Messaging Service for Live Event Multimedia Updates

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for streaming live events over the Internet face challenges in providing real-time or near real-time updates to the schedule of multimedia content, particularly in managing advertisement insertion and ensuring synchronized playback across multiple viewers, due to the unpredictable nature of consumer access and the inability to target specific demographics effectively.

Innovation Solution

A messaging service that provides real-time updates to media players streaming live events, using a messaging server to monitor content availability and push updates via HTTP, allowing for dynamic advertisement insertion and synchronized playback by managing content durations and advertisement markers, thereby reducing lag and improving viewer experience.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If conventional broadcasting methods are used to deliver live events over the Internet, then the ability to control advertisement insertion and schedule updates is lost, but the reliability and synchronization of content delivery across multiple viewers deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereal-time schedule updates and advertisement insertion controlVSAvoidsynchronized playback across multiple viewers

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

A messaging server is introduced as an intermediary component between the content source and media players. This server receives schedule updates and advertisement insertion commands, then distributes them to all connected media players in real-time, enabling centralized control while maintaining synchronized playback across distributed viewers.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback mechanisms where media players report their playback status and received updates back to the messaging server. This allows the server to track synchronization state across all viewers and resend or adjust updates as needed to maintain reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Productivity

If a messaging server is introduced to provide real-time updates and control, then the ability to update schedules and insert advertisements in real-time is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereal-time update delivery speedVSAvoidsystem architecture complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The messaging server is designed to perform multiple functions: delivering schedule updates, managing advertisement insertion, tracking viewer synchronization status, and coordinating with media players. By consolidating these functions into a single multi-functional component, the system avoids the need for multiple specialized servers, thereby limiting the increase in overall system complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Manufacturing precision

If advertisements are inserted into the live video stream before encoding, then the ability to control advertisement timing is improved, but the flexibility to target specific demographics and update advertisements in real-time deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadvertisement timing precisionVSAvoiddemographic targeting and real-time advertisement updates

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system transitions from static pre-encoded advertisements to dynamic advertisement insertion. Advertisement markers are embedded in the encoded stream at predetermined positions, but the actual advertisement content is selected and inserted in real-time based on viewer demographics, location, and other criteria, allowing both precise timing control and adaptive content selection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

Advertisement markers and timing information are prepared in advance during the encoding phase, establishing the structural framework for advertisement insertion. However, the specific advertisement content is left flexible and is selected later in real-time, combining preliminary preparation with adaptive execution.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

4Use of energy by moving object

If the original scheduled broadcast advertisements are replaced with Internet advertisements, then the revenue opportunities are improved, but the ability to control how many viewers see the advertisements deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverevenue generation potentialVSAvoidviewer count and engagement data

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The messaging server collects feedback from media players about which viewers are currently watching and receiving advertisements. This information is used to track viewer counts, engagement metrics, and demographic data, enabling publishers to measure and optimize advertisement performance while maintaining revenue opportunities.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS20240403899A1Messaging service for providing updates for multimedia content of a live event delivered over the internet

Publication Date: 2024.12.05 DISH TECHNOLOGIES LLC

AI summary

Messaging services for providing updates for multimedia content delivered over the Internet for a live event. In one embodiment, a messaging server provides real-time updates for multimedia content of a live event delivered over the Internet to multiple media players that request the multimedia content over the Internet. In one embodiment, the real-time updates indicate when the multimedia content is available for delivery over the Internet. In another embodiment, the real-time updates can be used to dynamically insert advertisement markers for advertisement breaks in the multimedia content.