Multicast Middleware for Hybrid DASH HLS Stream Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current technologies face challenges in efficiently transporting hybrid DASH/HLS multimedia content over multicast networks, requiring backward compatibility with old devices, timely updates of HLS media playlists, and ensuring only available segments are exposed to media players, while minimizing network resource consumption and battery usage on mobile devices.
Innovation Solution
A method for multicasting multimedia content using a middleware that receives and stores MPEG-DASH and HLS manifest files and media segments, with playlists updated within the same multicast session, and using protocols like FLUTE or ROUTE for efficient delivery, ensuring only well-received segments are referenced by media players.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If hybrid DASH/HLS content is transported over multicast networks, then network resource consumption is reduced and cost is saved, but backward compatibility with old DASH-only devices and timely updates of HLS playlists become more difficult to maintain
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the manifest delivery mechanism by separating DASH MPD delivery (via FLUTE in-band) from HLS playlist delivery (via separate HTTP requests), allowing each protocol to be handled independently according to its native requirements while sharing the same multicast media segment delivery infrastructure
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a multicast intermediary component that receives media segments via multicast FLUTE session and makes them available to both DASH players (via MPD references) and HLS players (via playlist generation), acting as a mediator that adapts the same media content for different protocol requirements
2Loss of information
If HLS media playlists are updated every time a new segment is generated, then playlist freshness is maintained, but network overhead and complexity of managing synchronized updates increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the playlist update trigger with the media segment generation event - when a new media segment is received and stored by the multicast intermediary, the HLS playlist is automatically updated to reference this new segment, ensuring freshness without separate update mechanisms
Solution Approach 2:
The HLS playlist is generated and updated automatically by the multicast intermediary based on the currently available media segments, without requiring external control or manual intervention - the system self-manages playlist freshness by referencing segments that are already received and stored
3Reliability
If media playlists reference only well-received segments, then player reliability is improved, but additional verification mechanisms and system complexity are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by storing media segments in the multicast intermediary before they are referenced in HLS playlists - segments are pre-received, pre-validated for successful reception, and pre-stored in a buffer, ensuring that only confirmed available segments are made referenceable to players
Solution Approach 2:
The multicast intermediary creates a local copy of received media segments in its storage buffer, making these copied segments available for playlist references without requiring players to directly verify original segment availability - the copy serves as the authoritative source
Data Source
AI summary
A method for multicasting multimedia content to receivers, the method comprising: receiving, by a multicast middleware (MCMF) from a server (BMS), manifest files to access contents according to different adaptive bitrate streaming communication protocols, one of the manifest files being consistent with the MPEG-DASH protocol and describing media segments of a content, another of the manifest files being a master playlist consistent with the HLS protocol and defining locations where media playlists to access the media segments of the content are available; receiving, by the middleware from the server, the media segments of the content, transmitted in a multicast session, receiving, by the middleware from the server, the playlists, the received playlists referencing the media segments transmitted in the multicast session, and currently received by the middleware; and storing by the middleware the manifest files, the media segments and the playlists, to make them available to receivers (UD, UD1, UD2).