Satellite Transponder Data Distribution for Variable Bit-Rate Video

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Solution Overview

Problem

Satellite broadcast systems face bandwidth constraints when transmitting high bandwidth video content, as the peak bit-rate of compressed high bandwidth video often exceeds the capacity of individual transponder carriers, and legacy set-top boxes lack the hardware to receive transponder bonded signals, requiring costly upgrades to support new video standards like 4KTV.

Innovation Solution

A method and system that distribute data for low bandwidth video streams on a single transponder carrier while dividing high bandwidth video streams across multiple transponder carriers, using packet identifiers to assign data packets efficiently, allowing legacy set-top boxes to receive low bandwidth content while utilizing excess capacity for high bandwidth content, thereby enhancing spectral efficiency without needing hardware upgrades for transponder bonding.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If multiple compressed video signals are multiplexed together using statistical multiplexer to accommodate variable bit-rate on fixed bit-rate carrier channels, then spectral efficiency is improved, but the peak bit-rate of individual high bandwidth video streams still exceeds the capacity of individual transponder carriers

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespectral efficiencyVSAvoidbandwidth capacity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides high bandwidth video data streams into multiple lower bandwidth component streams, each of which can be transmitted on individual transponder carriers. This segmentation allows the original high bandwidth content to be distributed across multiple carriers, overcoming the limitation that peak bit-rate of compressed high bandwidth video exceeds the capacity of individual transponder carriers.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent combines multiple transponder carriers to transmit segmented portions of high bandwidth video streams. By merging the capacity of multiple carriers and using statistical multiplexing across them, the system achieves efficient transmission of high bandwidth content while maintaining compatibility with legacy receivers that can still access individual low bandwidth streams on single carriers.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Quantity of substance

If transponder bonding is implemented to transmit high bandwidth video streams across multiple transponder carriers, then bandwidth capacity is improved, but legacy set-top boxes lack the hardware to receive transponder bonded signals requiring costly upgrades

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebandwidth capacityVSAvoidhardware requirements

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments high bandwidth video streams into multiple lower bandwidth component streams that can be transmitted on individual transponder carriers. Legacy set-top boxes can receive and decode these individual streams without requiring transponder bonding hardware, maintaining backward compatibility while enabling high bandwidth content distribution to capable receivers.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a universal transmission scheme where the same segmented stream structure serves both legacy receivers (which can handle individual low bandwidth streams) and advanced receivers (which can combine multiple streams via transponder bonding). This multi-functionality eliminates the need for costly hardware upgrades across the entire subscriber base.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Ease of operation

If all data for low bandwidth video streams is assigned to a single transponder carrier to ensure compatibility with legacy set-top boxes, then ease of operation is improved, but the excess capacity of transponder carriers cannot be efficiently utilized for high bandwidth content

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereceiver compatibilityVSAvoidbandwidth utilization

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments video content into low bandwidth and high bandwidth streams, with low bandwidth streams assigned to individual transponder carriers for legacy compatibility and high bandwidth streams segmented across multiple carriers for efficient bandwidth utilization. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by allowing each carrier to serve dual purposes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent makes transponder carriers multi-functional by allowing them to carry both complete low bandwidth video streams (for legacy receiver compatibility) and segmented portions of high bandwidth video streams (for advanced receivers). This universal approach maximizes bandwidth utilization while maintaining ease of operation across different receiver types.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS10785516B2Data distribution amongst transponder carriers

Publication Date: 2020.09.22 DIRECTV LLC

AI summary

A satellite broadcast system is used to transmit streams of variable bit-rate content using fixed bit-rate channels that correspond to respective satellite transponder carriers. High bandwidth content is transmitted over multiple transponder carriers in parallel with a combined bandwidth sufficient for the peak bit-rate of the high bandwidth content, whereas multiple streams of low bandwidth content can be transmitted over a single transponder carrier simultaneously by multiplexing the low bandwidth content. High bandwidth content may be multiplexed with low bandwidth content rather than assigning all high bandwidth content to be transmitted exclusively over dedicated high bandwidth transponders.