Just-in-Time Streaming Media Transmultiplexing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing content delivery networks are not well-suited for handling less popular media formats, archival media, and user-specific media, as they are optimized for mass media delivery and lack efficient methods for streaming at high quality and non-standard resolutions.
Innovation Solution
The proposed solution involves a just-in-time streaming media approach that utilizes a network architecture capable of transmultiplexing or transcoding user-generated media from its original format to a format suitable for streaming delivery, such as converting MPEG-4 files to MPEG-2 transport streams for HTTP Live Streaming.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If CDN-based distribution is used for mass media delivery, then delivery efficiency for popular content is improved, but capability to handle user-specific and archival media at high quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments media delivery into two paths: pre-processed popular content delivered via CDN, and user-specific/archival content processed in real-time through transmultiplexing. This segmentation allows each path to be optimized for its specific use case while working together to solve the overall contradiction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a transmultiplexer as an intermediary component that converts archival media formats (e.g., MPEG-4) into streaming-compatible formats (e.g., MPEG-2 transport streams). This intermediary enables the system to handle user-specific media at high quality without requiring the entire CDN infrastructure to be redesigned.
2Quantity of substance
If archival media is stored in original formats, then storage efficiency is improved, but streaming capability at high quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary transmultiplexing conversion of archival media into streaming-compatible formats just-in-time before delivery, rather than pre-converting all archival content. This allows the system to maintain storage efficiency while ensuring streaming capability is available when needed.
3Quantity of substance
If transmultiplexing is performed in real-time, then storage requirements are reduced, but processing time and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The transmultiplexer is designed to perform format conversion on-demand without requiring complex pre-processing pipelines or extensive storage infrastructure. The system serves itself by converting only the specific archival content that needs to be streamed, rather than maintaining complex pre-processed versions of all content.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and apparatus for just-in-time streaming media. Existing content delivery networks are optimized for providing mass media to many consumers. This delivery model is poorly suited to user-specific content. Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure create a program instance that can service a client's media requests from their archival data. In one specific implementation, the archival data is stored segments that are ready for streaming; a content server may provide either a consolidated file or a media “quasi-stream” from the same storage object(s). The quasi-stream supports progressive playback (media playback as it is being downloaded.) The program instance provides the client device the illusion of a static file system, however client requested access to HTTP file downloads are provided in packets that are transmuxed/transcoded from archival data. The various solutions described herein directly address a problem that is unique to providing access to client-specific data archives anytime, anywhere.