Streaming Media Playback Startup Time Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Digital media streaming systems experience significant delays between user request and playback initiation due to the need for digital rights management (DRM) authorization, which can increase perceived and actual wait times.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a method where the endpoint device retrieves metadata associated with digital media content titles before user requests, generating a DRM license request based on this metadata, and initiating playback upon receiving the license, allowing for pre-authorization and reduced delay.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of time

If DRM authorization is processed after user request, then security and authorization control are maintained, but playback startup time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveplayback startup timeVSAvoidDRM authorization control

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by retrieving metadata and initiating DRM license requests before the user actually requests playback. This advance preparation reduces the perceived wait time when the user wants to play content, while maintaining security because the actual content delivery only occurs after proper authorization is confirmed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The authorization process is segmented into distinct phases: metadata retrieval, license request generation, license acquisition, and content delivery. By separating these steps, the system can work on non-sensitive metadata and authorization setup in advance, then complete the security-critical content delivery phase only after proper licensing is secured.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Loss of time

If metadata is retrieved before user request, then authorization process is expedited, but network bandwidth is consumed in advance

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveauthorization wait timeVSAvoidnetwork bandwidth consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs partial action by retrieving only the metadata necessary for generating license requests, not the full content. This selective advance retrieval expedites the authorization process while minimizing unnecessary network bandwidth consumption, as only essential authorization data is fetched beforehand.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Speed

If DRM license request is generated immediately, then playback authorization is obtained faster, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelicense acquisition speedVSAvoidauthorization system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The metadata structure is designed to be universal and multi-functional, containing all necessary information for both display purposes and license request generation. This eliminates the need for separate data retrieval processes and reduces system complexity while maintaining fast license acquisition.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS10694258B2Startup times of streaming digital media playback

Publication Date: 2020.06.23 NETFLIX INC

AI summary

Techniques are provided for streaming digital media content. In one embodiment, metadata associated with a digital media content title is retrieved prior to receiving any user request to play the digital media content title. Upon receiving a user request to play the digital media content title, a license is requested based on the retrieved metadata. Upon receiving the license, streaming playback of digital media content title begins.