Adaptive Media Stream Placeshifting via Intermediary Forwarding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Adaptive media streams are challenging to placeshift due to the need for simultaneous availability of multiple pre-encoded copies, which is difficult to produce in real time for conventional placeshifting applications.
Innovation Solution
A system where a home device acts as an intermediary, establishing a connection between a remote device and a content source to request and forward segments of an adaptive media stream, allowing seamless placeshifting while maintaining the benefits of adaptive streaming.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple pre-encoded copies of adaptive media streams are made available, then the client device can adapt to network changes by requesting segments with different quality parameters, but it becomes difficult to produce these multiple copies in real time for placeshifting applications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a placeshifting server as an intermediary component that receives adaptive media streams from a content source and forwards segments to remote devices. This server acts as a mediator that enables placeshifting functionality without requiring the remote device to directly access or generate multiple pre-encoded copies, thus resolving the contradiction between maintaining adaptive streaming capabilities and enabling real-time placeshifting.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary encoding of media content into multiple bit rate versions before distribution. The content source pre-processes the media stream into various quality levels, and the placeshifting server stores and manages these pre-encoded versions, allowing the remote device to receive appropriately encoded segments without needing to perform real-time encoding or copy generation.
2Ease of operation
If adaptive media streams are placeshifted from a home device to a remote device, then remote access to programming is enabled, but the simultaneous availability of multiple pre-encoded copies is difficult to maintain
Solution Approach 1:
The placeshifting server serves as a reliable intermediary that maintains the media stream between the content source and remote device. It receives the adaptive stream from the content source, manages the segment delivery, and ensures continuous availability to the remote device, thereby maintaining stream reliability while enabling remote access.
Solution Approach 2:
The placeshifting server performs multiple functions: it acts as a content receiver from the source, a segment manager for adaptive streaming, a delivery mechanism to remote devices, and a placeshifting enabler. This multi-functional approach allows the system to maintain stream availability while supporting various access scenarios including remote viewing.
3Speed
If conventional placeshifting encodes media streams in real time, then remote device can receive the stream, but the quality and adaptability are reduced compared to pre-encoded adaptive streams
Solution Approach 1:
The content source performs preliminary encoding of the media content into multiple bit rate versions before distribution to the placeshifting server. This pre-processing creates high-quality encoded segments at various quality levels, which are then delivered to the remote device without requiring real-time encoding at the placeshifting endpoint, thus maintaining both speed and quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses pre-encoded copies of the media stream at different bit rates that are stored and managed by the placeshifting server. Instead of performing real-time encoding, the server copies and forwards appropriate segments from the pre-encoded versions to the remote device, preserving the quality that was established during the initial encoding process.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, devices and methods are provided to support placeshifting of adaptive media streams. A home device acts as an intermediary that passes requests for segments of an adaptive stream from a remote device to a content source. The content source responds with the requested segments, which are forwarded to the remote device. A connection service may be provided to facilitate placeshifting sessions between home and remote devices.