Multi-DVR Node Communication for IPTV Reliability
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Solution Overview
Problem
In multi-room IPTV systems, if the primary device is missing or taken out of service, the other television-based node devices may become unusable due to lack of DVR functionality and bandwidth management capabilities, leading to media content allocation conflicts and rendering issues.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a multi-DVR node communication system where each television-based client device can communicate node status, request media content playback, and record media content, allowing nodes to act on behalf of others for resource management and content mapping, enabling seamless media stream transitions without discontinuity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single primary device manages DVR functionality and bandwidth allocation in a multi-room IPTV system, then centralized control and resource management are achieved, but the system becomes vulnerable to failure when the primary device is unavailable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the centralized DVR functionality into distributed DVR capabilities across multiple node devices. Each node device can independently perform DVR operations, media content recording, and playback, eliminating the single point of failure represented by the primary device while maintaining resource management through peer-to-peer communication and coordination protocols
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary action by enabling node devices to pre-cache media content and maintain local pause buffers before primary device failure occurs. When a node device is tuned to media content, the system proactively records it in a pause buffer, allowing seamless playback continuity even if the primary device becomes unavailable, thus preventing service interruption
2Reliability
If node devices lack DVR functionality and depend on the primary device, then device complexity is reduced, but the system loses resilience and nodes become unusable when the primary device is missing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements universality by equipping each node device with full DVR functionality, including media content recording, pause buffer management, and playback capabilities. Each node device can independently record, pause, and playback media content without requiring the primary device, making nodes universally functional and resilient to primary device failure while maintaining system-wide resource coordination
3Productivity
If the primary device manages all bandwidth and media content allocation, then resource allocation control is simplified, but conflicts arise when multiple nodes request content simultaneously
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where node devices continuously communicate their media content requests, pause buffer status, and resource availability to each other. This real-time feedback enables dynamic resource allocation and conflict resolution, allowing the system to adapt to changing demands and prevent bandwidth conflicts before they occur, improving allocation efficiency while distributing management complexity across multiple nodes
Data Source
AI summary
Multi-DVR node communication is described. In an embodiment, television-based client devices are each a node of a multi-DVR system where the nodes are implemented for communication with each other. A node status can be communicated from a node of the multi-DVR system to the television-based client devices at the respective nodes of the multi-DVR system. A node status can include a media content identifier of media content being rendered at the node of the multi-DVR system. Additionally, node status updates can be received from each of the television-based client devices at the respective nodes of the multi-DVR system such that one or more of the television-based client devices can request to playback the media content identified in a node status update.