Media Timestamp Synchronization via Dynamic Rate Adjustment
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The synchronization of media streams is impaired due to timing mismatches between the transmitter and receiver, caused by differences in clock rates and inaccuracies in timestamp generation, leading to difficulties in generating a multiview media item and potential loss or misplacement of media units.
Innovation Solution
A media processing system that adjusts timestamps of received media units based on the transmission rate and clock cycle times of both the transmitter and receiver, discarding or reusing units outside expected intervals to maintain synchronization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the transmitter streams media data based on its own clock rate and transmission rate, then the transmitter can maintain its own timing accuracy, but the receiver experiences timing mismatches and synchronization difficulties due to differences between transmitter and receiver clock rates
Solution Approach 1:
The receiver determines the actual transmission rate by measuring the time interval between received media units and feeds back this information to adjust the expected reception timing. This closed-loop feedback mechanism compensates for clock rate differences and maintains synchronization between transmitter and receiver.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the expected reception time interval based on the actually measured transmission rate. By changing the timing parameter adaptively rather than using a fixed expected interval, the receiver can accommodate variations in transmission rate and maintain accurate synchronization.
2Device complexity
If the receiver expects media units at fixed time intervals based on nominal transmission rate, then the receiver can maintain simple timing expectations, but media units received outside these intervals are discarded causing potential loss of media data
Solution Approach 1:
The expected reception time interval is made dynamic rather than static. The receiver continuously updates the expected interval based on the actually measured transmission rate from previously received media units. This dynamic adaptation allows the receiver to accommodate rate variations while maintaining a simple expectation mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The receiver independently determines the actual transmission rate from the received media units themselves and uses this information to adjust its own timing expectations. The system serves itself by extracting synchronization information from the data stream without requiring external control signals.
3Reliability
If the receiver adjusts timestamps of received media units to match expected reception times, then synchronization is improved, but the processing complexity and potential for error increase
Solution Approach 1:
The receiver determines the actual transmission rate in advance by measuring intervals between received media units before processing subsequent units. This preliminary measurement allows the receiver to pre-calculate accurate expected reception times for future media units, simplifying the timestamp adjustment process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex mechanical timestamp adjustment mechanisms with a computational approach. The receiver uses software-based calculations to determine actual transmission rates and compute adjusted expected reception times, substituting physical timing adjustment hardware with algorithmic processing.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A method includes receiving first and second media units with respective first and second time stamps that are assigned based on a first clock cycle time and a data transmission rate. The method includes assigning an adjusted time stamp to the second media unit based on the first clock cycle time, a second clock cycle time, the first time stamp, and the data transmission rate.