Progressive Multimedia Delivery via Segmented Encoding

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Solution Overview

Problem

The fast and efficient delivery of multimedia content over networks is hindered by increasing web page sizes and low bandwidth connections, leading to user frustration, as existing methods either compress content to unacceptable quality or require complete object download before display.

Innovation Solution

A progressive content delivery system that re-encodes multimedia content into a progressive format, allowing initial low-quality rendering and incremental quality improvement, enabling concurrent delivery and on-demand retrieval of multimedia objects like images, text, and video.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If multimedia content is compressed to reduce bandwidth consumption, then delivery speed is improved, but content quality deteriorates to unacceptable levels

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedelivery speedVSAvoidcontent quality
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments multimedia content into multiple quality levels or resolutions. Instead of delivering a single compressed version, the system divides content into hierarchical layers (e.g., base layer and enhancement layers) that can be delivered progressively, allowing users to receive and view content at lower quality initially while maintaining the option to receive higher quality versions later.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies preliminary action by delivering a preliminary version or preview of multimedia content before the complete high-quality version. Users receive and can view content at reduced quality or resolution first, providing immediate satisfaction, while the full quality content continues to be delivered in the background for later rendering.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Manufacturing precision

If complete multimedia objects are downloaded before display, then content quality is maintained, but user waiting time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontent qualityVSAvoiduser waiting time
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the delivery process into multiple phases: an initial phase delivering essential or preview content for immediate display, followed by subsequent phases delivering additional content or quality enhancements. This allows the web page to be displayed progressively rather than requiring complete content download beforehand.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary delivery of content that can be displayed immediately (such as thumbnails, low-resolution versions, or essential text) while the complete high-quality multimedia objects continue to download in the background. This preliminary action eliminates user waiting time for initial display while preserving final content quality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Loss of energy

If high compression ratios are applied to multimedia objects, then bandwidth consumption is reduced, but image quality becomes unacceptable

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebandwidth consumptionVSAvoidimage quality
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by delivering different quality levels to different regions or portions of multimedia content based on user needs and network conditions. Critical or visually important regions may receive higher quality treatment while less important areas use lower compression, optimizing the trade-off between bandwidth consumption and perceived image quality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts compression ratios and quality levels based on real-time network conditions, user preferences, and content importance. Rather than applying a fixed high compression ratio, the system can adaptively modify delivery parameters to maintain acceptable quality while minimizing bandwidth usage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

4Quantity of substance

If web page size increases to include more multimedia content, then content completeness is improved, but delivery speed decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontent completenessVSAvoiddelivery speed
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments web page content into prioritized groups or layers, delivering essential content first and optional or enhancement content subsequently. This allows the web page to be displayed with core content immediately while additional multimedia elements continue to load, maintaining content completeness without sacrificing initial delivery speed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system delivers a partial version of the complete web page content that is sufficient for initial display and user interaction. Not all multimedia objects need to be fully delivered before the page becomes functional, allowing users to access core content quickly while optional enhancements load in the background.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentEP1929737B1Progressive delivery of multimedia objects
Publication Date: 2020.11.04 BLACKBERRY LTD
  • EP1929737B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP1929737B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP1929737B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present disclosure relates to methods and systems for progressively delivering multimedia content over a network. According to one aspect, a system for delivering multimedia content through a network includes a server side sub-system and a client side sub-system. The server side sub- system is configured to: concurrently send a first predetermined portion of each of the plurality of objects through the network, wherein the first predetermined portion is less than a complete object for at least one of the plurality of objects; and after sending the first predetermined portion of each of the plurality of objects, successively send subsequent predetermined portions of each of the plurality of objects until all portions of the plurality of objects have been sent. The client side sub-system is configured to: receive the first predetermined portion of each of the plurality of objects through the network; and after receiving the first predetermined portion of each of the plurality of objects, successively receive subsequent predetermined portions of each of the plurality of objects until all portions of each of the plurality of objects have been received.