Multi-Device Media Broadcasting With Low-Latency Active Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for live or real-time media streaming from multiple sources face significant delays due to the need for buffering, decoding, and mixing at a central processor, which is undesirable for applications requiring immediate and seamless presentation of multiple media streams.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for multi-device media broadcasting with active control, where a controller previews and selects media streams, adds processing, and provides a mixed stream to client devices with minimal delay using a lightweight signaling and chunk identification change protocol, allowing local processing by client devices or a streaming server.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If media streams are processed and mixed at a central processor, then mixing and selection can be accomplished, but substantial delays occur due to buffering and decoding requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the mixing function from the central processor and relocates it to client devices. Each client device receives raw media streams and performs local mixing based on instructions from the media source, eliminating the need for centralized buffering and decoding that causes delays.
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments the media processing workflow into separate functions: media capture and encoding at source devices, lightweight signaling and mixing instructions transmission, and local mixing/decoding at client devices. This segmentation allows parallel processing and eliminates sequential bottlenecks at a central processor.
2Loss of time
If a lightweight signaling protocol is used, then delay is reduced, but processing and mixing instructions must be provided to client devices which increases system complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a lightweight signaling protocol as an intermediary communication layer between media sources and client devices. This protocol transmits only essential mixing instructions and chunk identifiers without requiring complex centralized processing, reducing delay while maintaining manageable system complexity through standardized communication.
3Loss of time
If client devices process media locally, then delay from intermediary processors is eliminated, but bandwidth requirements for transmitting multiple streams increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary encoding and compression at media source devices before transmission. Media streams are pre-processed into efficient formats (such as segmented video chunks) that reduce bandwidth requirements while enabling fast decoding at client devices, thus eliminating processing delay without proportionally increasing bandwidth consumption.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure describes systems and methods for multi-device media broadcasting or recording with active control. A controller may preview media streams from a plurality of source devices, and may select between the streams, add processing or additional content to the streams, and provide an edited or mixed stream to one or more client or recipient devices. In many implementations, mixing or selective presentation of streams may be accomplished with little to no delay via a lightweight signaling and chunk identification change protocol. In other implementations, processing and mixing instructions may be provided to client devices, which may retrieve the streams and process them locally, reducing or eliminating delay from an intermediary processor or mixer.