Network-Edge Transcoding for Media Player Resource Optimization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Media player devices face challenges in efficiently transcoding media data due to the need for on-device codecs, which increase costs, consume resources, and limit the number of supported data formats, leading to potential delays and inefficiencies in rendering media content.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a network-edge-deployed transcoding system that performs just-in-time transcoding using Multi-access Edge Computing and 5G technologies, offloading transcoding tasks from media player devices to edge servers, thereby reducing latency and resource usage while supporting a wide range of data formats.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If media player devices include robust sets of on-device codecs to transcode between various encoded and raw data formats, then the device can support multiple data formats and perform transcoding operations, but the device complexity, cost, and resource consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the transcoding function from the media player device and relocates it to a network-edge transcoding system. The device no longer needs to include robust codec sets for transcoding operations, as these functions are performed remotely by the edge system which has access to multiple codecs for different data formats.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a network-edge transcoding system as an intermediary between the media source and the media player device. This intermediary performs the transcoding operations that would otherwise require complex on-device codecs, allowing the device to remain simple while still supporting multiple data formats through the intermediary's codec capabilities.
2Productivity
If media player devices include robust sets of on-device codecs for transcoding operations, then transcoding can be performed on-device, but processing resources and battery life are consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the computationally intensive transcoding operations from the media player device and relocates them to the network-edge transcoding system. This extraction eliminates the need for the device to consume processing resources and battery life for codec operations, while still maintaining full transcoding capability through the edge system.
3Loss of time
If transcoding is performed on-device without pre-processing, then real-time rendering is possible, but the device must handle all processing loads including format conversion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by having the network-edge transcoding system prepare and transcode media data before it reaches the media player device. The edge system performs format conversion and other processing operations in advance, so that the device receives pre-processed data ready for efficient rendering, reducing both delay and processing load.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the transcoding workflow into distinct phases: pre-processing and format conversion are performed by the network-edge system, while final rendering is handled by the media player device. This segmentation allows each component to specialize in its optimal function, reducing overall processing time and improving efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
An exemplary network-edge-deployed transcoding system (“transcoding system”) establishes a communication connection with a media player device that is distinct from the transcoding system. The transcoding system accesses media data representative of media content that is to be rendered by the media player device and is encoded in the media data using a first data format. As the media player device renders the media content, the transcoding system transcodes the media data in a just-in-time transcoding manner from representing the media content in the first data format to representing the media content in a second data format. As the transcoding of the media data is performed, the transcoding system provides the transcoded media data representing the media content in the second data format to the media player device by way of the communication connection. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed.