HTTP Playlist-Based Live Streaming Segmentation

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current streaming services require specialized servers and skills, leading to high costs and limited content availability, especially in large-scale deployments, as they typically use streaming protocols that are not well-suited for distributing 'live' content efficiently.

Innovation Solution

A system that uses non-streaming protocols like HTTP to segment and transmit multimedia content, allowing for dynamic playlist generation and bit rate switching, enabling efficient distribution of 'live' content using a server-device and client-device architecture with segmenter, indexer, and assembler agents.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If specialized streaming servers and protocols are used, then streaming quality and reliability are improved, but system complexity and deployment cost increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestreaming qualityVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses HTTP protocol to copy the functionality of specialized streaming protocols. By segmenting media content into standard HTTP-compatible formats and using playlist files to coordinate delivery, the system replicates streaming protocol behavior using widely-supported HTTP infrastructure, thereby reducing complexity while maintaining reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The media content is divided into discrete segments that can be independently transmitted via HTTP. Each segment is a self-contained unit that can be requested and delivered using standard HTTP protocols, eliminating the need for specialized streaming server software while preserving streaming quality through controlled segment delivery and playback coordination

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Productivity

If specialized streaming servers are deployed at large scale, then content distribution capability is improved, but deployment cost and operational complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontent distribution capabilityVSAvoiddeployment cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The system makes web servers universal by enabling them to perform both traditional web hosting and media streaming functions. By using standard HTTP protocols and playlist files to coordinate segment delivery, any web server can function as a streaming server, eliminating the need for specialized streaming infrastructure and dramatically reducing deployment costs at scale

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent copies the streaming distribution capability onto existing web server infrastructure. By segmenting content and using HTTP protocols with playlist coordination, the system replicates specialized streaming server functionality on commodity web servers, enabling large-scale deployment without specialized hardware or software investments

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

3Ease of manufacture

If content is segmented and transmitted via HTTP, then ease of deployment and cost are improved, but control over streaming behavior and adaptability to network conditions deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of deploymentVSAvoidadaptability to network conditions

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The playlist file mechanism provides feedback control for HTTP-based streaming. The server can update playlist files to reflect current network conditions, content availability, and playback state, allowing the client to adapt its segment requests dynamically. This feedback loop enables adaptability to network conditions while maintaining the simplicity of HTTP protocols

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system introduces dynamics through updateable playlist files that can change during playback. The playlist can be modified to add, remove, or reorder segments based on network conditions, content updates, or playback progress, enabling the static HTTP protocol to support dynamic streaming behavior without sacrificing deployment simplicity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

4Manufacturing precision

If playlist files are used to coordinate segment retrieval, then content assembly accuracy is improved, but network traffic and processing overhead increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontent assembly accuracyVSAvoidnetwork traffic

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The client downloads only the portion of the playlist file that is currently needed for playback rather than the entire content. By maintaining a buffer of pre-downloaded segments and only requesting playlist updates when necessary, the system achieves accurate content assembly while minimizing network traffic and processing overhead

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS10977330B2Playlists for real-time or near real-time streaming

Publication Date: 2021.04.13 APPLE INC

AI summary

Methods and apparatuses for real-time or near real-time streaming of content using transfer protocols such as an HTTP compliant protocol. In one embodiment, a method includes dividing a stream of data, representing the contiguous time based content of a program (e.g. a live video broadcast), into a plurality of distinct media files, and generating a playlist file having a plurality of tags and Universal Resource Indicators (URIs) indicating an order of presentation of the plurality of distinct media files. The plurality of media files and the playlist file can be made available for transmission to a client device which can retrieve the media files using the playlist file.