Intelligent Media Segment Retransmission for Network Playback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Network-based media players face challenges in providing a seamless playback experience due to network constraints like packet loss, as they are often hardcoded to either skip or retransmit lost packets, resulting in suboptimal user experience.
Innovation Solution
Implementing an intelligent retransmission mechanism that detects missing media data segments, assigns a value based on playback consequences, and requests retransmission if the value meets a predetermined threshold, allowing for dynamic decision-making to improve playback quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the media player requests retransmission of lost packets, then playback quality is improved, but playback continuity deteriorates due to delays
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic retransmission decision-making where the media player adaptively adjusts retransmission behavior based on real-time assessment of packet importance and current playback state. Instead of static hard-coded strategies, the system dynamically evaluates whether to request retransmission for each lost packet segment, balancing quality improvement against playback delay on a per-packet basis.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameter of retransmission probability or priority based on the assessed value of missing data segments. By assigning different values to different packets based on their importance to playback quality, the system selectively requests retransmission for high-value packets while accepting loss of low-value packets, thereby optimizing the trade-off between quality and continuity.
2Productivity
If the media player skips lost packets, then playback continuity is maintained, but playback quality deteriorates due to corruption and glitches
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality assessment to individual packet segments, determining the importance value of each missing packet based on its specific role in playback (e.g., whether it contains critical audio/video data). This allows differentiated treatment of different packets - some are skipped to maintain continuity while others are requested for retransmission to preserve quality, based on their local importance to the overall playback experience.
3Device complexity
If the media player uses hard-coded retransmission strategies, then device complexity is reduced, but adaptability to network conditions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The media player performs self-assessment of missing packet importance and makes autonomous retransmission decisions without requiring complex external control systems. The device itself evaluates the value of lost packets based on playback consequences and independently determines whether to request retransmission, providing adaptive behavior with relatively simple implementation.
Data Source
AI summary
An intelligent retransmission of data stream segments is disclosed. One embodiment comprises detecting a missing media data segment at a media receiver, assigning a value to the missing media data segment based upon media playback consequences of not utilizing the missing media data segment, comparing the value with a threshold, and requesting retransmission of the missing media data segment from a media server if the value meets a predetermined condition relative to the threshold. In this manner, retransmission is requested when it is determined that retransmission will improve playback performance relative to non-retransmission.