Service Quality Index Aggregation for Media Distribution

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing media distribution systems face challenges in efficiently monitoring and managing service quality across complex networks, as individual parameter measurements from different network elements are not sufficient to provide a comprehensive view of service quality, leading to difficulties in identifying and addressing issues affecting multiple end users.

Innovation Solution

A service quality index (SQI) value is introduced, which aggregates measured parameters from multiple network elements across various layers of the communication protocol stack, providing a unified measure of service quality for communication paths. This SQI value is used to determine the level of service quality and identify issues affecting groups of end users, enabling proactive adjustments to resource allocation and configuration changes to improve service quality.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If individual parameter measurements from different network elements are monitored in isolation, then the complexity of monitoring each parameter separately is reduced, but the comprehensiveness of service quality assessment deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemonitoring complexityVSAvoidservice quality assessment comprehensiveness

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple individual parameter measurements from different network elements into a single aggregated service quality index value. This allows comprehensive service quality assessment while reducing monitoring complexity by treating the aggregated index as a single metric rather than tracking numerous individual parameters separately.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The service quality index value serves as a universal metric that encompasses multiple different parameters and network elements. This single index provides a comprehensive view of service quality across the entire communication path, replacing the need for separate assessments of individual parameters.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Measurement precision

If aggregated service quality index values are calculated from multiple network elements, then the comprehensiveness of service quality monitoring is improved, but the computational complexity and data processing requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveservice quality monitoring comprehensivenessVSAvoiddata processing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary aggregation of parameter measurements at network elements before centralizing the service quality index calculation. This preliminary action reduces the complexity of centralized data processing by receiving pre-processed data from distributed network elements rather than raw measurements from all sources.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Difficulty of detecting and measuring

If service quality is monitored using individual parameters from each network element, then the ease of identifying specific problematic elements is improved, but the ability to detect common issues affecting multiple paths deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproblematic element identificationVSAvoidcommon issue detection capability

Core Design Contradiction:

Difficulty of detecting and measuringVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

By aggregating parameter measurements from multiple network elements into a service quality index, the system enables detection of common issues affecting multiple communication paths. The aggregated view reveals patterns and correlations that would be invisible when examining individual parameters in isolation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent maintains the ability to identify specific problematic elements by segmenting the analysis - while the service quality index provides aggregated oversight, the system can still drill down into individual network elements and parameters when anomalies are detected, combining both holistic and detailed views.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS9119103B2Managing media distribution based on a service quality index value

Publication Date: 2015.08.25 AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I L P

AI summary

A method includes receiving first measurement data from a first device. The first device may be a first element of a communication path. The first measurement data may correspond to a first measured parameter associated with performance of the communication path. The method further includes receiving second measurement data from a second device. The second device may be a second element of the communication path. The second measurement data may correspond to a second measured parameter (distinct from the first measured parameter) associated with performance of the communication path. The method further includes determining a first service quality index value corresponding to performance of the communication path based on the first measurement data and the second measurement data.