Set-Top Box Replacement Pathway for Lost Packet Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional communication systems for media reception in set-top boxes face challenges with lost packet delivery, leading to interruptions and errors during playback of broadcast media streams from various sources like Internet, satellite, and cable-fiber head-ends.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that utilize a replacement pathway by enabling set-top boxes to detect delivery errors and retrieve replacement data from a replacement media server, which buffers and authenticates data to ensure seamless playback, using markup language interfaces and APIs for user interaction and service criteria management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional packet delivery is used during media reception, then system simplicity is maintained, but packet loss leads to playback interruptions and errors
Solution Approach 1:
A replacement media server is introduced as an intermediary component between the broadcast media server and the set-top box. When packet loss is detected, the STB requests replacement packets from this intermediary server, which provides alternative copies of the lost data. This mediator approach resolves the contradiction by improving packet delivery reliability through an additional communication pathway while containing system complexity through modular architecture and standardized interfaces.
2Reliability
If replacement data retrieval is implemented, then playback continuity is improved, but bandwidth consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements partial action by only retrieving replacement data when packet loss is actually detected, rather than continuously downloading backup streams. The STB monitors incoming packets for errors and selectively requests replacement packets only for lost segments. This approach improves playback continuity by providing error correction on-demand while minimizing bandwidth consumption by avoiding unnecessary data transmission during error-free reception.
3Reliability
If buffering is applied to accommodate replacement data retrieval, then seamless playback is achieved, but latency increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies preliminary action by pre-buffering a portion of the media stream before playback begins. This initial buffer allows the STB to retrieve replacement packets for lost data without immediately interrupting playback, as the buffered content can be played while replacement packets are fetched. This resolves the contradiction by enabling seamless playback through advance preparation while minimizing latency by using a moderate buffer size that balances continuity and speed.
Data Source
AI summary
A replacement pathway in an STB is utilized to determine loss of packets and delivery error during reception of media broadcasts, and to retrieve replacement data from one or more replacement media servers. The retrieval of the replacement data is performed during playback of the received media broadcasts. The communication of media broadcast incorporates delays to accommodate the retrieval of replacement data. Alternatively, received broadcast media streams are buffered to enable retrieval of replacement data and to provide seamless presentation of media content in the media broadcasts. The replacement media server performs access authentication operations during replacement data retrieval. The replacement media server is accessed via markup language, for example, HTML and/or XML, based interfaces and/or dedicated APIs. The replacement media server may deny replacement data based on plurality of service criteria such as acceptance and denial criteria, which may comprise allowable bandwidth and/or error rates.