Just-in-time Audio Video Transcoding via Segmentation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current audio and video transcoding methods require significant upfront computational resources and storage for transcoding multiple renditions of audio-video files before streaming, leading to increased time-to-publication and inefficient resource utilization.

Innovation Solution

The method involves segmenting audio-video files into mezzanine segments based on keyframes, allowing for just-in-time transcoding and streaming of rendition segments on demand, reducing computational load and storage needs by caching and transcoding only requested segments in real-time.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If audio-video files are transcoded into multiple renditions before streaming, then rendering quality and adaptability are improved, but computational resources and storage requirements increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverendition adaptabilityVSAvoidstorage requirements

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The audio-video file is divided into multiple segments, where each segment can be independently transcoded into different renditions. Only the segments that are requested by users are transcoded and stored, rather than pre-transcoding the entire file into all possible renditions. This segmentation approach reduces storage requirements while maintaining rendition adaptability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary segmentation of the audio-video file into manageable segments before streaming. This preliminary action enables on-demand transcoding of individual segments into multiple renditions only when needed, rather than performing all transcoding operations in advance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If multiple renditions are pre-transcoded and stored, then streaming quality is improved, but time-to-publication increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestreaming qualityVSAvoidtime-to-publication

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

By segmenting the audio-video file and transcoding only the requested segments into multiple renditions on-demand, the system eliminates the need to wait for complete pre-transcoding of the entire file. This allows faster time-to-publication while maintaining streaming quality through selective transcoding of relevant segments.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs partial transcoding action by only transcoding the specific segments that are requested by users, rather than transcoding the entire file into all possible renditions in advance. This partial action approach reduces time-to-publication while sufficient for maintaining streaming quality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Adaptability or versatility

If upfront transcoding of multiple renditions is performed, then rendering versatility is improved, but computational load increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverendition versatilityVSAvoidcomputational load

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSPower

Solution Approach 1:

The audio-video file is segmented into multiple smaller segments, enabling the system to transcode only the specific segments that are requested. This segmentation reduces computational load by avoiding redundant transcoding of segments that will not be used, while still providing rendition versatility for requested content.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements on-demand transcoding where computational resources are allocated based on actual user requests. When a segment is requested, the system automatically transcodes it into the appropriate renditions without requiring upfront computational investment for all possible renditions, thus reducing overall computational load while maintaining versatility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

4Productivity

If on-demand transcoding is implemented, then resource utilization is improved, but processing time for individual segments increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresource utilizationVSAvoidtranscoding time

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

By dividing the audio-video file into smaller segments, the system reduces the transcoding time required for each individual segment. Although transcoding is performed on-demand, the shorter duration of each segment means that the actual transcoding operation completes faster, improving resource utilization without significantly increasing user-perceived processing time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS12256111B2Method for audio and video just-in-time transcoding

Publication Date: 2025.03.18 MUX INC

AI summary

A method for streaming an audio-video file can include: receiving a request for a playback segment of the audio-video file in a rendition from a computational device; in response to identifying absence of the playback segment in the rendition from a rendition cache and identifying absence of an assignment to transcode the playback segment in the rendition: assigning a worker to transcode the playback segment in the rendition. The method can also include, at the worker: identifying a subset of mezzanine segments in the set of mezzanine segments coinciding with a playback interval in the audio-video file; and for each mezzanine segment in the subset of mezzanine segments: concurrently transcoding the mezzanine segment into a rendition segment in the rendition and transmitting the rendition segment coinciding with the playback interval to the computational device via a peer-to-peer stream; and storing the rendition segment in the rendition cache.