Overlapping Digital Recording Storage Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing digital video and audio stream recording technologies require excessive resources such as memory, tuners, and demultiplexers due to inefficient storage of overlapping recordings, leading to high memory usage and potential need for multiple front ends and demultiplexers for simultaneous recordings.
Innovation Solution
A method and device for storing overlapping recordings of digital video and audio streams as single segmented recordings, where each segment contains a non-overlapping part of the stream, allowing for efficient resource management by dynamically opening and closing segments based on recording and playback requests, and storing timestamp and user-related information for segment management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple overlapping recordings are stored separately, then each recording can be managed independently, but storage space consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the storage of overlapping recordings by dividing the recording stream into distinct segments based on start and stop times. Each segment represents a unique time portion of the recording, allowing multiple users to share common segments while maintaining individual recording integrity. This segmentation enables efficient storage by avoiding redundant data duplication.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges overlapping recording requests by identifying common time segments that can be shared among multiple recordings. When multiple users request recording of the same content during overlapping time periods, the system combines these requests and stores the common portion once, with each user's recording consisting of shared segments plus any unique segments specific to their individual time ranges.
2Ease of operation
If separate memory zones are allocated for each recording request, then each recording can be accessed independently, but memory requirements increase considerably
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides memory allocation into discrete segments corresponding to specific time portions of recordings. Each segment is independently addressable and can be shared by multiple recording requests. This segmentation allows the system to allocate memory efficiently by assigning only the necessary segments to each user rather than allocating entire separate memory zones for each recording request.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates memory segments that serve multiple functions and multiple users simultaneously. A single memory segment can be accessed by multiple recording requests that overlap in time, making the memory structure universal rather than dedicated to a single user or recording. This multi-functionality reduces overall memory requirements while maintaining independent access capabilities.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a second tuner is added to enable simultaneous recording and visualization, then PVR functionality is achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a digital copy of the recording stream in memory segments rather than requiring a separate physical tuner hardware path. By segmenting and storing the digital signal, the system enables simultaneous recording and visualization functions through software-based memory management rather than additional hardware tuners, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining PVR adaptability.
4Productivity
If multiple demultiplexers are used to handle multiple streams simultaneously, then concurrent recording capability is improved, but device complexity and resource consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the demultiplexing task by time and content rather than requiring separate demultiplexer hardware instances. By dividing the stream processing into time-based segments that can be shared, the system achieves concurrent recording capability through efficient software-based segment management rather than through multiple complex demultiplexer hardware components.
Data Source
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AI summary
In storing of a plurality of overlapping recordings of a same digital video and/or audio stream, resource optimization is obtained through reuse of allocated resources when multiple record actions are operated on a same digital video and/or audio stream.