Predictive Caching Identical Starting Sequences

Solution Overview

Problem

Users experience delays in playback of network-streamed media content due to initial buffering and software/hardware initialization, despite having sufficient bandwidth, leading to frustration with immediate access expectations.

Innovation Solution

Implement predictive caching that identifies and caches identical starting sequences for multiple content items only once, reducing cache size and enabling faster playback by preloading initial portions and metadata before user request, allowing seamless continuation of content streaming.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If predictive caching is implemented for each content item separately, then playback speed is improved, but cache size increases unnecessarily

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveplayback speedVSAvoidcache size

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges identical starting sequences from multiple content items into a single cached copy. The system detects when different content items share the same initial portion and stores only one instance, which can be reused across multiple items. This combining approach maintains fast playback for all items while significantly reducing the total cache size compared to storing separate copies for each item.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The cached starting sequence serves multiple functions by being reusable across different content items. A single cached starting sequence can be applied to multiple content items that share it, making the cache entry universal rather than item-specific. This multi-functionality allows the system to achieve fast playback for numerous items without proportionally increasing cache size.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Volume of stationary object

If users wait for buffering and initialization before playback, then cache storage is optimized, but user satisfaction decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecache storage efficiencyVSAvoiduser wait time

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of stationary objectVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary caching of starting sequences before users request content playback. By detecting and caching the initial portions of content items in advance, the system prepares data ahead of time so that when users select content for playback, the buffered portion is already available, eliminating or reducing wait time. This preliminary action occurs during idle periods or content selection phases.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If identical starting sequences are cached separately for each content item, then playback reliability is improved, but storage efficiency deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveplayback reliabilityVSAvoidstorage efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges identical starting sequences from multiple content items into a single cached copy. The system detects when different content items share the same initial portion and stores only one instance, which can be reused across multiple items. This combining approach maintains fast playback for all items while significantly reducing the total cache size compared to storing separate copies for each item.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS11336928B1Predictive caching of identical starting sequences in content

Publication Date: 2022.05.17 AMAZON TECH INC

AI summary

Disclosed are various embodiments for predictive caching of identical starting sequences in content. A content item library is scanned to identify an initial portion shared by multiple content items. The initial portion is extracted from a first content item. It is determined that a second content item is to be predictively cached by a client. The initial portion of the first content item is sent to the client in place of the initial portion of the second content item.