one-half of a normal transmission data rate.