Multimedia Stream Control Signaling With Extensible Binary Descriptors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional communication systems lack flexibility and efficiency in signaling and versioning, particularly in multimedia streams, leading to limitations in supporting new technologies and unforeseen changes, and existing data protocols like XML are not bit-efficient for bandwidth-constrained environments.
Innovation Solution
A method for generating and transmitting control information using a tree-based data structure with extensible service descriptors, allowing audiovisual devices to ignore unsupported protocol versions and navigate a tree structure efficiently, using a bit-efficient command set to configure multimedia streams.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If XML or similar text-based protocols are used for data structuring, then extensibility and human readability are improved, but bandwidth efficiency deteriorates due to excessive overhead
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces text-based protocols (XML, JSON, YAML) with a binary protocol. This substitution maintains the tree-based data structure for extensibility while dramatically reducing overhead. The binary format encodes data types, lengths, and structure information in compact binary form rather than verbose text, achieving both extensibility and bandwidth efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter representation from text-based to binary-based. Data values, data types, and structural information are encoded using binary parameters with explicit length fields and type indicators. This parameter transformation maintains full expressiveness while reducing the size of control information from kilobytes to bytes per message.
2Device complexity
If traditional communication systems use predefined data formats, then system simplicity is maintained, but flexibility and adaptability to new technologies deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments control information into distinct, independently parseable components: data type fields, length fields, value fields, and tree structure indicators. Each segment can be processed independently, allowing receivers to handle only the portions they understand while ignoring unknown segments. This segmentation enables both simplicity (clear structure) and flexibility (selective processing).
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic adaptability through version indicators and extensible data structures. The protocol can dynamically adjust to new data types and formats without breaking existing systems. Receivers can evolve to understand new data types while legacy receivers continue to process supported types, enabling the system to adapt to new technologies while maintaining backward compatibility.
3Adaptability or versatility
If control information includes comprehensive configuration data, then device configurability is improved, but transmission overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential configuration parameters needed for device operation into the control information stream. Rather than transmitting complete device descriptions or redundant configuration data, the protocol extracts and transmits only the minimal necessary parameters with explicit type and length indicators. This extraction reduces overhead while maintaining full configurability for supported parameters.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transmits partial configuration information in a streamlined format, with the option to include additional parameters as needed. The control information contains exactly the parameters required for the specific operation, no more and no less. This partial action approach reduces overhead by avoiding unnecessary data transmission while maintaining the ability to include comprehensive configuration when required.
Data Source
AI summary
Control information for configuring an audiovisual device to present multimedia content according to a first service type may be generated. A first data structure specifying that the first control information is associated with the first service type may be generated. A plurality of packets, including a multimedia stream according to the first service type, the first control information, and the first data structure, may be generated and transmitted. Second control information for configuring the audiovisual device to present a multimedia stream according to a second service type may be generated. The first data structure may be modified to include information about the second control information. A second plurality of packets, including the modified first data structure, the first control information, a multimedia stream according to the first service type, the second control information, and a multimedia stream according to the second service type, may be generated and transmitted.