Dynamic Media Version Selection for Bandwidth Adaptation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current media session management systems fail to efficiently select and utilize multiple versions of scalable media content, leading to suboptimal bandwidth usage during media streaming or downloading.
Innovation Solution
A media management system that collectively manages multiple versions of media content, such as video and audio, by using bandwidth share information to dynamically select and transmit content versions adapted to current bandwidth conditions, allowing for efficient allocation of bandwidth resources during media sessions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple versions of scalable media content are stored and extracted, then media quality and adaptability are improved, but bandwidth usage efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic selection of media content versions based on real-time bandwidth conditions. The system continuously monitors available bandwidth and adjusts the extraction of data streams from scalable media accordingly, transitioning from static storage/extraction to dynamic adaptation. This resolves the contradiction by ensuring high media quality when bandwidth permits while efficiently reducing quality level when bandwidth is constrained, thereby optimizing the trade-off between adaptability and bandwidth efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of data stream extraction from fixed to variable based on bandwidth conditions. By adjusting the extraction parameters dynamically according to available bandwidth, the system can optimize the balance between maintaining high media quality and efficient bandwidth usage. This parameter change enables the system to adapt the media delivery to match actual network conditions, resolving the contradiction between quality adaptability and bandwidth efficiency.
2Manufacturing precision
If media content is extracted to form multiple versions, then media quality is improved, but bandwidth consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial extraction of data streams from scalable media based on actual bandwidth availability. Instead of extracting complete high-quality versions regardless of bandwidth conditions, the system extracts only the necessary portion of data streams that can be efficiently transmitted. This partial action approach resolves the contradiction by maintaining high media quality when bandwidth is sufficient while avoiding excessive bandwidth consumption when bandwidth is limited, optimizing the quantity of extracted data relative to available bandwidth.
3Reliability
If unicast transport is used for media provision, then delivery reliability is improved, but network resource utilization deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables media servers to handle multiple content versions and bandwidth conditions through a unified management system. The server can simultaneously support unicast delivery for reliable individual user experience while also managing multicast/broadcast capabilities for efficient resource utilization. This multi-functional approach resolves the contradiction by allowing the system to switch between or combine delivery methods based on content characteristics and network conditions, achieving both reliability and efficient resource utilization.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention involves collective management of video and audio content in a content provider. The video and audio content is available in multiple potential versions, e.g. in the form of scalable media or media pre-encoded to fixed bandwidth levels. The video and audio data is associated with bandwidth share information enabling estimation of a respective apportionment of a total available bandwidth to the video and audio content. The provider uses this share information and information of the total assignable bandwidth level for providing a respective video version and audio version from the multiple potential versions. This allows for increased user-quality when rendering the video and audio data as optimal video and audio version can be dynamically provided during the media session.