Streaming Manifest Duration Averaging for Bandwidth Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Content streaming services face increased network traffic due to frequent updates of manifests, which are necessary because user devices require updated timing information and URLs for content segments with varying durations.

Innovation Solution

The approach involves averaging the duration of content segments and using a segment duration parameter in manifests to allow user devices to dynamically request content segments based on a predictable naming convention, reducing the need for frequent manifest updates.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If manifests are frequently updated to reflect varying content segment durations, then user devices can maintain accurate timing information and URLs, but network traffic increases due to increased transmission frequency of manifest updates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetiming information accuracyVSAvoidbandwidth usage

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the parameter representation from individual segment durations to an average duration parameter in the manifest. User devices use this average duration parameter to dynamically calculate segment timing information, reducing manifest update frequency while maintaining acceptable timing accuracy for content playback

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a simplified representation of segment duration information by copying only the essential average duration parameter in manifests, rather than transmitting complete timing information for each segment. This reduces bandwidth usage while allowing user devices to reconstruct necessary timing data

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

2Ease of operation

If template-based manifest schemes are used with constant segment duration parameters, then user devices can dynamically determine request parameters, but content segments must conform to strict duration constraints (+/−50% of template duration)

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedynamic request parameter determinationVSAvoidsegment duration flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the duration parameter from a fixed template value to a dynamically calculated value based on average duration. This allows the system to maintain the simplicity of template-based manifests while adapting to actual varying segment durations through the average duration parameter

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces dynamics into the manifest scheme by using an average duration parameter that can be updated periodically, allowing the system to adapt to changing content characteristics while maintaining the overall template-based structure for efficient client-side operation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS20250141949A1Bandwidth reduction through duration averaging

Publication Date: 2025.05.01 COMCAST CABLE COMM LLC

AI summary

Disclosed are systems and methods for bandwidth reduction through duration averaging. An average duration of content segments can be determined. When the average segment duration exceeds a first threshold or falls below a second threshold, content segments can be encoded at new segment durations until the average segment duration falls below the first threshold and above the second threshold. When the average segment duration exceeds a first threshold or falls below a second threshold, an updated manifest including a modified segment duration parameter can be generated.