Universal Elementary Stream Chunks for Low-Latency Media Decoding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing digital media encoding and decoding technologies face challenges in efficiently processing high-quality audio and video data due to high bitrate requirements, which exceed the storage and processing capabilities of many computers and networks, necessitating the development of efficient encoding and decoding methods that maintain quality while reducing bitrates.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a digital media universal elementary stream that uses chunks with sync patterns and length fields, allowing for flexible encoding and decoding, including optional elements like end of block chunks, and extension mechanisms to accommodate new codecs without breaking compatibility with legacy decoders, enabling efficient mapping and decoding of digital media streams into various transport or file containers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If high-quality audio and video data is processed, then quality is maintained, but bitrate increases and exceeds storage and processing capabilities
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the elementary stream into discrete chunks with synchronization patterns and length fields. Each chunk represents a manageable unit of encoded data, allowing efficient processing and storage while maintaining overall stream quality. The segmentation enables progressive decoding and reduces memory requirements compared to processing entire high-bitrate streams at once.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs variable parameter encoding where chunk size, sampling rate, and compression level are dynamically adjusted based on content complexity and available bandwidth. This allows the system to maintain high perceived quality while adapting bitrate to match storage and network constraints, resolving the contradiction between quality and bitrate.
2Quantity of substance
If encoding and decoding operations are performed, then data is compressed and transmitted, but processing time and latency increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary encoding and metadata generation during the encoding phase, preparing chunks with all necessary decoding information embedded. This preliminary action reduces real-time processing requirements during playback, as decoders can directly process pre-prepared chunks without complex real-time analysis, thereby reducing latency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses periodic synchronization patterns and timestamp chunks at regular intervals to maintain synchronization without requiring continuous complex processing. This periodic structure allows decoders to efficiently resynchronize after buffer underruns or network interruptions without extensive reprocessing, reducing overall processing time.
3Adaptability or versatility
If new codecs are integrated, then functionality is enhanced, but compatibility with legacy decoders may be broken
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal elementary stream format with standardized chunk structures that can encapsulate multiple codec types. Legacy decoders can process the universal format by handling known chunk types and ignoring unknown ones, while new codecs can be integrated by defining new chunk types within the same framework, ensuring both compatibility and extensibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a universal elementary stream as an intermediary layer between various codecs and transport formats. This intermediary standardizes the interface between encoding and decoding operations, allowing new codecs to be added without affecting legacy decoder functionality, as the intermediary format abstracts the underlying codec-specific details.
4Measurement precision
If synchronization and alignment are maintained in data streams, then decoding accuracy is improved, but additional overhead and processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-synchronizing chunks that contain embedded length fields and synchronization patterns, allowing decoders to automatically locate and process chunk boundaries without external timing information. This self-service approach maintains high decoding accuracy through reliable synchronization while minimizing processing requirements, as the stream structure provides its own alignment information.
Data Source
AI summary
Described techniques and tools include techniques and tools for mapping digital media data (e.g., audio, video, still images, and/or text, among others) in a given format to a transport or file container format useful for encoding the data on optical disks such as digital video disks (DVDs). A digital media universal elementary stream can be used to map digital media streams (e.g., an audio stream, video stream or an image) into any arbitrary transport or file container, including optical disk formats, and other transports, such as broadcast streams, wireless transmissions, etc. The information to decode any given frame of the digital media in the stream can be carried in each coded frame. A digital media universal elementary stream includes stream components called chunks. An implementation of a digital media universal elementary stream arranges data for a media stream in frames, the frames having one or more chunks.