Satellite Buffer Refilling for Vehicle Streaming
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing broadband satellite communication systems for vehicles face interruptions due to obstacles, leading to increased operational costs from excessive satellite bandwidth usage when using delay buffers to maintain near real-time IP streaming services.
Innovation Solution
A telecommunication system comprising a service control center and mobile terminals with steerable satellite antennas, utilizing geographical databases to manage delay buffers and optimize satellite resource usage by selectively scheduling data refilling based on obstacle proximity and vehicle motion data, and pre-pointing the antenna to re-establish satellite connections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If delay buffers are used to maintain service continuity during link interruptions, then service reliability is improved, but satellite bandwidth consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by predicting link interruptions before they occur using geographical information about obstacles (tunnels, hills, urban canyons) and vehicle location data. This allows the service control center to proactively manage buffer refilling operations, transmitting data during periods of good link quality before interruptions occur, thereby reducing the need for excessive bandwidth during actual interruptions while maintaining service continuity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms by continuously monitoring vehicle location, link quality, and buffer status. The service control center receives updates on vehicle position and uses this feedback to dynamically adjust buffer refilling strategies. This closed-loop control allows optimization of bandwidth usage by refilling buffers only when necessary and when link conditions are favorable, resolving the contradiction between maintaining reliability and reducing bandwidth consumption.
2Reliability
If buffer refilling is performed for a fleet of vehicles, then service continuity is maintained, but operational costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses geographical databases containing information about obstacles along vehicle tracks to predict upcoming link interruptions. By knowing in advance where interruptions will occur, the service control center can schedule buffer refilling operations during optimal times when link quality is good, avoiding costly emergency refilling during interruptions and reducing overall operational costs while maintaining service continuity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically changes operational parameters including buffer refilling timing, data transmission rates, and buffer size allocations based on vehicle location, predicted obstacle encounters, and current link quality. This adaptive parameter adjustment allows the system to optimize the balance between service continuity and operational costs for each vehicle in the fleet based on real-time conditions.
3Loss of energy
If real-time streaming is provided without delay buffers, then bandwidth usage is reduced, but service reliability deteriorates during obstacles
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary buffer refilling operations before vehicles enter obstacle zones by predicting upcoming interruptions using geographical data. This advance preparation allows the system to use minimal bandwidth during actual streaming by relying on pre-filled buffers during predicted interruption periods, thus reducing overall bandwidth usage while maintaining service reliability without requiring continuous high-bandwidth connections.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method (200) is disclosed for providing near real-time IP streaming services to a' plurality of mobile terminals (20), each installed on a corresponding vehicle and each comprising a delay buffer (28). Interruptions due to artificial or natural obstacles are such to determine missing data in the delay buffer (28). The method (200) addresses the management by the service control center (10) of the transmission of the buffers refilling data to the mobile terminals (20) with the aim of reducing the allocation of resources and service operational costs. A corresponding telecommunication system (1) is also disclosed.