Streaming Multicast Error Correction in Tree Network Topologies
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing forward error correction techniques are ineffective for streaming media multicasts due to the accumulation of errors in tree-based network topologies, where check packets often arrive too late to be useful for decoding missing packets in streaming media transmission.
Innovation Solution
Implementing forward error correction in a network where nodes generate and transmit check packets proactively to downstream nodes, allowing them to decode missing streaming media packets before they are needed, using a tree topology to manage bandwidth and latency effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If forward error correction check packets are sent in traditional multicast, then packet loss can be corrected, but check packets arrive too late to be useful for streaming media playback
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by having upstream nodes generate and forward check packets in advance of when they are actually needed for packet reconstruction. Instead of waiting to detect packet loss before generating check packets, the system proactively creates and transmits check packets upstream, allowing them to arrive at downstream nodes before playback is required, thus resolving the timing issue where check packets traditionally arrive too late
2Loss of energy
If tree-based topology is used for multicast, then bandwidth is efficiently managed, but errors accumulate at each level of the network
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves error accumulation in tree-based topology by applying preliminary action at each node level. Each upstream node generates check packets from its received message packets before forwarding them downstream. This proactive generation of check packets at multiple levels creates redundant error correction capability throughout the tree, allowing downstream nodes to reconstruct lost packets even when errors have propagated through multiple levels of the hierarchy
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the error correction function across multiple independent nodes in the tree hierarchy. Rather than relying on a single centralized error correction mechanism, each node independently generates and forwards check packets, creating distributed error correction segments throughout the network. This segmentation prevents error accumulation because each segment can independently correct errors before they propagate further downstream
Data Source
AI summary
Forward error correction may be implemented in a network having first, second and third nodes. The second node receives streaming media message packets and one or more check packets from an upstream first node. The second node transmits the message packets and check packets to a downstream third node. The second node uses the check packets to decode missing message packets and transmits the decoded missing packets to the third node before the missing message packets are to be presented by the third node. The third node may receive message packets and a first set of check packets from the second node and a second set of check packets from the first node. The third node may use check packets from both sets to decode missing message packets.