Off-line Content Compression for Linear TV Bandwidth

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current systems for broadcasting television channels do not fully utilize available bandwidth and require significant processing resources, especially when transmitting or re-transmitting non-live content across multiple channels or at different times, due to the limitations of on-line compression and real-time encoding requirements.

Innovation Solution

Implementing an off-line compression system for non-live content, reversing the selection and encoding steps, and utilizing compression techniques typical of Video On Demand (VOD) to optimize resource usage and reduce bandwidth occupancy by up to 40% through more efficient processing without time constraints.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If on-line compression is used for real-time encoding, then the system can handle live content transmission, but bandwidth utilization is insufficient and processing resources are excessive

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebandwidth utilizationVSAvoidprocessing resources
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by performing off-line compression of non-live content before transmission. Content is compressed in advance using resource-intensive algorithms when processing power is available, then stored in a content repository. During live transmission, pre-compressed content is simply retrieved and transmitted without real-time compression, dramatically reducing processing resources during broadcast while improving bandwidth utilization through optimized compression ratios.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Manufacturing precision

If on-line compression is used, then real-time transmission is enabled, but compression efficiency and signal quality are limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesignal qualityVSAvoidreal-time processing time
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs compression quality optimization in advance during off-line processing. Multiple encoding passes and quality adjustments can be performed without time constraints, selecting the optimal balance between compression ratio and signal quality. The pre-compressed content is then stored and transmitted during live broadcast, achieving high signal quality without real-time processing constraints.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Adaptability or versatility

If the same content is transmitted on multiple channels or re-transmitted at different times using on-line compression, then channel flexibility is maintained, but processing resources are significantly consumed

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvechannel flexibilityVSAvoidprocessing efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a single master compressed version of content during off-line processing and stores it in the content repository. This master copy can then be referenced and transmitted across multiple channels or re-transmitted at different times without requiring additional compression processing. The system efficiently handles channel flexibility by copying the already-compressed content data rather than re-compressing, dramatically reducing processing resources while maintaining full channel adaptability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Data Source

PatentEP2733953A1Content compression system
Publication Date: 2014.05.21 SKY ITALIA SRL
  • EP2733953A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2733953A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2733953A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present invention refers to a method for the composition of linear channels comprising at least two units of content, each unit of content comprising at least one among audio, video and data services, and in which the point in time corresponding to the start of the transmission of each unit of content is predetermined based on the channel composition information. The method comprises the steps of selecting (S10) at least two units of content based on the channel composition information, receiving (S20) the selected units of content from storing means, in which each one of the units of content has been previously stored utilising off-line encoding, and temporally aligning (S30), based on the channel composition information, the selected units of content so as to obtain the linear channel to be transmitted by broadcasting. An entity and a computer program are accordingly provided.