Unicast Multicast Conversion Device for HTTP Content Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current content distribution systems face challenges in efficiently converting between unicast and multicast traffic, particularly in maintaining HTTP-based web distribution systems, where devices need to support both unicast and multicast communication to optimize network bandwidth usage and ensure reliable video distribution.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of unicast-multicast conversion devices and multicast-unicast conversion devices within the network, which convert unicast communication to multicast and vice versa, allowing for efficient content forwarding and caching, and dynamically manage communication protocols to adapt to network conditions and user requests.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If multicast communication is used for content distribution, then network bandwidth usage is improved, but device compatibility deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces unicast-multicast conversion devices and multicast-unicast conversion devices as intermediary components between the content server and receiver terminals. These conversion devices translate between unicast and multicast protocols, allowing the network to utilize efficient multicast communication for content distribution while maintaining compatibility with receiver terminals that only support unicast protocols, thus resolving the contradiction between bandwidth efficiency and device compatibility
2Adaptability or versatility
If unicast communication is used for content distribution, then device compatibility is improved, but network bandwidth usage deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic communication mode selection where the system automatically switches between unicast and multicast modes based on real-time network conditions and receiver terminal capabilities. When multiple terminals request the same content, the system dynamically transitions to multicast mode for efficient bandwidth utilization, while maintaining unicast mode for individual requests or when multicast is not feasible, thus optimizing both device compatibility and network bandwidth usage
3Productivity
If multicast conversion devices are introduced, then content distribution efficiency is improved, but system complexity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The conversion devices are designed with multi-functional capabilities, serving as content reception units, content transmission units, and protocol conversion points simultaneously. These devices can handle both unicast and multicast traffic, perform content caching, and adapt to different network conditions, thereby improving content distribution efficiency while minimizing the increase in system complexity through consolidated functional design
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure is intended to enable efficient content forwarding in an HTTP-based web distribution system while maintaining HTTP, which is unicast. In the present disclosure, a unicast-multicast conversion device and a multicast-unicast conversion device that are connected, by using a multicast communication network, with a network between a content server and a terminal that perform web distribution are provided. The unicast-multicast conversion device and the multicast-unicast conversion device execute, in both multicast and unicast, forwarding of a content group into which a plurality of contents are grouped.