OTT Video Transcoding Using OpRep Metadata for Dynamic Bitrate Adaptation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current OTT video delivery platforms face bandwidth and storage challenges due to the need to maintain multiple video representations across Content Delivery Networks (CDNs), leading to increased costs and inefficiencies, as all representations must be stored and transmitted, even if not all are requested by clients.
Innovation Solution
Implementing On-The-Fly (OTF) transcoding and using Optimum Representation (OpRep) metadata to dynamically adjust video bit rates and formats based on client bandwidth and device capabilities, allowing servers to store only the highest resolution and encode other representations as needed, reducing bandwidth consumption and storage requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple video representations are stored and transmitted across CDNs, then client compatibility and quality options are improved, but bandwidth consumption and storage requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The encoder performs preliminary analysis of the video stream characteristics and pre-calculates the optimal representation parameters (resolution, frame rate, bitrate) for multiple target bitrates. This OpRep metadata is generated in advance and transmitted to the CDN, enabling the CDN to perform on-the-fly transcoding without needing to pre-store multiple complete video representations, thus reducing storage requirements while maintaining adaptability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces OpRep metadata as an intermediary that bridges the encoder and CDN. This metadata contains pre-analyzed optimal parameters that guide the CDN's transcoding process, allowing the system to generate appropriate video representations dynamically without storing all possible versions, thereby reducing storage needs while maintaining client compatibility
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple video representations are maintained across CDNs, then quality options for different bandwidth conditions are improved, but bandwidth consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from a static approach of pre-storing multiple fixed representations to a dynamic on-the-fly transcoding approach. The CDN uses the transmitted OpRep metadata to dynamically generate the appropriate video representation based on real-time client bandwidth conditions, ensuring optimal quality options are provided without the need to maintain multiple complete representations, thus reducing bandwidth consumption
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the approach from storing multiple complete video files with different parameters to storing a single high-quality source and using pre-calculated parameter guidance (OpRep metadata) to generate representations on-demand. This parameter-based approach allows the system to adapt quality options to actual bandwidth conditions without consuming excessive bandwidth for transmitting unused representations
3Adaptability or versatility
If all video representations are encoded and stored, then client device compatibility is ensured, but encoding complexity and processing time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential representation parameters (optimal resolution, frame rate, and bitrate combinations) from the full encoding process and places them in the OpRep metadata. The encoder performs analysis and extracts key parameters without performing complete transcoding for all representations, reducing encoding complexity while ensuring device compatibility through the CDN's on-the-fly transcoding using these extracted parameters
Solution Approach 2:
The encoder performs preliminary analysis of the video stream and pre-calculates optimal representation parameters for multiple target bitrates before transmission to the CDN. This preliminary action provides the CDN with guidance information needed to perform efficient on-the-fly transcoding, reducing the overall encoding complexity while maintaining comprehensive device compatibility support
Data Source
AI summary
Approaches for generating dynamic over-the-top (OTT) adjustable bit rate (ABR) representations of a video with a variable resolution and/or frame rate using on-the-fly (OTF) transcoding and assistance metadata. At an encoder located at a head-end, the encoder encodes a video stream at an initial bit rate and produces optimum representation (OpRep) metadata, which describes an optimum presentation for the video stream for each of a plurality of bit rates or the minimum bitrate below which a presentation becomes sub-optimal. The head-end transmits the encoded video stream and the OpRep metadata to a transcoder of a Content Delivery Network (CDN). The transcoder at the CDN uses the OpRep metadata to dynamically transcode the video stream in a preferred picture resolution and a preferred frame rate at a different bit rate than the initial bit rate using the OpRep metadata.