Trick Playback via Exclusive Copy Time-Shifting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Service providers face challenges in enabling trick playback modes such as pause, play, stop, fast-forward, and rewind on media content while adhering to current copyright laws, which require exclusive access and storage of media content, increasing costs and complexity for Multi-System Operators (MSOs).
Innovation Solution
A service provider network that broadcasts media content to subscriber devices, simultaneously stores exclusive copies, and time-shifts them to allow trick playback modes while maintaining compliance with copyright laws by using primary and secondary media transport streams and exclusive storage regions accessible only by the subscriber.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the service provider stores exclusive copies of media content for each subscriber to enable trick playback modes, then trick playback functionality is improved, but storage costs and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the media delivery system into two distinct pathways: a broadcast path for delivering content to multiple subscribers simultaneously, and a unicast path for delivering time-shifted content to individual subscribers who request trick playback modes. This segmentation allows the system to maintain exclusive copies only when necessary, reducing overall storage complexity while enabling trick playback functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a conditional access module and transport stream processor as intermediary components that manage the transition between broadcast and unicast modes. These intermediaries handle the complex tasks of identifying when exclusive copies are needed, managing storage allocation, and coordinating between the broadcast infrastructure and individual subscriber requests, thereby reducing system complexity.
2Reliability
If the service provider obtains additional licenses for media content to comply with copyright laws, then copyright compliance is improved, but licensing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic licensing approach where the service provider obtains broadcast rights for content and then dynamically determines when additional licenses are needed based on actual subscriber requests for trick playback. The system adapts its licensing strategy in real-time, obtaining exclusive copy licenses only when a subscriber requests pause, rewind, or fast-forward functionality, rather than preemptively licensing all content.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of license acquisition from a static, content-based model to a dynamic, usage-based model. The system monitors playback requests and adjusts licensing requirements based on actual usage patterns, obtaining additional licenses only when and where trick playback functionality is requested, thereby reducing overall licensing costs while maintaining compliance.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the service provider uses unicast to deliver time-shifted content to enable trick playback modes, then playback flexibility is improved, but network bandwidth consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic monitoring of subscriber playback requests to determine when unicast delivery should be activated. Instead of continuously delivering unicast content to all subscribers, the system periodically checks for trick playback requests and switches to unicast mode only when needed, thereby reducing overall network bandwidth consumption while maintaining playback flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial unicast action by delivering full unicast streams only to subscribers who request trick playback modes, while other subscribers continue to receive content via efficient broadcast. This partial application of unicast to only those who need it reduces overall bandwidth consumption compared to universal unicast delivery, while still providing the necessary playback flexibility.
Data Source
AI summary
A service provider network can enable subscriber of a service with capabilities of performing one or more trick playback modes, such as pause, play, stop, fast-forward, and/or rewind to provide some examples, on media content provided by a service provider network that is being presently viewed by one or more subscribers while abiding by current copyright laws. The service provider network can broadcast the media content to a subscriber device that is associated with the subscriber and can simultaneously store an exclusive copy of the media content being displayed by the subscriber device. And, the systems, methods, and apparatuses can time-shift the exclusive copy of the media content in accordance with the one or more trick playback modes and can unicast the time-shifted copy of the media content to the subscriber device to perform the one or more trick playback modes.