Live Media Streaming Offset Timing for Load Balancing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Delivering live media content over data communication networks faces challenges such as synchronization, coordination, and transmission load balancing, particularly when multiple end user devices request the same content simultaneously, leading to inefficiencies and potential delays in receiving the media stream.
Innovation Solution
The method involves receiving a stream of live media content, accessing timing data, creating a mapping to associate timing data with system clock time values, transcoding segments, and assigning offset time values to clients to enable efficient delivery of requested segments through client manifests, allowing for reduced processing needs and near real-time media streaming.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple clients request the same live media content simultaneously, then the media delivery system must handle concurrent requests, but the transmission load on the delivery equipment increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The live media stream is divided into discrete segments with associated timing data. Each segment can be independently delivered to multiple clients, allowing the system to handle concurrent requests efficiently by serving pre-segmented content rather than streaming the entire content to each client simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-segmenting the media content and creating client manifests before clients request the content. This advance preparation reduces the transmission load during concurrent requests, as the delivery equipment only needs to serve pre-processed segments rather than performing real-time processing for each client.
2Speed
If timing data from live media is directly used without mapping to system clock, then real-time delivery is achieved, but synchronization problems occur between different clients and the media source
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces an intermediary mapping mechanism that translates timing data from the live media into system clock time values. This mapping layer preserves the real-time delivery speed while ensuring synchronization across all clients by providing a common time reference framework that coordinates segment delivery with the system clock.
3Device complexity
If live media is delivered without chunking and indexing, then simpler delivery process is maintained, but clients cannot seek undownloaded parts and content protection is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The media content is segmented into chunks with associated indexing information stored in client manifests. This segmentation enables clients to seek to specific undownloaded parts, implements content protection by allowing selective downloading, and maintains relatively simple delivery processes by using standard streaming protocols with pre-prepared segment structures.
4Stability of the object's composition
If all clients receive the same media stream without offset time values, then consistent delivery is achieved, but processing burden on the delivery system increases during peak demand
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically assigns offset time values to different clients based on their specific needs and the current system state. This dynamic approach maintains delivery consistency for each client while reducing the overall processing burden during peak demand, as clients with offset values can receive segments from different time points rather than all requiring simultaneous real-time processing.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems are disclosed for providing live media streaming over a communication network. Timing data of a received live media stream is mapped to time values from a system clock. Offset time values are assigned to a plurality of clients requesting live media content. The time values and the offset time values are used for transmission of the media stream.