Ring Buffer File Management for Live Media Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Live media applications, such as digital TV broadcasting, face challenges in storing high-definition content due to large storage requirements and unpredictable file sizes, and existing playback systems are not suitable for time-shift applications as they deal with constant files rather than dynamic content.
Innovation Solution
A file management method and apparatus for a ring buffer that translates actual positions of an actual file into virtual positions, allowing for infinite and linear file management, using a translation module, searching module, and data access module to enable seamless data access and storage within limited hardware capacities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If high bit rate compression is used for HD content, then content quality is improved, but storage size becomes huge and unpredictable
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically manages the ring buffer by continuously overwriting old data with new data. The buffer size is fixed but the content is dynamic, allowing the system to handle unpredictable file sizes and continuous media streams without requiring excessive storage capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of storage management from static file allocation to dynamic circular buffer allocation. By using modulo arithmetic operations, the system efficiently manages write and read positions, allowing continuous data flow while maintaining a fixed storage footprint.
2Ease of operation
If traditional file systems are used for storage, then file access is simple, but time-shift applications cannot be supported since files must be constant
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a translation layer that acts as an intermediary between the traditional file system interface and the actual ring buffer storage. This translation layer maps virtual file positions to actual buffer positions, allowing traditional playback applications to access dynamic content through a familiar interface while the underlying storage operates as a continuous ring buffer.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a virtual copy of the file interface that abstracts the underlying ring buffer mechanism. Applications interact with the virtual file copy, which translates their access requests to the actual dynamic buffer, thereby maintaining compatibility with traditional file-based applications while enabling time-shift functionality.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a ring buffer is used for continuous storage, then time-shift application is enabled, but storage positions must be translated between actual and virtual files
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex position tracking mechanisms with simple arithmetic operations. By using modulo arithmetic to calculate write and read positions in the ring buffer, the system achieves efficient position management without requiring complex data structures or algorithms. The translation between virtual and actual positions is accomplished through straightforward mathematical computations.
Data Source
AI summary
A file management method of a ring buffer includes translating actual positions of an actual file stored in the ring buffer into virtual positions of a virtual file according to a specific mapping manner, searching the actual positions in the actual file according to the virtual positions, and accessing data at the actual positions of the actual file stored in the ring buffer.