Multi-Stream Packet Time Alignment for Synchronized Playback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods struggle to synchronize multiple data streams, such as video, audio, and analytics data, for simultaneous display on remote devices without requiring complex end-user synchronization calculations.
Innovation Solution
A method is employed to assign a common start reference time to each data stream, adjust packet presentation times with time offsets, and align data streams at a processing device before transmission, allowing synchronized playback on standard video players.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If standard video players play multiple video data streams based on their individual presentation times, then each data stream can be played independently, but the video player requires additional control and complexity to align each individual video data stream to the current time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by assigning a common start reference time to all data streams before transmission. This allows the server to pre-synchronize all streams using a unified time reference, eliminating the need for complex client-side synchronization calculations and enabling standard video players to handle multiple streams without additional control complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a common start reference time as an intermediary that mediates between multiple data streams with different individual presentation times. This unified time reference acts as a mediator that allows all streams to be aligned without requiring the video player to perform complex individual stream alignment calculations
2Adaptability or versatility
If additional data streams are combined to the view, then more information is provided, but it requires additional end user-side/client-side synchronization calculations to keep all these data streams in synchronization
Solution Approach 1:
The server performs preliminary synchronization by assigning a common start reference time to all data streams (video, audio, analytics, subtitles) before transmission. This pre-synchronization eliminates the need for complex client-side calculations, allowing standard video players to handle multiple additional data streams without increased synchronization complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal time reference system that works across all types of data streams (video, audio, analytics, subtitles). This universal approach allows any combination of data streams to be synchronized using the same common start reference time, providing adaptability without increasing complexity
3Ease of manufacture
If data streams have different start times, then each stream can be generated independently, but they cannot be synchronized for simultaneous display without modification
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a common start reference time as an intermediary that bridges data streams with different individual start times. The server uses this unified time reference to calculate and apply time offsets to each stream, ensuring synchronized display while maintaining the independence of stream generation processes
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the time reference parameter from individual stream-specific presentation times to a unified common start reference time. This parameter change allows the server to apply consistent time offset calculations across all streams, ensuring synchronization accuracy while preserving the ease of independent stream generation
Data Source
AI summary
A method of providing a time-synchronized multi-stream data transmission includes the steps of: (i) providing a first recording or generating device for providing frames of a first data stream; (ii) encoding the first data stream into packets, wherein each first data stream packet includes a presentation time and a predetermined number of first data stream frames; (iii) providing a second recording or generating device for providing frames of a second data stream; (iv) encoding the second data stream into packets, wherein each second data stream packet includes a presentation time and a predetermined number of second data stream frames; (v) transmitting the first and second data streams to a processing device; (vi) associating a start reference time with the first packet of the first and second data streams transmitted; (vii) assigning a first stream start time to the first packet of the first data stream transmitted and a second stream start time to the first packet of the second data stream transmitted; (viii) associating a first time offset from the start reference time and first data stream start time (either directly or indirectly) with each subsequent packet of the first data stream and associating a second time offset from the start reference time and second data stream start time (either directly or indirectly) with each subsequent packet of the second data stream; (ix) time-aligning the first data stream packets with the second data stream packets using the first time offset associated with the first data stream and using the second time offset associated with the second data stream; and (x) applying a common presentation time to the aligned first and second data stream packets, irrespective of the original presentation time of the first and second data streams.