Surplus Network Capacity Buffering for Playback Continuity

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing progressive download methods for streaming media content are not immune to persistent network impairments, leading to interruptions in playback sessions, and they often cause network congestion due to the high demand for continuous data delivery, which affects access networks and user experiences.

Innovation Solution

The system utilizes surplus network capacity to pre-fill a receiver buffer and allows content delivery to continue in the background, ensuring uninterrupted playback by using available bandwidth without impacting other users' applications, and switches to local storage for playback once the content is fully downloaded.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If progressive download is used to pre-fill receiver buffer, then playback continuity is improved, but network congestion worsens due to high demand for continuous data delivery

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveplayback continuityVSAvoidnetwork congestion

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts the download rate based on real-time network conditions. When network capacity is abundant, the download rate increases to pre-fill the buffer; when network capacity is constrained, the download rate decreases to avoid congestion. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction by making the buffer-filling process responsive to network state rather than using a fixed high-rate approach.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the parameter of download rate according to network capacity measurements. By monitoring network conditions and adjusting the data transfer rate parameter, the system can maintain buffer fill levels necessary for playback continuity while adapting to varying network capacity to prevent congestion.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Loss of time

If high download rate is used to fill buffer quickly, then playback start time is improved, but network resource consumption worsens

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebuffer fill timeVSAvoidnetwork resource consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The system employs periodic measurement of network capacity and adjusts buffer filling in periodic intervals. Instead of continuously maximizing download rate, the system periodically assesses network conditions and modulates the fill rate accordingly, achieving buffer completion in reasonable time while distributing network resource usage over time to avoid excessive consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The system applies partial action by filling the buffer to a sufficient but not necessarily complete level before playback starts. By using surplus network capacity when available but not aggressively over-utilizing network resources, the system achieves acceptable buffer fill times while consuming moderate network resources.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Reliability

If continuous network delivery is used for playback, then playback quality is improved, but network dependency worsens making playback vulnerable to network impairments

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveplayback qualityVSAvoidnetwork dependency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary action by pre-filling the receiver buffer with sufficient content before playback begins. This advance buffer filling reduces the duration of continuous network delivery needed during playback, thereby reducing vulnerability to network impairments while maintaining playback quality through the pre-loaded content.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system provides beforehand cushioning by maintaining a buffer of pre-downloaded content that acts as a cushion against network interruptions. This buffer cushion allows playback to continue smoothly even when network delivery is interrupted, reducing dependency on continuous network connectivity while preserving playback quality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

Data Source

PatentUS8909807B2System and method for progressive download using surplus network capacity

Publication Date: 2014.12.09 OPANGA NETWORKS INC

AI summary

Systems and methods for providing the progressive download of media content using techniques that preferentially identify and use periods of surplus network capacity to maintain the content delivery. A buffer of a receiving system is maintained and pre-filled with enough content to bridge playback intervals where a network is unable to deliver content as fast as it is played out. Content delivery does not impact other users' applications and use of the network and its resources since content is only sent when surplus network capacity exists in the network. When no surplus network capacity is available, a user requesting content may be given the option to continue the delivery in the background so that the content may be played at a later time. The user may then resume their playback experience once the content has been completely delivered using surplus network capacity as it becomes available.