Shared Bandwidth Allocation for Digital Content Storage and Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing video-on-demand (VOD) systems face challenges in efficiently managing bandwidth for both recorded video playback and live streaming, leading to increased costs due to the need for extensive computing and storage resources.
Innovation Solution
A cloud-based digital content storage and delivery system (DCSDS) that utilizes shared network bandwidth to dynamically allocate resources for both recorded video playback and live streaming, by monitoring bandwidth usage, reserving bandwidth for playback, and allocating remaining bandwidth for live streaming distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If VOD systems maintain large libraries of video content to ensure programming variety, then content selection and viewer satisfaction are improved, but processing and storage costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines RS-DVR and CDN functionalities into a single integrated system, allowing the same storage infrastructure to serve both recorded video playback and live streaming distribution, thereby reducing total storage resource requirements while maintaining content variety
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables storage resources to perform multiple functions: the same stored content can be used for both on-demand playback (RS-DVR) and live streaming distribution (CDN), maximizing the utility of each stored video file and reducing the need for duplicate content storage
2Adaptability or versatility
If separate systems are used for RS-DVR and CDN functionalities, then functional independence is improved, but network bandwidth consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges RS-DVR and CDN into a unified system where a single network connection handles both recorded video playback and live streaming distribution, eliminating the need for separate network infrastructure and reducing total bandwidth consumption
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically allocates the shared network bandwidth between RS-DVR and CDN functionalities based on real-time demand, allowing the bandwidth distribution to adapt to varying traffic patterns while maintaining both functions within the same network resource pool
3Productivity
If extensive computing and storage resources are allocated to VOD systems, then content processing capability is improved, but system cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system makes computing and storage resources serve multiple purposes: the same infrastructure processes both recorded video for on-demand playback and handles live streaming content delivery, thereby improving resource utilization efficiency and reducing the total quantity of resources needed
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated system automatically manages and allocates computing and storage resources between RS-DVR and CDN functions based on demand, eliminating the need for separate dedicated infrastructure and reducing overall system cost through intelligent resource sharing
Data Source
AI summary
A digital content storage and delivery system (DCSDS) includes a network interface to communicate data between the DCSDS and a destination device via a network data communication link having limited bandwidth. An input interface receives digital content for handling by the DCSDS. A storage architecture stores recorded video content on behalf of subscriber end users for on-demand playback via the network data communication link, and it caches live streaming video content for distribution via the network data communication link. The DCDS may monitor bandwidth usage of the network data communication link, determine current bandwidth demand for playback of recorded video content stored at the storage architecture, and reserve at least some of the limited bandwidth of the network data communication link to satisfy the determined current bandwidth demand. The available bandwidth is allocated to support distribution of live streaming video from the DCSDS.