Adaptive Bitrate Video Delivery With Frame-Level Low-Latency Streaming
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional adaptive bitrate streaming methods introduce significant latency in delivering content assets, particularly in live broadcasts, due to the segmentation and encoding processes, resulting in delays of several seconds before content is available for playback.
Innovation Solution
Each frame of a content asset is encoded individually and separately from other frames, using techniques like JPEG compression, and transmitted over an IP network with encryption, allowing immediate availability for playback without the need for segment-based encoding and buffering.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If content assets are segmented into multiple frames and encoded using conventional adaptive bitrate streaming methods, then the content can be delivered at multiple bit rates for adaptive playback, but significant latency is introduced due to segmentation and encoding processes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the content asset into individual frames, where each frame is independently encoded to multiple pixel resolutions. This allows the content distribution system to provide adaptive bitrate streaming capabilities by offering multiple resolution versions of each frame, while avoiding the latency introduced by traditional segment-based encoding processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-encoding each frame to multiple pixel resolutions before transmission. The content distributor encodes each frame to various resolutions in advance and stores them in a buffer, so that when a user device requests content, the appropriate resolution version is already prepared and can be transmitted immediately, reducing delivery latency.
2Reliability
If conventional segment-based encoding and buffering is used, then content can be prepared for adaptive playback, but delays of several seconds occur before content is available for playback
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by implementing a buffer management system that dynamically tracks the playback position and proactively prepares frames ahead of the current playback position. The content distributor maintains a buffer of pre-encoded frames at multiple resolutions and continuously updates the manifest file to reflect which frames are ready for playback, allowing the system to adapt to varying network conditions and user device capabilities in real-time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary manifest file that mediates between the content distributor and user devices. The manifest file contains information about the availability of encoded frames at different resolutions, allowing user devices to select the appropriate version without requiring complex real-time negotiation. This intermediary structure streamlines the content delivery process and reduces playback delay.
3Loss of time
If each frame is encoded individually to multiple pixel resolutions and transmitted over IP network with encryption, then near real-time delivery is achieved with latency reduced to approximately 243 milliseconds, but network security requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies copying by creating multiple encoded versions (copies) of each frame at different pixel resolutions. Instead of transmitting a single high-resolution version and relying on client-side processing, the system pre-creates compressed copies at various resolutions and transmits the appropriate copy based on network conditions and device capabilities. This approach reduces transmission time and latency while maintaining security through encrypted transmission channels.
Data Source
AI summary
A content distributor in a content distribution system may be configured to encode each frame of a content asset individually and separately from a plurality of other frames of the content asset. Each frame of the content asset may be encoded to a plurality of pixel resolutions and may be transmitted using an Internet Protocol (IP) network such that the frame is available for playback by at least one user device. Each frame of the content asset may be placed in one or more buffers where it may be requested by a user device for playback through a content delivery network. The content distributor may be configured to generate a manifest that contains a list of specific network locations (e.g., URL's) for each pixel resolution of the frame.