Key Picture Publishing in Media Streaming
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing multimedia content streaming technologies face high processing and storage costs due to separate storage of key picture segments, and they fail to make all key pictures accessible to users, limiting features like trick mode and targeted content substitution.
Innovation Solution
A method where an intermediate packager creates mappings between parent intermediate segments and key pictures, and a just-in-time packager publishes the type of each key picture in the manifest, making every key picture addressable and accessible, reducing storage and processing costs while maintaining backward compatibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If key picture segments are stored separately to maintain compatibility between outputs in various formats, then format compatibility is improved, but processing and storage costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges key picture segments with parent media segments into a single storage structure. Instead of maintaining separate storage for key pictures and media segments, the system combines them where key pictures are embedded within the parent media segment structure, eliminating redundant storage and processing overhead while maintaining format compatibility across DASH, HLS, Smooth Streaming, and HDS protocols
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal media segment structure that serves multiple streaming formats simultaneously. The parent media segment contains key pictures that can be utilized across different streaming protocols (DASH, HLS, Smooth Streaming, HDS) without requiring format-specific duplicate storage, making the storage system multi-functional and reducing overall processing costs
2Productivity
If only the first key picture is published to the client, then processing overhead is reduced, but accessibility of key pictures at sub segment level is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the media content into parent media segments and further divides them into sub-segments, with each sub-segment containing specific key pictures. The manifest file is also segmented to provide references to individual key pictures within parent segments, enabling clients to access specific key pictures at sub-segment level without processing the entire parent segment, thus maintaining low processing overhead while improving accessibility
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds a new dimension of access by creating a hierarchical structure where key pictures can be accessed both at the parent segment level and at the sub-segment level. The manifest file introduces a new layer of indexing that references specific key pictures within parent segments, allowing clients to navigate to specific key pictures without retrieving entire segments, thus maintaining efficiency while improving accessibility
3Device complexity
If key picture types (I-picture or IDR picture) are not specified, then manifest complexity is reduced, but features requiring specific key picture types cannot be offered
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by adding type identification (I-picture or IDR picture) only to specific key pictures within the manifest file where it is needed for feature support. Not all key pictures require type specification in the manifest - only those that are referenced for specific features like trick mode or targeted content substitution. This selective approach maintains manifest simplicity while enabling advanced features where required
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques for publishing key pictures at a server and using the key picture information for operations on a client device are described herein. In accordance with various embodiments, the server creates an intermediate unit including key picture(s) from media content. The server then generates map(s) specifying for each key picture, a type, properties, and an association to the intermediate unit. The server also packages the intermediate unit into key picture unit(s) according to the map(s). The client device obtains a manifest for the media content referencing the key picture(s) and the type of each key picture. Upon receiving a request to perform operation(s) on a respective key picture, the client device obtains a corresponding key picture unit and parses the manifest to determine a respective type. Based on the respective type matches a criterion, the client device performs the operation(s) on the key picture unit.