Dynamic Playlist Customization for Adaptive Streaming

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing video streaming technologies face challenges in adapting media content formats to changing network conditions, client device capabilities, and user preferences in real-time, leading to suboptimal viewing experiences.

Innovation Solution

A system where a client device generates a customized list of media content formats based on network performance, user profile, and device capabilities, and dynamically alters the format during playback in response to changes, ensuring optimal format selection and continuous streaming.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If adaptive bit rate streaming is used to deliver media content, then the content can be delivered in different formats based on network performance and device capabilities, but the format selection may not be optimal when factors change during content presentation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveformat adaptation capabilityVSAvoidoptimal format selection

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts the playlist and format selection during content presentation based on real-time changes in network performance, device capabilities, and user preferences. The client device continuously monitors these factors and updates the playing format accordingly, transforming a static format selection into a dynamic adaptive process that maintains optimality throughout the streaming session

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback mechanisms where the client device monitors network performance metrics, device capabilities, and user preferences during content presentation, and uses this information to adjust the format selection. The server receives feedback about changing conditions and modifies the playlist accordingly, creating a closed-loop system that ensures optimal format selection based on real-time conditions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Device complexity

If the server provides a fixed playlist of formats, then the system is simple to implement, but it cannot respond to real-time changes in network conditions or device capabilities

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveplaylist management complexityVSAvoidreal-time format adaptation

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system transitions from a static fixed playlist to a dynamic playlist that is continuously updated based on real-time monitoring of network performance, device capabilities, and user preferences. The client device generates updated playlists and communicates them to the server, which then adjusts the content delivery accordingly, enabling the system to adapt to changing conditions without requiring complex pre-programming

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system pre-establishes multiple formats and a master playlist structure, but the actual selection and ordering of formats is determined in advance by the client device based on its own monitoring of conditions. This allows the server to maintain simplicity while the client performs the adaptive selection in advance, preparing the optimal playlist before content delivery begins

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If the client device monitors and adjusts formats continuously, then optimal viewing experience is achieved, but processing overhead and network communication increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveviewing qualityVSAvoidclient processing overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system monitors and adjusts formats based on significant changes in conditions rather than continuous adjustments. The client device evaluates network performance, device capabilities, and user preferences at key decision points and only updates the playlist when meaningful changes occur, reducing unnecessary processing overhead while maintaining optimal viewing quality

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Solution Approach 2:

The system combines multiple monitoring functions (network performance monitoring, device capability detection, user preference tracking) into a unified playlist generation process. The client device aggregates this information and produces an optimized playlist in a single operation, reducing the complexity of handling individual monitoring tasks separately and minimizing overall processing overhead

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS11523163B2Dynamic playlist customization by adaptive streaming client

Publication Date: 2022.12.06 AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I L P

AI summary

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a method comprising sending a first list of formats associated with media content to a client device via a network, and receiving from the client device a selection of a format from a second list of formats filtered from the first list using filtering criteria. The second list includes formats compatible with the client device. The filtering criteria can be based on performance metrics of the network and on capabilities of the client device. During presentation of the content at the client device in the selected format, transmission of the content item can be dynamically altered in response to a message that the presentation be continued in a different format. Other embodiments are disclosed.