Media Segment Delivery With I-Frame Unicast Security
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing media content delivery systems face inefficiencies and bottlenecks due to the limitations of unicast and multicast delivery mechanisms, leading to network congestion, delay, and security issues, with limited mechanisms for switching between the two.
Innovation Solution
A delivery system that utilizes a demuxer to separate media content into intraframe and non-intraframe segments, transmitting I-frames via unicast and non-I-frames via multicast or peer-to-peer mechanisms, optimizing delivery based on server load and proximity to improve efficiency and security.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If unicast delivery is used to transmit media content to consumers, then individual delivery with DRM key transmission is achieved, but server bandwidth capacity is exceeded and delivery delay increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments media content into I-frames (intra-frame) and non-I-frames (inter-frame), applying different delivery mechanisms to each segment. I-frames requiring DRM keys are delivered via unicast, while non-I-frames are delivered via multicast, resolving the contradiction by not requiring all content to use the slower unicast method
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically switches between unicast and multicast delivery mechanisms based on the type of media segment being transmitted. The delivery mechanism is not fixed but adapts in real-time based on whether the segment requires individual DRM key delivery or can be shared among multiple consumers
2Productivity
If multicast delivery is used to reduce server bandwidth load, then delivery efficiency improves, but encryption capability is limited and only a single DRM key can be transmitted
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting media into I-frames and non-I-frames, the system can apply unicast encryption to I-frames (which contain DRM keys and require individual security) while using efficient multicast for non-I-frames, thus maintaining both security and efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges unicast and multicast delivery mechanisms into a hybrid system where both methods work together. The unicast mechanism handles security-critical I-frames while the multicast mechanism handles efficiency-critical non-I-frames, combining their advantages to resolve the contradiction
3Reliability
If unicast delivery platform is used, then individual data transmission with acknowledgment is achieved, but network overhead increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the media stream into I-frames and non-I-frames, the system applies unicast only to the smaller I-frame segments that require reliability and DRM key delivery, while using lightweight multicast for the larger non-I-frame segments, thus reducing overall network overhead while maintaining necessary reliability
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of applying heavy unicast protocols to all media data, the system applies unicast only partially to I-frames that specifically require it, and uses lighter multicast for non-I-frames, reducing excessive network overhead while maintaining sufficient reliability for the critical portions
4Device complexity
If multicast delivery platform is used, then network overhead is reduced and bandwidth efficiency improves, but switching between delivery mechanisms is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements dynamic switching between unicast and multicast delivery mechanisms based on the type of media segment. The delivery platform adapts its behavior in real-time, selecting unicast for I-frames requiring DRM key delivery and multicast for non-I-frames, thus achieving both low overhead and high adaptability
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods are described herein for transmitting a content item to a user device using multiple delivery protocols. The system receives, at a content source, a request for the content item from the user device. The system splits a digital stream of the content item into a first video signal and a second video signal. The system then transmits, via a unicast server, the first video signal for the content item to the user device, and transmits, via a multicast server, the second video signal for the content item to the user device. The system then causes for presentation on the user device the first video signal followed by the second video signal. In other embodiments, the system is optimized between the unicast delivery of a content item and a peer-to-peer delivery.