Seamless Adaptation Set Switching in Media Streaming

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional media streaming technologies require users to interrupt playback and restart from the beginning when switching between adaptation sets, such as changing camera angles or languages, leading to an unpleasant user experience and wastage of buffered data.

Innovation Solution

Implementing techniques that allow seamless switching between adaptation sets during playback by retrieving media data from a second adaptation set after the actual playout time has met or exceeded the switch point, utilizing buffered data from the first adaptation set and avoiding interruptions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If conventional media streaming switching between adaptation sets is implemented, then users can change media types (camera angles, languages), but playback must be interrupted and restarted from the beginning

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to switch between adaptation setsVSAvoiduser experience continuity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by buffering media data from multiple adaptation sets before playback is needed. When a user wants to switch adaptation sets, the desired adaptation set data is already buffered and ready, allowing immediate switching without interrupting playback. This resolves the contradiction by preparing data in advance so that adaptability is achieved without operational interruption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The buffered media data acts as an intermediary that enables smooth transitions between adaptation sets. Instead of directly switching between different adaptation set sources during playback, the system uses pre-buffered data as a mediator that can be seamlessly integrated into the playback stream, maintaining continuity while enabling adaptation set changes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If conventional media streaming switching between adaptation sets is implemented, then users can change media types (camera angles, languages), but buffered data is wasted

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to switch between adaptation setsVSAvoidwastage of buffered data

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The buffered data from the first adaptation set serves as an intermediary resource that can be utilized during the transition to the second adaptation set. By playing back the buffered data while simultaneously buffering the new adaptation set data, the system avoids wasting the previously buffered data and maintains continuous playback without interruption or waste.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Adaptability or versatility

If conventional media streaming switching between adaptation sets is implemented, then users can change media types (camera angles, languages), but network bandwidth consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to switch between adaptation setsVSAvoidnetwork bandwidth consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary buffering of multiple adaptation sets before switching is needed. This advance preparation reduces the need for high-bandwidth real-time switching operations, as the data is already downloaded and stored locally. The preliminary action of buffering reduces instantaneous bandwidth requirements while enabling adaptability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system maintains continuous playback by utilizing buffered data from the first adaptation set while transitioning to the second adaptation set. This continuity ensures that network bandwidth is used efficiently for playing back already-downloaded data rather than interrupting and restarting downloads, minimizing total bandwidth consumption while maintaining adaptability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Data Source

PatentUS9270721B2Switching between adaptation sets during media streaming

Publication Date: 2016.02.23 QUALCOMM INC

AI summary

A device for retrieving media data includes one or more processors configured to retrieve media data from a first adaptation set including media data of a first type, present media data from the first adaptation set, in response to a request to switch to a second adaptation set including media data of the first type: retrieve media data from the second adaptation set including a switch point of the second adaptation set, and present media data from the second adaptation set after an actual playout time has met or exceeded a playout time for the switch point.