Segmented Video Distribution via Edge Caching

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Solution Overview

Problem

Cable TV systems face bandwidth challenges due to the demand for simultaneous DVR recordings, which require multiple streams to be sent to customer premise equipment (CPE), leading to increased network demands and storage requirements on CPE devices.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a content distribution system with an origin segmentation server at the headend and an edge segmentation server at a remote content distribution center, using segmented content streaming standards like HLS, to efficiently manage video streams, reduce bandwidth usage, and store recordings at the headend, while allowing CPE devices to request segments and playlists efficiently.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If multiple streams are sent to CPE for simultaneous DVR recordings, then recording capability is improved, but bandwidth consumption and storage requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveDVR recording capabilityVSAvoidBandwidth consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The video stream is divided into multiple segments that can be independently managed and distributed. The edge segmentation server creates segments from the received stream and stores them locally, allowing multiple CPE devices to access different segments for simultaneous recordings without requiring multiple full streams to be transmitted over the network.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

An edge segmentation server is introduced as an intermediary between the headend and CPE devices. This server receives the main stream from the headend, performs local segmentation and caching, then serves segmented content to multiple CPE devices. This intermediary enables efficient bandwidth utilization by serving local requests without constant headend communication.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If multiple streams are sent to CPE for simultaneous DVR recordings, then recording capability is improved, but storage requirements on CPE devices increase

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveDVR recording capabilityVSAvoidStorage requirements on CPE

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The edge segmentation server acts as an intermediary storage node that maintains segment caches locally. Instead of requiring CPE devices to store complete program recordings, the system stores segmented content at the edge server, which then serves segments to CPE devices as needed. This distributes storage requirements away from individual CPE devices.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

By segmenting the video stream into discrete chunks stored at the edge server, the system enables CPE devices to access only the specific segments they need for recording rather than requiring storage of entire programs. This segmented approach reduces the storage burden on individual customer premises equipment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Adaptability or versatility

If segmented video is delivered using HTTP servers and caching technology, then delivery flexibility is improved, but network latency increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveDelivery flexibilityVSAvoidNetwork latency

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The edge segmentation server performs preliminary actions by pre-segmenting and caching video content locally before it is requested by CPE devices. When a CPE device requests content, the edge server can immediately serve from its local cache without needing to retrieve segments from the headend in real-time, significantly reducing network latency while maintaining the flexibility of segmented delivery.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS10715880B2Method for creation and distribution of segmented video over distributed multicast-aware sparse networks with low latency

Publication Date: 2020.07.14 SKITTER INC

AI summary

A video distribution system minimizes bandwidth use between a headend and a remote video distribution center through an origin segmentation server and an edge segmentation server. The origin segmentation server is located at the headend and creates segments and playlists for every video stream originating at the headend. An edge segmentation server is located at the remote video distribution center and receives a request for a playlist of a content stream from CPE. The edge segmentation server joins a multicast group with the content stream and requests the playlist from the origin segmentation server. The edge segmentation server constructs a second playlist with a predetermined final number of segments from the playlist to return to the CPE, generates segments from the content stream received from the headend, identifies and obtains missing segments from the origin segmentation server, and updates the second playlist with the missing segments and segments generated by the edge segmentation server.