Reusable Initialization Segments to Reduce CDN Storage Burden

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing content delivery networks face network-related and storage-related issues due to the generation of redundant initialization segments for each content item, leading to increased infrastructure burden, processing times, and latency from cache misses.

Innovation Solution

Generate a common initialization segment for content items sharing common parameters, allowing its reuse across different channels, and modify manifest files to reference this segment, thereby reducing redundant segment generation, storage, and cache misses.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If initialization segments are generated for each content item, then content delivery accuracy is improved, but storage burden and network bandwidth consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontent delivery accuracyVSAvoidstorage burden
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a universal initialization segment template that can be reused across multiple content items sharing the same codec and format. This template serves as a common foundation that eliminates the need to generate separate initialization segments for each content item, thereby reducing storage burden while maintaining delivery accuracy through content-specific parameter customization.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent merges common parameters across multiple content items into a single initialization segment template. By combining the shared initialization data structure and parameters that are identical across content items with the same technical specifications, the system reduces redundant storage while preserving the ability to deliver content accurately.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Reliability

If initialization segments are generated for each content item, then content delivery accuracy is improved, but network bandwidth consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontent delivery accuracyVSAvoidnetwork bandwidth consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The universal initialization segment template can be reused across multiple content items, eliminating the need to transmit redundant initialization data for each content item. This reduces network bandwidth consumption significantly while maintaining content delivery accuracy through the use of content-specific parameter overlays on the common template.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

By merging common initialization parameters into a single reusable template, the system eliminates redundant network transmissions. The template is transmitted once and can be applied to multiple content items, thereby reducing overall network bandwidth consumption while preserving delivery accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Manufacturing precision

If initialization segments are generated for each content item, then content-specific accuracy is improved, but processing time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontent-specific accuracyVSAvoidprocessing time
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary action by creating a universal initialization segment template in advance that contains all common parameters. This template is prepared beforehand and can be quickly applied to multiple content items by simply overlaying content-specific parameters, thereby reducing processing time while maintaining content-specific accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The initialization segment is segmented into a common template portion and a content-specific parameter portion. This segmentation allows the system to reuse the common template across multiple content items without regenerating it, while still maintaining content-specific accuracy through the parameter overlay mechanism.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

4Reliability

If redundant initialization segments are stored, then content delivery reliability is improved, but cache efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontent delivery reliabilityVSAvoidcache efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The universal initialization segment template serves multiple content items simultaneously, improving cache efficiency by reducing the total number of initialization segments that need to be stored. The template can be reused across multiple content items, thereby maintaining content delivery reliability while optimizing cache utilization.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

By merging common initialization data into a single reusable template, the system reduces the total volume of data stored in cache. This merging eliminates redundant storage of identical initialization segments across multiple content items, thereby improving cache efficiency while maintaining delivery reliability through the template application mechanism.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP4598030A1Methods, systems, and apparatuses for improved content storage
Publication Date: 2025.08.06 COMCAST CABLE COMM LLC
  • EP4598030A1 patent drawingFigure 1A
  • EP4598030A1 patent drawingFigure 1B
  • EP4598030A1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

The present methods, systems, and apparatuses may provide for more efficient transmission and storage of initialization segments for individual content items that share a set of common parameters. Instead of generating initialization segments that are specific to each content item, a common initialization segment for the content items and/or an existing initialization segment for one of the content items may be used for initializing playback of one or more content segments for any of the content items sharing the set of common parameters.