Live Broadcast Alternative Content Streaming System

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing over-the-top media services struggle to provide alternative content, such as highlights, to end users during live broadcasts, as this content is typically produced post-production and not made available until after the live event concludes.

Innovation Solution

A computer-implemented method for providing alternative content in audio-video streams, which includes a content streaming system that processes live audio-video streams to identify alternative content segments and makes these segments available to client devices for streaming before the end of the live broadcast.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If alternative content is produced using conventional post-production methods, then the content quality can be ensured, but the content is not available to end users until after the live broadcast concludes

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontent qualityVSAvoidavailability delay
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary action by identifying and preparing alternative content segments during the live broadcast in real-time, rather than waiting for post-production. The content is segmented, encoded, and made available in advance of the traditional post-production timeline, allowing users to access highlights and alternative content while the live broadcast is still ongoing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Ease of operation

If alternative content is made available during live broadcast, then user experience is enhanced, but the system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser experienceVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system divides the live broadcast content into discrete segments and identifies alternative content within those segments. By segmenting the content stream and processing individual segments independently, the system can provide alternative content without requiring complete reprocessing of the entire broadcast, thus managing complexity while enhancing user experience.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system introduces an intermediary processing layer between the live broadcast source and the user. This intermediary component automatically identifies alternative content, segments it appropriately, and delivers it to users without requiring complex manual intervention, thereby managing system complexity while enabling enhanced user experience.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Loss of time

If real-time processing is implemented to provide alternative content during live broadcast, then content availability is improved, but processing resources are consumed

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontent availabilityVSAvoidprocessing resources
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies partial action by processing only the specific segments of the live broadcast that contain alternative content, rather than processing the entire broadcast in real-time. This selective processing approach reduces computational resource consumption while still achieving timely content availability for users.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentEP3920539B1Systems and methods for providing audio-video streams with alternative content
Publication Date: 2025.03.05 MK SYST USA INC
  • EP3920539B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3920539B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3920539B1 patent drawingFigure 3A

AI summary

Systems, devices, and methods for providing alternative content in audio-video streams are disclosed. A manifest data structure including data reflective of a plurality of content segments is generated. At least one alternative content indicator, each indicating one of said plurality of content segments as being an alternative content segment is obtained. The manifest data structure is modified to remove data reflective of those of said plurality of content segments that are not indicated by said one of said alternative content indicators as being an alternative content segment. Upon receiving a request from a client device to view alternative content, the modified manifest data structure is sent to the client device.