TV Signal Configuration via Selective Multicast Stream Extraction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional IPTV systems waste bandwidth and storage by transmitting all substreams of a TV service, even if only some are used, due to limited channel switching and recording capabilities, and require unnecessary equipment for stream management.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that allow users to configure their TV signal by selecting only the needed streams, using user-configurable stream selection information to request and transmit only the required multicast or unicast streams, eliminating the need for mixing and encoding equipment and reducing bandwidth and storage occupancy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If all substreams of a TV service are transmitted to the end-terminal, then the complete service is available for recording and playback, but bandwidth of the access line is unnecessarily occupied
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and transmits only the selected substreams that the user actually wants to view, rather than transmitting the complete MPEG stream. The end-terminal requests specific substreams based on user selection, and only those selected substreams are sent over the access line, eliminating waste of bandwidth on unused content.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of transmitting the complete set of substreams (excessive action), the system transmits only the necessary portion (selected substreams) that the user has explicitly chosen to view. This partial transmission approach optimizes bandwidth usage while maintaining service quality for selected content.
2Reliability
If all substreams are transmitted to the end-terminal, then complete service content is available, but storage capacity is unnecessarily occupied
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts and records only the selected substreams at the end-terminal rather than storing the complete MPEG stream with all substreams. This extraction approach reduces storage requirements while preserving the complete service content for the user's selected channels and programs.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the access node transmits the complete MPEG stream, then all substreams are available at the end-terminal, but the number of selectable streams is limited by MPEG transport stream capacity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the TV service into individual substreams that can be independently selected and transmitted. Rather than being constrained by the fixed structure of a single MPEG transport stream, the system separates video, audio, and other substreams, allowing flexible combination and transmission of only the selected portions over the access line.
4Device complexity
If conventional IPTV systems transmit complete MPEG streams, then no additional equipment is needed at the access node, but bandwidth and storage are wasted
Solution Approach 1:
The end-terminal performs self-service by selecting which substreams to request based on user preferences. The terminal autonomously determines which streams are needed and sends requests accordingly, eliminating the need for complex server-side stream management while optimizing bandwidth usage through selective transmission.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method is described for configuring an TV signal in a system comprising an end-terminal connected to an access node and one or more media servers capable of transmitting a predetermined number of multicast streams associated with a user-configurable TV service to the access node. The method comprises the steps of: retrieving stream selection information of the user-configurable TV service; selecting streams from the predetermined number of multicast streams using the stream selection information; sending for each selected multicast stream a stream request message to the access node, wherein the request message requests transmission of the selected stream to the end-terminal; and receiving the selected streams.