Multimedia Synchronization via Adaptive Buffering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Synchronizing audio and video components across various multimedia rendering devices is challenging due to differences in propagation delays, hardware latency, and complex environments, leading to noticeable delays that can be annoying for viewers.
Innovation Solution
A method where a media player collects delay data from each rendering device, determines the buffering delay by finding the difference between maximum and minimum delays, and adjusts the multimedia components' paths to resynchronize them, using buffers to align the fastest stream with the slowest one.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple multimedia rendering devices are used to play audio and video, then the system versatility and adaptability are improved, but the synchronization difficulty increases due to different propagation delays and hardware latencies
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by measuring and determining the propagation delay of each multimedia rendering device in advance, before actual playback. The media player obtains delay data from each device, calculates the buffering delay required, and pre-configures the buffer settings. This allows the system to adapt to different devices without real-time adjustment complexity during playback.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the delay parameter of each multimedia rendering device by adjusting buffer sizes. The media player modifies the buffering delay parameter for each device based on its measured propagation delay, transforming devices with different inherent delays into synchronized output devices. This parameter adjustment resolves the synchronization issue while maintaining system versatility.
2Manufacturing precision
If buffering delay is applied to synchronize multimedia components, then the synchronization accuracy is improved, but the playback latency increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by introducing buffering delay only where necessary - specifically in the audio path or video path depending on which has the shorter delay. Instead of uniformly delaying both streams, the system selectively applies buffering to the faster path, achieving synchronization with minimal overall latency. This localized approach maintains synchronization accuracy while reducing total playback latency.
Data Source
AI summary
A method is proposed for synchronizing a plurality of multimedia components selected among audio and video components of a digital multimedia processed by a media player. Each of the multimedia component is rendered on a multimedia rendering device receiving the multimedia component from the media player through a respective path. The media player is configured to obtain, for each multimedia rendering device, a delay data representative of a propagation delay of the multimedia component from the reception of the multimedia component to its rendering by the multimedia rendering device, determine a buffering delay representative of a difference between a maximum value and a minimum value among the delay data; and provide the buffering delay to at least one buffer implemented along a path of the multimedia component corresponding to the minimum value among the delay data.