Circular Queue Buffer for Real-Time Audio Streaming on Optical Media Players
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Solution Overview
Problem
Optical media players, including Blu-ray players, are unable to stream real-time audio data such as live music or spoken word due to limitations in their file and application architectures, resulting in a lack of coherent solutions for delivering high-quality, interactive audio experiences.
Innovation Solution
A media playback method and system that enables real-time streaming of audio data to optical media players by using a media playback module to process and transmit packetized audio streams, incorporating a circular file queue for buffering, and adapting to the file and application systems of Blu-ray players, allowing for the delivery of live content through a network.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If optical media players use traditional file architecture for playing stored content, then they can play videos and songs from discs, but they cannot stream real-time audio data such as live music or spoken word
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the static file architecture into a dynamic streaming architecture by introducing a circular queue buffer that continuously receives and processes audio data packets in real-time. The system dynamically adapts between playing stored content and streaming live content through a unified playback mechanism that handles both modes without requiring separate architectural paths.
Solution Approach 2:
The playback application is designed to perform multiple functions: it can play both stored content from optical media and stream real-time audio data through the same file architecture interface. The circular queue buffer serves as a universal intermediary that handles both live streaming packets and traditional file playback, eliminating the need for separate streaming-specific architecture.
2Productivity
If static content is downloaded to optical media players in portions, then some audio content can be accessed, but coherent real-time streaming of live music and spoken word is not achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary buffering by pre-allocating a circular queue buffer that continuously pre-loads audio data packets before they are needed for playback. This preliminary action ensures that sufficient audio data is always available in the buffer, preventing playback interruptions and maintaining coherent real-time streaming without requiring complete content downloads.
Solution Approach 2:
The circular queue buffer maintains continuous operation by constantly receiving audio packets from the network and feeding them to the playback application without interruption. This continuous useful action ensures uninterrupted real-time streaming of live music and spoken word, eliminating the gaps and discontinuities that occur with portion-based downloads.
3Adaptability or versatility
If audio data is buffered using a circular queue, then real-time streaming is enabled, but additional system resources are required
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements a circular queue buffer with a size that is sufficient for the specific real-time streaming requirements rather than allocating excessive memory. The buffer size is carefully calibrated to hold only the necessary audio packets needed for continuous playback, avoiding unnecessary memory consumption while still enabling coherent real-time streaming of live content.
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a method for execution by a processor of a media playback device to provide media content. The method includes receiving streaming audio data. The streaming audio data comprises a plurality of audio data clips, each audio data clip having a clip size. The method includes providing a circular queue. The circular queue is characterized by a queue size that is at least two or more clip sizes. The circular queue is used to store a plurality of queue clips, each with a clip size. Each of the plurality of audio data clips is stored into one of the plurality of queue clips of the circular queue. After the circular queue has been filled, the method includes sequentially reading and playing the streaming audio data from each one of the plurality of queue clips of the circular queue. Finally, the method includes a step to continue storing a next one of the plurality of audio data clips into a read one of the plurality of queue clips of the circular queue.