Headless Browser Video Playback via HTML Iframe
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing video playback systems are constrained by predefined applications, limiting flexibility and efficiency in remote video playback, particularly in terms of video size, resolution, DRM information, and ad insertions.
Innovation Solution
The use of a headless browser executing an HTML iframe on a lightweight processor to retrieve and transmit video streams, allowing for more flexible and efficient video playback by bypassing the limitations of predefined applications, and enabling smoother video display through buffering.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If predefined applications are used for video playback coordination, then device compatibility and standardized control are improved, but playback flexibility and efficiency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a headless browser as an intermediary component that mediates between the playback control device and video player. This browser executes HTML iframes to establish communication channels, enabling flexible video playback without being constrained by predefined applications. The headless browser acts as a universal mediator that can handle various video formats and playback scenarios while maintaining device compatibility.
2Device complexity
If predefined applications constrain video playback, then system simplicity is improved, but video quality and resolution options deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adapts video playback parameters such as resolution, format, and quality settings based on the executing context and device capabilities. The headless browser can dynamically adjust video stream properties without requiring complex predefined application configurations, enabling high video quality while maintaining system simplicity through runtime adaptability rather than static preconfiguration.
3Use of energy by moving object
If lightweight processors are used, then device portability and energy efficiency are improved, but processing capability and video rendering performance deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the heavy video rendering and processing tasks from the lightweight playback control device and offloads them to the display device or server. The headless browser on the lightweight device handles only the coordination and control functions, while actual video decoding and rendering are performed by more powerful external devices, enabling energy-efficient operation without sacrificing processing capability for video playback.
Data Source
AI summary
Various embodiments include facilitating video playback, based on an HTML iframe and a headless browser. To that end, in some embodiments, a method is performed at a first device, which may be referred to as a receiving device. The first device includes a processor, a non-transitory memory, and a communication interface. The communication interface enables commutation with a second device, which may be referred to as a sending device. The method includes receiving the HTML iframe from the second device. The HTML iframe may include a video tag, or the video tag may be nested in another HTML iframe. Moreover, the method includes playing a video stream that is identified by the video tag. Playing the video stream includes executing the HTML iframe via the headless browser to retrieve the video stream based on the video tag, and transmitting the video stream to a display device.