Manifest Segmentation for Streaming Decoder Initialization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing media streaming technologies, such as DASH, face challenges in reducing the time to first frame and memory consumption due to the need for downloading and parsing initialization fragments for video decoder initialization, especially when multiple quality levels are supported.
Innovation Solution
Implementing static or dynamically generated enhanced manifests that include initialization metadata from initialization fragments, allowing devices to initialize video decoders without downloading these fragments, and segmenting manifests to reduce memory usage based on client requests.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If initialization fragments are downloaded and parsed for video decoder initialization, then the video decoder can be properly initialized to play back media content, but the time to first frame increases and memory consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts initialization metadata from initialization fragments and embeds it directly into the manifest file. This creates a copy of the essential initialization information that can be used by the video decoder without requiring the client to download and parse the actual initialization fragments, thereby reducing time to first frame while maintaining reliable decoder initialization
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts only the necessary initialization metadata from the initialization fragments and separates it from the full fragment data. This extracted metadata is then included in the manifest, allowing the system to take out only the essential information needed for decoder initialization while leaving out the bulk of the initialization fragment data that would otherwise need to be downloaded
2Reliability
If initialization fragments are downloaded and parsed for video decoder initialization, then the video decoder can be properly initialized to play back media content, but memory consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of downloading and storing entire initialization fragments in memory, the patent creates a condensed copy of only the essential initialization metadata and embeds it in the manifest. This significantly reduces the memory footprint while maintaining the ability to properly initialize the video decoder
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts only the necessary initialization metadata from the initialization fragments and excludes the rest of the fragment data. This extraction process reduces the quantity of data that needs to be stored in memory, thereby reducing memory consumption while preserving the essential functionality for decoder initialization
3Adaptability or versatility
If complete manifests are provided to clients, then all media content fragments can be accessed, but memory consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the manifest file into multiple parts based on media content identifiers. Each segment contains initialization metadata and manifest data for a specific media content item. This allows clients to download and store only the segments they need rather than the complete manifest, reducing memory consumption while maintaining full access to all media content through selective segment retrieval
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and apparatus are described for segmenting a manifest file to generate smaller manifest files for media content playback. A server can segment a manifest file prior to receipt of a request from a client or in response to a request from a client for a manifest for media content for a particular fragment range.