Media Stream Throttling via Segmented Burst Transmission
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing media streaming techniques over Radio Access Networks (RANs) face inefficiencies in bitrate utilization and resource allocation, as they often fail to fully leverage available link bitrates, leading to suboptimal use of air interface resources and increased power consumption in mobile clients.
Innovation Solution
A method and network node configuration that split media segments into multiple parts, transmitting the first part at a higher bitrate and the remaining part at a lower bitrate, with controlled delays to maintain the perceived bitrate as if transmitted in a single part, thereby generating bursty traffic and preventing clients from switching to higher bitrates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If media segments are transmitted at a constant bitrate matching the media content duration, then the transmission is simple and stable, but the air interface resources are not fully utilized and power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The media segment is divided into multiple parts (first part and remaining part) that are transmitted at different bitrates. The first part is transmitted at a higher bitrate during a shorter time interval, while the remaining part is transmitted at a lower bitrate during a longer time interval, optimizing air interface resource utilization and reducing power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The transmission uses periodic bursting patterns where the first part of media segments is transmitted in shorter, higher-intensity bursts, followed by longer intervals for the remaining parts. This periodic action optimizes resource allocation and reduces overall power consumption while maintaining playback continuity.
2Productivity
If media segments are transmitted in a single continuous stream, then the transmission is simple and reliable, but the bitrate does not adapt to available link capacity and resources are wasted
Solution Approach 1:
Each media segment is segmented into multiple parts with different transmission characteristics. The first part is transmitted at a higher bitrate during a shorter time interval, while the remaining part is transmitted at a lower bitrate during a longer time interval, allowing bitrate adaptation without requiring complex client-side bitrate selection.
Solution Approach 2:
The network node preemptively divides media segments into parts with different bitrates and time intervals before transmission. This preliminary segmentation allows the system to adapt to available link capacity in advance, preventing waste of air interface resources while maintaining simple client-side playback logic.
3Productivity
If media segments are transmitted with pacing to force lower quality representations, then resource allocation is controlled, but the client cannot utilize higher available bitrates and air interface efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The media segment is divided into a first part and a remaining part, where the first part is transmitted at a higher bitrate during a shorter time interval. This segmentation allows the client to perceive higher available bitrate for the first part, enabling adaptation to higher quality representations when link capacity allows, while the remaining part is transmitted at a lower bitrate to control overall resource allocation.
Solution Approach 2:
The transmission parameters (bitrate and time interval) are dynamically changed between different parts of the same media segment. The first part uses higher bitrate and shorter time interval, while the remaining part uses lower bitrate and longer time interval, providing bitrate adaptation flexibility without requiring complex client-side bitrate selection logic.
4Productivity
If discrete media quality levels are provided, then the manifest file structure is simple and manageable, but the media stream cannot fully utilize available link bitrate due to quantization to discrete levels
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of providing separate media representations for different quality levels, the invention segments a single media segment into multiple parts with different bitrates. This allows continuous bitrate adaptation within a single representation, fully utilizing available link bitrate without requiring complex multi-representation manifest structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the bitrate parameter within different parts of the same media segment rather than requiring separate media representations. This allows fine-grained bitrate adaptation to match available link capacity exactly, eliminating the quantization loss inherent in discrete quality levels while maintaining simple manifest file structure.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of throttling a media stream, comprising a sequence of media segments, for transmission to a client via a radio access network is provided. The method comprises acquiring a media segment, determining a duration of the media segment, transmitting a first part (501′-504′) of the media segment to the client, and transmitting a remaining part (501″-504″) of the media segment to the client. At least one of the parts (501′-504′, 501″-504″) is transmitted during a time interval (Δt1, Δt2) which is shorter than a corresponding duration of that part, and transmitting the remaining part is delayed (Δt0), such that a time interval (Δttx) between starting transmitting the first part and transmission of the remaining part being completed is shorter than the duration (Δtp) of the media segment. Further, a corresponding network node for throttling a media stream is provided. Embodiments of the invention are advantageous in that bursty traffic is generated, resulting in a more efficient usage of air interface resources and reduced power consumption.