Multipath Media Delivery via Dynamic Path Selection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Multimedia streaming technologies face quality of service (QoS) and quality of experience (QoE) issues due to packet delays, losses, and jitter caused by network conditions, particularly when relying on a single transport path, which can lead to network overload and poor performance in multimedia transmission.
Innovation Solution
A client device and server system that utilizes multiple network access interfaces to establish multipath transmission sessions, allowing data packets to be received and transmitted through multiple network paths based on quality characteristics, enabling dynamic path selection to optimize data delivery and mitigate network issues.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single default network interface is used for multimedia streaming, then the system complexity is low and ease of operation is maintained, but packet delays, losses, and jitter occur leading to poor QoS and QoE
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the multimedia data stream into multiple independent paths for transmission. Each path is managed separately with its own network interface, allowing independent optimization and failure isolation. The data is divided and routed through multiple network interfaces simultaneously, so that if one path experiences packet loss or jitter, other paths can compensate to maintain overall QoS and QoE.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a session management mechanism that acts as an intermediary between the application layer and multiple network interfaces. This intermediary handles path selection, packet routing, and quality monitoring across multiple interfaces, abstracting the complexity from the application while enabling reliable multipath transmission. The intermediary coordinates the use of multiple paths to achieve better QoS without requiring complex changes to the application logic.
2Productivity
If multiple network paths are used for data transmission, then bandwidth availability and reliability improve, but the device complexity and difficulty of managing multiple interfaces increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal session management framework that can handle multiple network interfaces with different characteristics (WiFi, cellular, Ethernet, etc.). This framework provides unified path selection, packet routing, and quality monitoring functions that work across diverse interface types. The session manager serves multiple functions including path negotiation, quality assessment, and dynamic route switching, enabling the system to leverage multiple interfaces without requiring separate management mechanisms for each.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple network interfaces are configured for multipath transmission, then the ability to handle network failures and dynamic conditions improves, but the ease of operation and setup becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service mechanisms where the session management system automatically discovers available network interfaces, assesses their quality characteristics, and configures optimal transmission paths without user intervention. The system continuously monitors network conditions and dynamically adjusts packet routing across interfaces based on real-time quality metrics. This automatic configuration and adaptation eliminates the need for manual setup while providing robust handling of network failures and dynamic conditions.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method of operating a device for multipath data packet reception includes transmitting a message to a server and receiving the one or more data packets from the server through any combination of the two or more network access interfaces of the device during the multipath transmission session based on one or more characteristics of the two or more network access interfaces. The message comprises an identifier that corresponds to a multipath transmission session and that indicates a group of two or more network access interfaces of the device.