Adaptive BitRate Streaming Delay Control for Quality Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Adaptive BitRate (ABR) algorithms in peer-to-peer streaming environments face challenges in controlling quality due to high apparent bandwidth and artificial buffer filling rates, leading to unstable quality oscillations and rebuffering events, as they were designed for simple streaming scenarios and are not easily accessible or modifiable.
Innovation Solution
A method that uses a trained model to estimate an optimal response delay for segment delivery, based on segment reception rates and ABR logic, to control the quality of streaming segments, allowing for universal and agnostic management of ABR algorithms in peer-to-peer networks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If P2P pre-buffering is used to increase apparent bandwidth, then segment loading speed improves, but ABR algorithm makes uncontrolled quality decisions leading to unstable oscillations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary response delay mechanism between segment request and delivery. The P2P server deliberately delays segment delivery by a calculated time period, acting as a mediator to control the ABR algorithm's quality decisions. This delay prevents the algorithm from making uncontrolled quality switches while still allowing fast P2P segment loading, thus resolving the contradiction between speed and stability.
2Manufacturing precision
If ABR algorithm automatically increases quality based on high buffer filling rate, then quality improvement is achieved, but rebuffering events occur due to excessive quality switches
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary anti-action by introducing a response delay before delivering segments to the player. This delay preemptively counteracts the ABR algorithm's tendency to make excessive quality switches. By controlling the timing of segment delivery, the system prevents the algorithm from reacting to artificial buffer filling rates, thereby avoiding rebuffering events and ensuring continuous playback while maintaining quality precision.
3Adaptability or versatility
If ABR logic is made accessible and modifiable, then quality control flexibility improves, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a simplified copy or model of the ABR control mechanism through the response delay parameter. Instead of making the complex ABR logic directly accessible and modifiable, the system implements a外层 control layer that uses a simple delay mechanism to achieve the desired quality control flexibility. This copying approach maintains adaptability while avoiding the complexity of modifying the underlying ABR algorithm.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a method for playing on a player of a client device (11) a content streamed in a network (1), said content consisting of a sequence of segments available in a plurality of quality levels, the player being configured so as to choose the quality level of the segments as a function of at least one parameter representative of a segment reception rate, according to an Adaptive BitRate, ABR, logic of the player; the client device (11) comprising a first buffer (M1) for storing segments in a format adapted for transferring within the network (1), the method being characterized in that it comprises performing by a processing unit (110) of the client device (11):(a) receiving from the player a request for a current segment at a first quality level;(b) estimating, fora second quality level, an optimal response delay such that providing the requested current segment at the expiration of said optimal response delay will cause the player to request according to its ABR logic a next segment at said second quality level, as a function of a model trained from a database of training examples each associating a vector of measured parameters representative of a segment reception rate with the corresponding quality level subsequently chosen by the player according to its ABR logic;(c) providing the requested current segment from the first buffer memory (M1) at the expiration of said estimated optimal response delay.