Network Appliance Buffering for Reliable HD Media Streaming
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current media distribution systems face challenges with unreliable real-time delivery of high-definition and ultra-high-definition content over variable internet infrastructure, limited content choices due to proprietary appliances, and non-intuitive user control mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
A network appliance that decodes and recodes digital content using secure HDMI algorithms, aggregates content based on criteria such as fastest download speed and least latency, and employs a distributed system with secure peer assist criteria for efficient delivery, enabling real-time streaming and user-friendly control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If Adaptive Bit Rate (ABR) technology is used to overcome variable internet speeds, then content delivery becomes possible over the internet, but bit rate and definition are reduced degrading user experience
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-loads content into a buffer before playback begins, and continues buffering during playback. This preliminary action of storing content in advance allows the system to deliver high-definition content without real-time streaming constraints, eliminating the need for ABR compression while maintaining smooth playback despite variable internet speeds
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a local copy of the content in a buffer on the client device or server. This copying mechanism allows the original high-definition content to be preserved and played back from the local buffer rather than being compressed for real-time streaming, thus maintaining definition quality while enabling reliable delivery over variable internet connections
2Productivity
If file sharing services like BitTorrent are used for content delivery, then content can be distributed over the internet, but playback starts slowly and jumping to nominated points is not conducive
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-loads the required content segments into a buffer before the user requests playback. This preliminary buffering action ensures that when playback is initiated, the content is already available locally, enabling immediate playback start and allowing random access to any point in the content without waiting for downloads
Solution Approach 2:
The content is divided into discrete packets or segments that can be independently buffered and delivered. This segmentation allows the system to prepare specific portions of content in advance, enabling fast startup by playing back buffered segments immediately and allowing efficient jumping to nominated points by loading and buffering only the required segments
3Reliability
If proprietary appliances are used for content delivery, then content can be delivered to digital devices, but the choice of content available to the consumer is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The system is designed to work with multiple content sources and delivery mechanisms rather than being tied to a single proprietary source. It can aggregate content from various internet sources, different delivery protocols, and multiple providers, making the appliance versatile and capable of delivering a wide variety of content choices while maintaining reliable delivery through its buffering and packet management capabilities
4Productivity
If current internet infrastructure is used for real-time content delivery, then content can be distributed widely, but upload and download speeds are variable making reliable real-time delivery difficult or impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary buffering of content before real-time playback is required. By pre-loading content into a local buffer during periods when network conditions may be more favorable, the system decouples the real-time playback requirement from the variable internet connection, ensuring reliable real-time delivery while maintaining wide distribution capability through the internet infrastructure
Solution Approach 2:
The buffering system acts as an intermediary between the variable internet infrastructure and the real-time playback requirement. This intermediary buffer absorbs the variability of internet speeds, storing content in advance and delivering it smoothly during playback, thus reconciling the contradiction between wide distribution over variable internet and reliable real-time delivery
Data Source
AI summary
A network appliance which receives digital content from a remote location; said appliance including decoding and recoding means by which digital content is downloaded, decoded then recoiled for on-transmission to a digital device for consumption by a user. In a particular form each network appliance operates according to secure peer assist criteria; said secure peer assist criteria enabling reception of at least portions of said item of content from others of said plurality of network appliances if said item of content has been previously downloaded to said others of said plurality of network appliances.