Partial Push Video on Demand Bandwidth Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current video-on-demand (VOD) systems face challenges in minimizing network traffic, particularly with unicast streaming, which consumes significant bandwidth, and multicast streaming limits flexibility by requiring subscribers to watch content at set intervals, undermining the 'on demand' aspect.
Innovation Solution
A system that pushes a segment of video content onto a subscriber's electronic device, allowing immediate viewing and then recording a staggered multicast stream, reducing network traffic and providing true VOD without the limitations of unicast or traditional multicast systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If unicast streaming is used to deliver video content to each subscriber, then each subscriber can watch content on demand, but network bandwidth consumption increases dramatically when multiple subscribers request the same content
Solution Approach 1:
The video content is divided into segments that are pushed to subscribers' electronic devices in advance. Instead of delivering complete videos through unicast streams, only segmented portions are pre-delivered and stored locally, reducing network bandwidth consumption while maintaining on-demand access capability.
Solution Approach 2:
Video content segments are pushed to subscribers' electronic devices before the subscribers actually request to watch them. This preliminary delivery allows the content to be stored locally, enabling instant playback without consuming network bandwidth at the moment of viewing, thus resolving the bandwidth consumption issue while preserving on-demand flexibility.
2Quantity of substance
If multicast streaming is used to deliver video content to all subscribers, then network bandwidth consumption is reduced, but subscribers are required to watch content at set intervals which undermines the on-demand aspect
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments video content and pushes only relevant segments to subscribers' devices rather than delivering complete multicast streams. This allows subscribers to access specific content segments on-demand without being constrained by fixed multicast scheduling intervals, thereby maintaining bandwidth efficiency while restoring viewing flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The subscriber's electronic device acts as an intermediary that stores pushed video segments locally. This local storage capability enables the device to provide content immediately upon subscriber request without requiring synchronized multicast transmission, thus eliminating the timing constraints of traditional multicast while maintaining bandwidth efficiency.
3Reliability
If multiple duplicate copies of video content are delivered through unicast streams to multiple subscribers, then each subscriber receives the content, but system bandwidth is dramatically reduced and systems are bombarded with traffic
Solution Approach 1:
Video content is segmented and pushed to multiple subscribers' devices in advance. Instead of delivering complete duplicate copies through unicast streams to each subscriber, the system distributes segmented portions that are stored locally, ensuring content delivery reliability while avoiding the bandwidth consumption associated with multiple full unicast streams.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary pushing of video segments to subscribers' electronic devices before actual viewing requests. This advance distribution ensures that content is reliably available at each subscriber's device without requiring simultaneous unicast transmissions, thus maintaining delivery reliability while preserving system bandwidth for other uses.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method of delivering video content over a network in communication with a subscriber having an associated electronic device is disclosed. A plurality of staggered streams of video content is delivered over a network. A segment of the video content is pushed onto the electronic device. A request for the video content is received at the electronic device, the pushed segment of video content is retrieved from the electronic device and the pushed segment of video content is displayed to the subscriber. A staggered stream of video content delivered over network is located and recorded on the electronic device.