Media Synchronization via Track Fragment Adjustment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing media streaming technologies face challenges in achieving synchronized rendering of fragmented media content without explicit time stamps, particularly during random access or seeking, due to differences in track fragment lengths caused by varying sampling frequencies.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating track fragment adjustment information into media container files to define rendering timing relationships between media content portions, allowing for correct alignment and synchronization of media streams during playback, even when accessed at intermediate points.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If track fragments are used to enable incremental media delivery, then productivity is improved, but synchronization reliability deteriorates due to unknown fragment lengths and misalignment

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveincremental media deliveryVSAvoidsynchronization

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism (synchronization information structure) that mediates between fragmented media tracks and the playback system. This intermediary carries timing and alignment data that enables the playback system to correctly synchronize media content from multiple tracks without requiring explicit timestamps in each fragment, thus resolving the contradiction between incremental delivery and synchronization reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-calculating and embedding synchronization information in the media file structure before playback. The synchronization data is prepared in advance to account for potential fragment length variations and sampling frequency differences, enabling reliable synchronization without real-time timestamp processing

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If explicit time stamps are added to track fragments to ensure synchronization, then synchronization reliability is improved, but device complexity increases and flexibility is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovesynchronizationVSAvoiddata structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the timestamp function from individual track fragments and relocates it to a separate synchronization information structure. This separation allows fragments to remain simple while synchronization is handled by the extracted timing data structure, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining synchronization reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of adding timestamps to fragments (traditional approach), the patent inverts the approach by having fragments reference synchronization information from a central structure. This inversion simplifies fragment structure while achieving the same synchronization goal, reducing device complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Adaptability or versatility

If track fragments are used without explicit time stamps to maintain flexibility, then adaptability is improved, but measurement precision of timing relationships deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveflexibility in media manipulationVSAvoidtiming relationship precision

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The synchronization information structure acts as an intermediary that provides precise timing relationships without constraining the fragment structure. This intermediary enables accurate measurement of timing relationships while preserving the flexibility to manipulate fragments independently for operations like commercial insertion and program splicing

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS9653113B2File format for synchronized media

Publication Date: 2017.05.16 TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)

AI summary

Metadata defining decoding and rendering instructions for media content to be co-rendered in a media presentation is divided and distributed as track fragments provided in different media container files. Track fragment adjustment information is included in at least one such track fragment in order to define rendering timing relationships between media content portions defined by the track fragments in a current media container file. The rendering timing relationships enable a correct time alignment of the playback of the media content to be co-rendered to achieve a synchronized media presentation. The track fragment adjustment information is particularly advantageous in connection with tuning in or a random access in a stream of media container files comprising fragmented metadata.