Multi-Radio Content Retrieval via Dynamic Path Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current media streaming technologies, such as HLS and DASH, compromise on quality when transport channels deteriorate, and multipath streaming methods like MPTCP require significant infrastructure upgrades and can increase battery consumption.
Innovation Solution
A wireless communication device with first and second radio access interfaces dynamically activates and deactivates these interfaces to retrieve content simultaneously over multiple paths, ensuring high-quality streaming by dividing content chunks between different radio access technologies based on Quality of Service thresholds.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If HLS or DASH is used to stream over WiFi, then streaming flow adapts to transport capacity, but quality is reduced when WiFi network gets congested
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the media content into multiple chunks and retrieves them through multiple parallel TCP connections simultaneously. By dividing the content retrieval across multiple paths, the system maintains high-quality streaming even when individual paths experience congestion, as other paths can compensate for the reduced capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges multiple TCP connections to retrieve media chunks in parallel. By combining the throughput of multiple connections, the system achieves higher aggregate bandwidth that can sustain high-quality streaming flows even when individual transport paths deteriorate, thus resolving the contradiction between reliability and quality.
2Productivity
If multiple interfaces are kept continuously active for multipath streaming, then TCP throughput is stable and high, but battery consumption increases considerably
Solution Approach 1:
The patent dynamically manages TCP connections by establishing them on-demand based on streaming requirements and transport conditions, rather than keeping multiple interfaces continuously active. This dynamic approach allows the system to achieve high throughput when needed while minimizing energy consumption by activating only the necessary number of connections at any given time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes operational parameters by adjusting the number and state of TCP connections based on real-time conditions. By modifying connection parameters (establishing, maintaining, or terminating connections) according to streaming needs and network conditions, the system optimizes the balance between throughput performance and energy consumption.
3Productivity
If MPTCP is used to establish multiple parallel TCP connections, then overall throughput is increased, but server and network infrastructure must be upgraded
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a proxy server as an intermediary that coordinates multiple standard TCP connections between the client and media server. This proxy-based approach enables multipath streaming functionality without requiring modifications to the underlying media servers or network infrastructure, thus achieving high throughput while avoiding increased device complexity and infrastructure upgrade requirements.
4Manufacturing precision
If multiple parallel TCP connections are used to retrieve chunks, then streaming quality is maintained, but protocol complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs standard TCP connections for multiple purposes: content retrieval, quality adaptation, and error recovery. By making standard TCP connections multi-functional, the system maintains high streaming quality through parallel connections without requiring complex proprietary protocols, thus reducing overall system complexity while achieving the desired quality outcomes.
Data Source
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AI summary
In a wireless communication device having a first and a second radio access interface for respectively communicating with a first and a second access network, a method for retrieving content comprises receiving a request for retrieval of content from a remote server and retrieving a first part of the requested content over a first radio access technology connection. When the retrieval of the first part is determined not to meet a required QoS threshold, the second radio access interface is activated. A next part of the requested content to be retrieved is divided into a first portion for retrieval over the first radio access technology connection and a second portion for retrieval over a second radio access technology connection such that retrieval of the first and second portions are estimated to meet the required QoS threshold, and are retrieved over the first and second radio access technology connections, respectively.