MPEG-DASH Media Description Late Binding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current video encoding technologies lack a fully compatible late binding solution for MPEG-DASH, which is essential for efficient delivery and playback of video content across various devices and networks, particularly in scenarios requiring flexible bitrate and resolution adaptation.
Innovation Solution
The method involves encoding information indicative of locators for segment metadata and media data into a media description, allowing for the selection and retrieval of specific media segments and metadata, enabling late binding and efficient adaptive streaming.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If media components are delivered separately for late binding, then adaptability and flexibility are improved, but device complexity and processing overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments media content into independently deliverable components (video tracks, audio tracks, subtitles) with separate segment files. Each segment contains self-contained metadata and media data that can be processed independently, enabling late binding while distributing complexity across multiple simple, standardized segments rather than one complex monolithic structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary indexing structure (segment metadata with locators) that mediates between the separately delivered media components and the playback system. This intermediary contains organized references to all media segments, allowing the client to efficiently locate and bind components without requiring complex distributed tracking of all media parts.
2Loss of time
If movie fragment headers are available in the client, then latency is reduced, but information storage requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts critical metadata (movie fragment headers, segment locators, timing information) from the main media content and places it in a separate, efficiently accessible indexing structure. This extraction allows the client to store only the essential header information needed for quick quality switching decisions, rather than storing complete media segments or large amounts of redundant metadata.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary organization of media segment information during content preparation, creating an indexed structure with all necessary headers and locators ready in advance. This preliminary action enables the client to immediately access quality switching information without real-time processing delays, reducing latency while keeping storage requirements manageable through efficient pre-organization.
3Productivity
If segment metadata and media data are separated, then late binding efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides each media segment into two distinct parts: a metadata portion containing locators and indexing information, and a media data portion containing the actual content. This segmentation enables independent processing of metadata for efficient late binding while keeping media data delivery straightforward, improving productivity without creating complex interdependencies.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds a new organizational dimension by separating metadata from media data across different data structures and delivery mechanisms. Rather than complicating the media data structure itself, it creates a parallel metadata layer with locators that references media segments, allowing efficient late binding operations in this new dimensional space without increasing the complexity of the media data delivery path.
Data Source
AI summary
A method, apparatus and computer program product encode, into a media description, a first information item indicative of a first locator for segment metadata for a set of representations. The method, apparatus and computer program product encode, into the media description, one or more representation-specific information items indicative of representation-specific locator for segment media data for one or more representations of the set of representations. The method, apparatus and computer program product cause storage of the media description with the set of representations.