Intermediate Format Stream Delivery via HTTP Proxy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing content delivery networks face challenges in delivering high definition (HD) video at broadcast audience scale to various runtime environments and mobile devices, as they require costly dedicated platforms and struggle to match the interactive features of traditional broadcast TV and DVD content.
Innovation Solution
An integrated HTTP-based delivery platform that converts live streams into an intermediate format, allowing for efficient archiving and serving of HD video content across multiple devices, including mobile environments, through a content delivery network (CDN) with features like stream recording, player tiers, and on-demand streaming.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If dedicated platforms are used to support delivery of content for multiple third party runtime environments, then content delivery capability is improved, but implementation and maintenance cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal content delivery platform that can deliver content to multiple runtime environments (Flash, Silverlight, iPhone, etc.) through a single HTTP-based architecture. The platform uses format conversion components to transform content into device-specific formats, eliminating the need for separate dedicated platforms for each runtime environment while maintaining broad compatibility and delivery capability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If content is delivered in multiple formats to support different devices, then device compatibility is improved, but processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediate format as a mediator between the source content format and the various target device formats. Content is first converted to this standardized intermediate format, which then serves as the basis for conversion to specific device formats (Flash, Silverlight, iPhone). This two-stage conversion process simplifies the overall complexity by breaking down multiple format conversions into manageable steps rather than requiring direct conversion between all possible format pairs.
3Productivity
If all stream fragments are cached and served via HTTP proxy, then content access efficiency is improved, but memory and storage requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the stream content into discrete fragments that can be independently cached and served. Instead of caching entire streams, the system divides content into manageable fragments and caches only those that are currently needed or frequently accessed. This segmentation allows the HTTP proxy to efficiently manage cache resources by loading, storing, and serving individual fragments on demand rather than pre-caching complete streams, thereby improving access efficiency while controlling storage requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of delivering a live stream is implemented within a content delivery network (CDN) and includes the high level functions of recording the stream using a recording tier, and playing the stream using a player tier. The step of recording the stream includes a set of sub-steps that begins when the stream is received at a CDN entry point in a source format. The stream is then converted into an intermediate format (IF), which is an internal format for delivering the stream within the CDN and comprises a stream manifest, a set of one or more fragment indexes (FI), and a set of IF fragments. The player process begins when a requesting client is associated with a CDN HTTP proxy. In response to receipt at the HTTP proxy of a request for the stream or a portion thereof, the HTTP proxy retrieves (either from the archive or the data store) the stream manifest and at least one fragment index. Using the fragment index, the IF fragments are retrieved to the HTTP proxy, converted to a target format, and then served in response to the client request. The source format may be the same or different from the target format. Preferably, all fragments are accessed, cached and served by the HTTP proxy via HTTP.