Media Cache Sliding Window for Fast Playback Transitions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for maintaining cached media content are inefficient, leading to bandwidth waste and memory usage issues due to the transmission of large content segments that may not be played back, and they fail to predict and prepare for likely playback states, causing interruptions and increased latency.
Innovation Solution
A media device maintains a continuous segment of media content in its cache centered around the current playback point and predicts likely next playback states to download only the necessary frames for these states, using a sliding window approach to manage cache efficiently.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If larger content segments are downloaded to the cache, then better support for fast-forwarding and rewinding is achieved, but memory space usage increases and bandwidth is wasted when content is not played back
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by downloading and caching content segments that are likely to be needed for future playback states. By predicting probable playback scenarios (such as fast-forwarding or rewinding), the system proactively retrieves relevant content portions before they are actually requested, ensuring smooth transitions without requiring large continuous cache allocations.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of uniformly caching large continuous segments, the system applies local quality by downloading specific discrete portions of content based on predicted playback needs. Different regions of the content are cached with different priorities and quantities depending on their likelihood of being accessed in various playback states, optimizing both memory usage and playback support.
2Adaptability or versatility
If larger content segments are downloaded to the cache, then better support for fast-forwarding and rewinding is achieved, but bandwidth consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies partial action by downloading only the necessary portions of content segments required for predicted playback states rather than complete segments. This approach retrieves sufficient content to support fast-forwarding and rewinding operations without the excess bandwidth consumption associated with downloading entire content blocks, thereby reducing unnecessary data transmission.
Solution Approach 2:
By predicting future playback states in advance, the system performs preliminary content retrieval for only those segments likely to be needed. This proactive approach minimizes bandwidth consumption by avoiding repeated downloads and reducing the total volume of data transmitted compared to traditional methods that cache larger continuous segments.
3Reliability
If the cache maintains content for several seconds beyond current playback location, then playback continuity is ensured during network disruptions, but cache space is wasted when content is not played back
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by caching content segments at predicted future playback positions based on anticipated user behavior and playback state transitions. Rather than maintaining a fixed continuous buffer, the system proactively retrieves and stores discrete content portions where playback is likely to resume or continue, ensuring reliability while optimizing cache space utilization.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies local quality by maintaining cache content with varying extents at different positions relative to the current playback location. Content segments closer to the playback position are cached with higher priority and larger buffers, while distant segments are cached with lower priority or not at all, based on predicted playback probability. This creates a non-uniform cache distribution that optimizes both reliability and space efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
A media device and methods that identify playback states reachable from a current content playback state and identify a reachable state that is likely to occur, are disclosed. A memory associated with the media device may receive frames that enable a smooth transition between the playback state and the reachable state. The media device may receive frames that correspond to points in the content that are separated by an amount of time that is proportional to the playback rate of the likely state. The frames may be frames corresponding to an image that may be played back at the playback rate of the likely state.