Downstream Media Signal Insertion Bitrate Allocation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Downstream media signal insertion into digital signals, such as MPEG-2 streams, often results in bitrate mismatches, leading to reduced video quality or underutilization of channel bandwidth due to the need for rate-reduction or conservative bitrate allocation to accommodate ads, which are typically inserted for short durations.
Innovation Solution
A method that allocates pre-defined bitrates to media signals, synchronizes encoders to a common time base, and inserts messages indicating splice-in and splice-out points to ensure bit allocation matches the media signal encoding, avoiding rate-reduction and underutilization by precisely managing bit budgets during ad-insertion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If downstream ad-insertion is performed by replacing original bitstreams with ad bitstreams, then local advertising flexibility is improved, but video quality deteriorates due to bitrate mismatch and rate-reduction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-calculating and reserving bitrate portions in the multiplex for potential ad-insertion. The system determines ad-insertion points in advance and allocates corresponding bitrate budgets before ads are actually inserted, ensuring that quality is maintained without requiring post-insertion rate-reduction
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the bitrate parameter dynamically based on ad-insertion requirements. The system adjusts bitrate allocation for different time segments - reserving bitrate during potential ad periods and reallocating it when ads are not inserted, thereby maintaining video quality while enabling flexible ad-insertion
2Manufacturing precision
If conservative bitrate allocation is used to accommodate ad-insertion, then video quality is maintained, but channel bandwidth utilization decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic bitrate allocation that adapts to actual ad-insertion needs. The system continuously monitors whether ads are inserted at reserved positions and dynamically adjusts bitrate allocation - maintaining reserved bitrate when ads are present and releasing it for other content when ads are absent, thus avoiding underutilization while preserving quality
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies discarding and recovering by temporarily allocating bitrate for potential ad-insertion and then recovering it when ads are not actually inserted. The system discards the reserved bitrate allocation for non-ad periods and recovers it for content transmission, maximizing bandwidth utilization without compromising quality during ad periods
3Quantity of substance
If bitrate is reduced to accommodate ad-insertion, then aggregate bitrate fits channel bandwidth, but video quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses preliminary action by pre-reserving specific bitrate portions for ad-insertion points before the actual insertion occurs. This allows the system to maintain the original bitrate for content segments and only allocate additional bitrate for ads when needed, avoiding quality deterioration from blanket rate-reduction
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by applying different bitrate allocations to different time segments of the multiplex. Reserved bitrate is applied locally at ad-insertion points while maintaining original bitrate elsewhere, ensuring high quality for both content and ads without requiring overall rate-reduction
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems that support downstream media signal insertion into a digital signal without affecting digital signal quality is presented here. The methods and systems can utilize pre-defined bitrate values assigned to media signals and allocate that bitrate to a portion of a digital signal that will be replaced by the media signal. The methods are equally applicable to both open and closed-loop encoding systems.