Client Node Playout Rate Determination via Server Level Signaling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for fast forwarding media streams are inefficient due to uncertainty about decoding complexity, leading to overdimensioned decoders and high computational resource usage, as clients cannot easily determine if they support the required level for non-regular playout rates.
Innovation Solution
A method and arrangement that enable clients to obtain and determine supported playout rates based on level requirements, allowing for controlled fast forward and slow motion playback with standard decoders by providing level information associated with non-regular playout rates, and optionally modifying the stream to reduce decoding complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If clients use overdimensioned decoders to handle uncertainty about decoding complexity, then reliability of playout is improved, but device complexity and computational resource usage increase
Solution Approach 1:
The server performs preliminary actions by calculating and signaling the level requirement for non-regular playout rates before the client attempts decoding. This advance information allows the client to make informed decisions about decoder selection and capability matching, eliminating the need for overdimensioned decoders and trial-and-error approaches.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by signaling level requirement information from the server to the client. This feedback loop enables the client to adjust its decoding strategy based on actual requirements rather than making assumptions, optimizing decoder resource utilization while ensuring reliable playout.
2Adaptability or versatility
If clients perform trial-and-error decoding attempts to determine supported playout rates, then adaptability is improved, but loss of time and productivity decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The server performs preliminary calculations of level requirements for various non-regular playout rates and signals this information to the client in advance. This eliminates the need for time-consuming trial-and-error decoding attempts, allowing clients to immediately determine supported playout rates based on their decoder capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The level requirement information is segmented and signaled for different playout rates, allowing the client to evaluate each rate independently against its decoder capabilities. This structured approach enables efficient adaptability without requiring exhaustive trial-and-error testing of all possible playout rates.
3Ease of operation
If the stream is modified to reduce decoding complexity, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity and processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the complexity of determining level requirements from the client side and relocates it to the server side. The server performs the complex calculations and stream modification analysis, then signals only the essential level requirement information to the client. This extraction simplifies the client's decoding operation while concentrating processing requirements at the server.
4Productivity
If clients decode at non-regular playout rates without level information, then productivity is improved, but reliability and measurement precision decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The server provides feedback in the form of level requirement signals for non-regular playout rates. This information enables the client to decode at high productivity rates while ensuring level compliance, as the client can match its decoder capabilities against the signaled requirements rather than guessing or attempting unsupported rates.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and arrangements in a client node and a server node support a decision on decoding and playout of a certain content in the client node. The methods and arrangements relate to the determining, conveying and obtaining of information related to the characteristics (level) required for decoding and playing out the certain media content at a non-regular playout rate. The method and arrangement in the client node further relate to determining, based on the obtained information, which playout rate(s) is/are supported by the client node in regard of level. The methods and arrangements enable the client node to refrain from attempting to decode and play out of the content at a non-regular rate requiring a level which is not supported by the client node.