Wireless Network Streaming Media Buffering for Mobile Terminals

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Solution Overview

Problem

Users face difficulties in accessing and enjoying real-time streaming media, such as sports events, over the Internet, especially when away from home or using low-bandwidth connections, which results in an unsatisfactory viewing or listening experience.

Innovation Solution

A wireless communication network is established using 3G, WCDMA, UMTS, or Wi-Fi technologies to facilitate the transmission of streaming media, including text, audio, and video content, allowing mobile terminals to receive media broadcasts while moving between cells, with authorization and subscription options from media broadcasters.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If streaming media is transmitted over the Internet using low bandwidth connections, then accessibility to real-time events is improved, but the viewing and listening experience deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccessibility to real-time eventsVSAvoidviewing and listening experience

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a wireless network as an intermediary between the Internet and mobile terminals. The wireless network receives streaming media from the Internet and retransmits it to mobile devices, acting as a buffer and quality enhancement layer that decouples the low-bandwidth Internet connection from the quality requirements of media playback

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transitions from a single-dimension Internet connection model to a multi-dimensional architecture involving wireless network infrastructure, base stations, and mobile terminals. This dimensional expansion allows quality optimization at each layer, with the wireless network providing high-quality transmission regardless of Internet connection quality

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Adaptability or versatility

If streaming media is transmitted over the Internet, then accessibility to real-time events is improved, but mobility and access away from home deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccessibility to real-time eventsVSAvoidmobility and access away from home

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The wireless network serves as a portable intermediary that follows the user throughout their mobility. Instead of requiring the user to be stationary with fixed Internet access, the wireless infrastructure provides continuous media delivery as the user moves between coverage areas

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The wireless network provides universal access to streaming media across multiple locations and mobility states. The system functions whether the user is stationary or moving, at home or away, by maintaining continuous connection through the wireless infrastructure

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Reliability

If wireless network bandwidth is used for streaming media transmission, then mobile access to high-quality media is improved, but network resource consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemedia transmission qualityVSAvoidnetwork resource consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The wireless network allocates bandwidth partially to streaming media rather than providing full dedicated capacity. Multiple users share the wireless infrastructure, and bandwidth is dynamically allocated based on demand, providing high-quality media transmission while distributing network resource consumption across the user base

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS7650111B2Methods, systems, and computer program products for transmitting streaming media to a mobile terminal using the bandwidth associated with a wireless network

Publication Date: 2010.01.19 META PLATFORMS INC

AI summary

A communication network is operated by providing a wireless communication network that has bandwidth associated therewith to facilitate communication between one or more mobile terminals and another communication device. Streaming media is transmitted to the one or more mobile terminals using the bandwidth associated with the wireless network.