RQM System RTCP Reports for Digital Broadcast Quality Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
The transition to digital broadcast television has introduced challenges in viewer experience monitoring, as digital errors result in jarring artifacts like severe pixilation, unlike analog noise, which was less disruptive. Existing technologies lack effective methods for coordinated quality measurement and feedback across different client devices receiving digital broadcasts.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of Rating and Quality Measurement (RQM) systems that generate and communicate Real-time Transport Protocol (RTP) Control Protocol (RTCP) reports from client devices to an upstream network device, enabling coordinated quality monitoring and aggregation of viewer experience data across different digital broadcast networks, including satellite, terrestrial, and cable networks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If digital broadcast services are implemented, then programming options and features are improved, but viewer experience monitoring becomes more difficult due to jarring artifacts from digital errors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where client devices generate RTCP reports containing quality measurement information and transmit them upstream to network devices. This allows the network to receive continuous feedback about viewer experience quality, enabling monitoring and comparison of digital broadcast service quality across different networks while maintaining the versatility of digital programming options.
2Measurement precision
If quality measurement systems are implemented across different client devices, then viewer experience comparison is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a universal RTCP report structure that can be generated by any client device receiving digital broadcast services, regardless of the specific network type (satellite, terrestrial, or cable). The standardized report format includes quality measurement information that can be processed by any upstream network device, enabling consistent quality measurement across diverse systems without increasing individual device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The RTCP report serves as an intermediary data structure that bridges client devices and upstream network devices. It carries quality measurement information in a standardized format that facilitates comparison across different networks while simplifying the interaction between heterogeneous systems, thereby reducing overall system complexity.
3Reliability
If RTCP reports are generated and transmitted from multiple client devices, then quality monitoring coverage is improved, but network bandwidth consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements quality monitoring by having client devices generate RTCP reports, but not all devices need to report continuously or with the same frequency. The system can adjust the reporting rate and selectivity based on network conditions and quality thresholds, providing sufficient monitoring coverage while limiting bandwidth consumption to necessary levels.
Data Source
AI summary
In one system embodiment, a first receive-and-process (RP) system and a second RP system, the first and second RP systems each configured to receive a first broadcast stream corresponding to a service, the broadcast stream comprising either a raw Internet protocol (IP) stream or a non-IP stream, and each further configured to derive a first Real-time Transport Protocol (RTP) stream and a second RTP stream, respectively, based on the first broadcast stream, the first and second RTP streams having stream parameters in common, the first and second RP systems each further configured to provide respective first and second RTP Control Protocol (RTCP) reports, the first and second RTCP reports based on the derived first and second RTP streams, the first and second RTCP reports each comprising information associated with a viewer experience, the respective information having a common benchmark as a basis for comparison.