Multimedia Stream Pre-buffering for Smooth Playback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current HTTP streaming methods face challenges in ensuring smooth transitions between multimedia segments, particularly when data is sourced from different servers with varying capabilities, leading to potential display freezing due to differences in server performance.
Innovation Solution
A method and device for receiving a multimedia data stream that determines the optimal download time for subsequent segments based on their execution time slots and transmission capabilities between data sources and the communication device, allowing for simultaneous downloading and prioritization of segments to prevent freezing and buffer overflow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If HTTP streaming is used to download multimedia segments from multiple data sources, then the system can access distributed video content from various servers, but display freezing occurs due to varying server transmission capabilities and insufficient data buffering
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by determining and starting to download subsequent multimedia segments before their actual execution time slots. The communication device calculates the required download time based on transmission capability and execution time slot, then initiates downloads in advance. This pre-buffering strategy ensures that data is ready before playback is needed, preventing display freezing while maintaining the ability to access content from multiple distributed sources.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamics by dynamically adjusting the download timing and transmission rate based on real-time conditions. The system determines download start times dynamically using the formula involving execution time slot and transmission capability, and can adjust transmission rates adaptively. This dynamic approach allows the system to handle varying server capabilities and network conditions while ensuring smooth playback transitions between segments from different data sources.
2Reliability
If the communication device waits for data buffering before playing the next segment, then data availability is ensured, but playback continuity is disrupted causing display freezing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves this contradiction by performing preliminary downloads of subsequent segments during the execution of current segments. The system calculates when downloads should start based on execution time slots and transmission capabilities, ensuring data is buffered in advance without interrupting playback. This eliminates display freezing while maintaining data availability through proactive data preparation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent maintains continuity of useful action by overlapping the download process with the playback process. While one segment is being played, the next segment is being downloaded in parallel. This continuous operation ensures that playback never stops waiting for data, as data preparation and data consumption occur simultaneously without interference, maintaining both data availability and playback smoothness.
3Reliability
If multiple subsequent segments are downloaded simultaneously from different servers, then data buffering is improved for smooth transitions, but network bandwidth and system resources are consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action with selective timing to download segments in advance of their execution slots, but not all segments are downloaded simultaneously. The system determines optimal download start times for each segment based on its execution time slot and the device's transmission capability, creating a staggered download schedule that smooths resource consumption while ensuring data readiness for smooth transitions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements periodic action through its download scheduling mechanism, where segments are downloaded at determined intervals based on their execution time slots. Rather than continuous or simultaneous downloading of all segments, the system periodically initiates downloads at calculated times, distributing network bandwidth and system resource usage over time while still achieving smooth transitions between segments.
Data Source
AI summary
Receiving on a communication device a multimedia data stream composed of a sequence of multimedia data segments from a plurality of data sources, each multimedia data segment having an execution time slot relative to an execution time slot of an initial multimedia data segment of the sequence. Receiving and executing a first multimedia segment, requesting the data source of a subsequent multimedia data segment to transmit a portion of the subsequent multimedia data segment, determining therefrom the transmission capability between the communication device and the data source determining a time to start downloading the subsequent multimedia data segment based on its execution time slot relative to the current time slot and the transmission capability, and downloading, at the determined time, the subsequent multimedia data segment for execution during the execution time slot.