Media Content Distribution System Bandwidth Management

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Solution Overview

Problem

On-demand media content distribution systems often face bandwidth limitations when serving multiple media devices, leading to delays or inability to provide requested content due to high demand, and existing solutions like multiple on-demand systems or geographic positioning are expensive without guaranteed bandwidth solutions.

Innovation Solution

A media content distribution system that manages media content streams by identifying and concurrently transmitting both initial and concluding portions of a media content event across multiple media devices, utilizing a media content distribution center that tracks requests and transmits media content streams via a communication network, allowing for efficient bandwidth allocation and reduced latency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If the on-demand system transmits media content events to a large quantity of media devices, then the system can serve more users, but the bandwidth becomes insufficient and the system goes low or out of available

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenumber of media devices servedVSAvoidbandwidth availability
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the media content event into multiple portions (initial portion and concluding portion) and transmits them through different pathways. The initial portion is transmitted to a first media device while the concluding portion is transmitted to a second media device, allowing the system to serve multiple devices simultaneously without overloading bandwidth to any single device.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent combines broadcast transmission and on-demand transmission into a hybrid system. The broadcast component transmits the concluding portion to multiple devices efficiently, while the on-demand component provides the initial portion to specific devices, merging the advantages of both approaches to serve more devices without bandwidth exhaustion.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Quantity of substance

If multiple on demand systems or geographically positioned on-demand systems are employed to solve bandwidth problems, then the system can potentially serve more devices, but the cost increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenumber of media devices servedVSAvoidsystem infrastructure cost
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a universal system that can operate in multiple modes: broadcast mode for high-volume distribution, on-demand mode for personalized content, and a hybrid mode combining both. This multi-functional approach allows a single system to serve diverse requirements without needing multiple separate systems, reducing infrastructure costs while maintaining the ability to serve many devices.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Productivity

If the on-demand system transmits media content events to multiple media devices concurrently, then more users can access content, but the bandwidth consumption increases and causes delays or unavailability

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontent delivery speedVSAvoidbandwidth consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the content delivery task by dividing the media content event into portions and assigning different portions to different transmission pathways. This segmentation allows parallel transmission to multiple devices without concentrating all bandwidth demands on a single stream, maintaining delivery speed while managing bandwidth consumption across the system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP2702771B1Apparatus, systems and methods for transmitting media content events
Publication Date: 2019.09.04 DISH TECHNOLOGIES LLC
  • EP2702771B1 patent drawingFigure 1a
  • EP2702771B1 patent drawingFigure 1b
  • EP2702771B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

Systems and methods are operable to transmit at least a portion of a media content event. An exemplary embodiment receives a request from a first media device, wherein the request identifies a media content event of interest; identifies a first media content stream with a concluding portion of the media content event of interest currently transmitting to a second media device; concurrently transmits the concluding portion of the media content event of interest to the first media device; and transmits a second media stream containing an initial portion of the media content event to the first media device.