Proxy Unit for Dynamic Unicast and Broadcast Media Transport Switching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current communication systems face challenges in efficiently streaming media data over networks, particularly in seamlessly switching between unicast and broadcast/multicast transport mechanisms, and in managing time-shifted buffers for trick modes like fast forward and rewind without requiring user intervention.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a proxy unit that maps media data identifiers to resource locations based on available transport services, allowing for dynamic switching between unicast and broadcast/multicast, and the use of session description protocol (SDP) extensions to signal time-shifted buffer depths for efficient memory allocation and trick mode playback.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple transport mechanisms (unicast and broadcast/multicast) are used for media streaming, then network resource utilization and service reliability are improved, but system complexity and difficulty of managing transport switching increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a proxy unit as an intermediary component that manages transport switching between unicast and broadcast/multicast mechanisms. The proxy unit receives client requests, determines the appropriate transport mode based on service availability, and handles the switching logic, thereby isolating the complexity from the client application and improving service reliability through diversified transport paths.
Solution Approach 2:
The proxy unit is designed with multi-functional capabilities to handle both unicast and broadcast/multicast transport modes within a single component. It can retrieve media data through multiple transport mechanisms, manage time-shifted buffers, and provide trick mode functionalities, reducing the need for separate specialized components and simplifying the overall system architecture.
2Ease of operation
If time-shifted buffers are implemented for trick modes (fast forward, rewind), then user experience is improved, but memory allocation complexity and buffer management overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The time-shifted buffer implementation includes automatic memory allocation based on signaled buffer depths from the media server. The proxy unit receives buffer depth information through SDP extensions, automatically calculates required memory resources, and manages buffer operations without requiring manual user configuration or intervention, thereby improving ease of operation while keeping management complexity handled automatically.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-allocating time-shifted buffers before media playback begins. The proxy unit receives buffer depth signaling in advance, allocates appropriate memory resources, and prepares the buffer for trick mode operations, ensuring that when users need fast forward or rewind functionality, the infrastructure is already in place and ready to operate immediately.
3Ease of operation
If automatic service detection and transport switching are implemented, then ease of operation is improved, but processing overhead and complexity of service availability determination increase
Solution Approach 1:
The proxy unit implements feedback mechanisms to detect service availability dynamically. It monitors whether broadcast or multicast services are available, adjusts transport mode selection based on this feedback, and switches between unicast and broadcast/multicast accordingly. This automated feedback-driven approach improves ease of operation by eliminating manual configuration while managing detection complexity through systematic monitoring protocols.
Data Source
AI summary
A proxy unit is configured to obtain mapping information that maps an identifier for media data to a resource location based on a service for retrieving the media data, wherein the service defines at least one of a plurality of types of transports for transporting the media data, receive a request for the media data from an application service client, determine whether the service is available, and, when the service is available, cause the application service client to receive the media data from a unit that receives the media data using the service from the resource location, based on the mapping information. In this manner, the application service client may receive media data from the unit (e.g., a middleware unit), which then receives the media data using a service that defines transport according to, e.g., broadcast or multicast transport, or another fashion (e.g., unicast) if the defined transport is unavailable.