Media Stream Reformatting for Auxiliary Data Insertion
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for adding auxiliary data to media streams, such as digital rights management information, disrupt the consistency and timing of the stream, leading to issues like jitter and frozen playback, and require complex and costly hardware for correction.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for reformatting media streams to efficiently remove data and insert auxiliary information without increasing file size or bit rate, maintaining proper PCR values, allowing for real-time software-based processing with minimal quality impact.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If auxiliary data is inserted into the media stream, then the usefulness and protection of the content is enhanced, but the consistency and timing of the stream is disrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameters of the media stream by removing existing media data and reformatting it to accommodate auxiliary data insertion. This involves modifying the stream structure, adjusting packet sizes, and recalculating timing information to maintain consistency while adding protective or informational layers to the content.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the media stream into manageable components, allowing auxiliary data to be inserted at specific locations without disrupting the entire stream. By dividing the stream into segments and carefully managing the insertion points, the timing and consistency of the overall stream are preserved while adding the necessary auxiliary information.
2Stability of the object's composition
If a content transcode is performed to correct inconsistencies, then the stream consistency is restored, but the processing complexity and time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary actions by pre-calculating the impact of auxiliary data insertion on stream timing and consistency. By anticipating the changes needed and preparing correction parameters in advance, the system avoids the need for complex real-time transcoding while still maintaining stream consistency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a copy of the media stream with the auxiliary data inserted, rather than modifying the original stream in place. This copying approach allows for easier management of the changes and simplifies the correction process, as the original stream remains intact and can be referenced for timing information.
3Stability of the object's composition
If a content transcode is performed to correct inconsistencies, then the stream consistency is restored, but the processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses lightweight, temporary structures to manage the stream reformating process rather than relying on heavy transcoding operations. By employing simplified data structures and direct memory manipulation, the system achieves stream consistency corrections with minimal processing time and computational resources.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex mechanical transcoding operations with more efficient software-based stream manipulation. Instead of performing full hardware transcoding, the system uses optimized algorithms and data structure transformations to achieve the same consistency corrections with significantly reduced processing time.
4Adaptability or versatility
If media data is removed to make space for auxiliary data, then the auxiliary information can be inserted, but the quality of the media data may be impacted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality changes by selectively removing or modifying only specific portions of the media data that are least critical to the overall quality. By analyzing the media stream and identifying less important segments, the system can make space for auxiliary data while preserving the quality of the most important content elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs partial action by removing only the minimum necessary amount of media data to accommodate the auxiliary information. Rather than extensively modifying the stream, the system makes the smallest possible changes to create the required space, thereby minimizing the impact on media quality while still achieving the insertion goal.
Data Source
AI summary
Reformatting a media stream to include auxiliary data, the method including: receiving the auxiliary data to be inserted into the media stream; determining the amount of data in the auxiliary data; identifying media data in the media stream to be reduced in size; reformatting the media stream to reduce the amount of data in the media data such that the amount of data removed from the media data is at least equal to the amount of data in the auxiliary data while providing minimal impact to the quality of the media data; and adding the auxiliary data to the media stream which maintains a consistent size.