HTTP Streaming Adaptation via Temporal Alignment and Key Frame Signals
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing HTTP streaming systems face a trade-off between adaptivity performance on the client side and equal-size files/segments on servers/caches, as equal duration segments simplify client adaptivity but are not optimal for caching servers, and vice versa.
Innovation Solution
Providing temporal alignment information and key frame location information to enable adaptive HTTP streaming, allowing clients to control adaptation based on these signals, which can indicate temporal relations and key frame positions within media segments, facilitating both client and server-friendly adaptations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If equal duration segments are used for all versions, then client adaptivity is simplified, but segment sizes vary significantly which is not optimal for caching servers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments media content into multiple versions with different durations, allowing each version to be optimized independently. This enables equal-size segments for caching efficiency while maintaining adaptivity through multiple duration options.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts segment duration based on content type and caching requirements. Different media segments can have different durations, allowing the system to optimize for either client adaptivity or server caching performance depending on the specific needs.
2Productivity
If equal size segments are used for caching optimization, then server performance improves, but client adaptivity becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides media into segments of equal size for optimal caching, while simultaneously providing multiple versions with different durations. This segmentation allows servers to cache efficiently while clients maintain adaptivity through duration-based selection.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the duration parameter while keeping segment size constant. By varying duration across versions rather than size, the patent maintains caching efficiency while enabling client adaptivity through temporal rather than dimensional variation.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple versions with different durations are provided, then adaptivity is improved, but segment size alignment becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments media into equal-size units while allowing different durations across versions. This segmentation strategy decouples size alignment from duration variation, maintaining simplicity in segment structure while enabling adaptivity through temporal flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces asymmetry in duration while maintaining symmetry in segment size. By allowing different durations for equal-size segments, the patent achieves adaptivity without compromising the alignment simplicity that benefits caching performance.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of controlling adaptive HTTP streaming of media content between a HTTP server and a HTTP client in a communication system, in which system media content is arranged as a plurality of periods, and each such period comprises a plurality of representations of media segments, which method includes the steps of providing temporal alignment information for the media segments of the plurality of representations, which temporal alignment information provides indications about a temporal relation between the segments of the plurality of representations of the media content. Further, the method includes providing key frame location information for the media segments, which key frame location information provides indications about locations of key frames in the media segments of the plurality of representations. Finally, controlling adaptation of the HTTP streaming of the media content based on at least one of the provided temporal alignment information and the provided key frame location information.