Live Video Processing via Instruction Graph Workflow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing live video broadcasting systems are not well-suited for large-scale cloud computing infrastructure and face performance and reliability challenges in shared computing environments, limiting their ability to efficiently process and distribute live video streams.
Innovation Solution
A distributed live video processing system that ingests live video streams, generates an instruction graph to define a workflow for real-time processing, and employs a set of services for transcoding and distribution, allowing for concurrent processing and streaming of video segments across a network of general-purpose compute servers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If live video broadcasting is implemented using special purpose hardware platforms and dedicated networks, then video processing quality and reliability are improved, but device complexity and infrastructure cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces special purpose hardware platforms with virtualized software-based video processing services running on general-purpose computing infrastructure. The video processing functions are migrated from dedicated hardware to virtual machines and containers that can be deployed on standard server hardware, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining processing quality through software-based video coding and streaming protocols
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal video processing platform that can handle multiple video formats, resolutions, and streaming protocols simultaneously using the same general-purpose computing infrastructure. The virtualized architecture allows a single hardware platform to serve multiple video broadcasting functions that previously required separate dedicated systems, reducing overall system complexity
2Device complexity
If live video processing is performed on shared computing infrastructure, then infrastructure cost and device complexity are reduced, but performance and reliability deteriorate due to resource sharing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the video processing workflow into distinct virtualized services including video ingestion, transcoding, packaging, and distribution components. Each service runs in isolated virtual machines or containers that can be independently scaled and managed on shared infrastructure, preventing resource contention between different processing stages and maintaining high throughput
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements pre-configured video processing templates and predetermined criteria that define processing parameters before video streams are ingested. This preliminary setup allows the system to quickly allocate and configure computing resources without dynamic decision-making during processing, thereby maintaining high productivity on shared infrastructure
3Reliability
If video segments are processed sequentially through multiple services, then processing reliability is improved, but processing time and productivity decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a continuous streaming architecture where video segments are processed and forwarded through the service pipeline without waiting for complete processing at each stage. Services begin processing segments as soon as they are available and forward partially processed segments to the next service, ensuring continuous useful action throughout the pipeline while maintaining reliability through service isolation and error handling
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for processing a live video stream are provided. An ingestion component receives segments of a live video stream in association with a request to process the live video stream. A control component generates an instruction graph for the live video stream based on predetermined criteria. The instruction graph defines a workflow for processing the live video stream, the workflow comprising a set of services for processing the segments. A transcoding component employs a subset of the services to process the segments based at least in part on the instruction graph and a distribution component then streams the segments to a device in response finishing process of the segments. With the live video processing system, segments of a video stream are processed and distributed as they are received. Thus segments of the video stream are processed and distributed prior to processing of the entire video stream.