Video Server Client Resource Exchange for Load Balancing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current video distribution systems inefficiently utilize network bandwidth and client CPU resources due to mismatched video stream resolutions, as NVR servers deliver high-resolution streams to clients regardless of their display capabilities, leading to unnecessary bandwidth waste and increased computing load.

Innovation Solution

A method and system for intelligently sharing resources between video servers and clients by exchanging resource capabilities, allowing the server and clients to determine whether to scale or transcode video streams based on available processing resources, thereby optimizing network bandwidth and CPU utilization.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If the video server delivers high-resolution video streams to all clients, then the video quality is improved, but the network bandwidth utilization deteriorates and client CPU load increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevideo qualityVSAvoidnetwork bandwidth
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies local quality by delivering different video resolutions to different clients based on their specific display capabilities. Each client receives video at the appropriate resolution for its display device, rather than all clients receiving the same high-resolution stream. This resolves the contradiction by optimizing network bandwidth utilization while maintaining adequate video quality for each client's specific needs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Measurement precision

If the video server delivers high-resolution video streams to all clients, then the video quality is improved, but the client CPU utilization deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevideo qualityVSAvoidclient CPU utilization
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system matches video resolution to each client's display capabilities, delivering appropriately sized video streams that do not exceed client processing capacities. This prevents unnecessary CPU strain on client devices while maintaining sufficient video quality for each client's specific display requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Adaptability or versatility

If a video capture device delivers multiple simultaneous streams at different resolutions, then the adaptability to different clients is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresolution adaptabilityVSAvoidcapture device complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system introduces the video server as an intermediary between the capture device and clients. The capture device produces a single high-resolution stream, and the server performs intelligent distribution, scaling, and delivery to multiple clients at appropriate resolutions. This intermediary approach provides resolution adaptability for multiple clients without requiring the capture device itself to be complex or support multiple simultaneous streams.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP2700241B1Method and system for load balancing between a video server and client
Publication Date: 2019.06.12 SENSORMATIC ELECTRONICS CORP
  • EP2700241B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2700241B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2700241B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A method and system for balancing the bad and resource requirements in a digital video distribution system between a video server and its video clients by allowing die server and the clients to exchange resource capabilities with each other. Upon receipt of a request tor a video stream from among available video content, the server determines whether it or the requesting client should scale the video stream based on which entity, client or server, is better equipped to scale the requested video stream to comply with the requesting client's resources and resolution capacity.