Packet Scheduler for Wireless Network Bandwidth Optimization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing content delivery protocols waste network resources when multimedia content is terminated early during presentation, as they fail to optimize bandwidth usage and adapt to varying user behavior and network conditions, especially in wireless networks.
Innovation Solution
A packet scheduling method that segments multimedia content based on anticipated usage and underlying transport conditions, allowing for dynamic adjustment of delivery to match consumer behavior, thereby reducing bandwidth wastage and optimizing network resource sharing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If progressive download delivers the entire file at maximum TCP rate, then the file is delivered quickly and network resources are freed for other activities, but wireless network bandwidth is wasted when the user cancels viewing before the content is consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by delivering content in segments ahead of time based on predicted user consumption patterns. The system pre-delivers a calculated portion of content (e.g., 20-30% for video) before the user actually needs it, balancing early availability with bandwidth conservation. This resolves the contradiction by delivering enough content quickly to satisfy user needs while limiting the total amount delivered to avoid waste from early cancellation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamics by making the delivery rate and segment size adaptive rather than fixed. The system dynamically adjusts the portion of content to pre-deliver based on real-time feedback including user behavior patterns, content type, and network conditions. This allows the system to optimize between delivery speed and bandwidth usage for each specific scenario, resolving the contradiction through adaptive control.
2Loss of energy
If streaming protocols rate shape traffic to match content encoding rate, then network bandwidth is optimized, but the start of presentation is delayed and jitter guarantees are impossible under varying wireless link conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-delivering a calculated portion of content segments before the user actually needs them. This creates a buffer that allows presentation to start immediately without waiting for rate-shaped delivery to complete, while still optimizing bandwidth usage through controlled pre-delivery amounts based on predicted consumption patterns.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments content into discrete portions and delivers them in a controlled sequence. By dividing content into segments and delivering specific portions ahead of time rather than continuous rate-shaped streaming, the system achieves both bandwidth optimization and reduced presentation start delay, as segments can be delivered independently without requiring continuous rate matching.
3Reliability
If the transport protocol guarantees jitter-free delivery, then streaming quality is maintained, but this is impossible to achieve under varying wireless link conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamics by making the delivery system adaptive to varying wireless conditions rather than attempting fixed jitter guarantees. The system dynamically adjusts segment delivery timing and amounts based on real-time network conditions, user behavior, and content characteristics, maintaining acceptable streaming quality while adapting to the inherent variability of wireless links.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-delivering content segments during periods of good network conditions or when predicted user consumption patterns indicate future need. This creates a buffer that protects against subsequent network variability, maintaining streaming quality without requiring continuous jitter guarantees under all conditions.
Data Source
AI summary
A packet scheduling method and apparatus with the knowledge of application behavior, anticipated usage/behavior based on the type of content, and underlying transport conditions during the time of delivery, is disclosed. This type of scheduling is applicable to a content server or a transit network device in wireless (e.g., 3G, WIMAX, LTE, WIFI) or wire-line networks. Methods for identifying or estimating rendering times of multi-media objects, segmenting a large media content, and automatically pausing or delaying delivery are disclosed. The scheduling reduces transit network bandwidth wastage, and facilitates optimal sharing of network resources such as in a wireless network.