Packed I-Frame Segments for Streaming Playback Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Implementing reliable playback control functions for streaming digital media is challenging due to the unpredictability of network connections and the intermixing of I-frames with other frame types, which affects the visual cadence during fast forward and rewind operations.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of packed I-frame segments, where I-frames are retrieved and stored at shorter intervals, allowing for efficient playback control functions by ensuring consistent frame display intervals, thereby improving cache utilization and reducing latency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If I-frames are intermixed with other frame types in standard streaming segments, then network transmission follows conventional protocols, but playback control functions become unreliable and visual cadence deteriorates during fast forward and rewind operations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the video stream into two distinct segment types: standard segments containing intermixed frame types (I-frames, P-frames, B-frames) for normal playback, and dedicated packed I-frame segments containing only I-frames at higher density for fast forward and rewind operations. This segmentation allows each segment type to be optimized for its specific purpose, resolving the contradiction between reliability of playback control and organizational complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts I-frames from the standard mixed frame sequence and creates separate dedicated segments containing only I-frames. This extraction enables reliable playback control functions by providing a dedicated resource (packed I-frame segments) that can be reliably retrieved and displayed during fast forward and rewind operations, without the complexity of filtering through intermixed frames.
2Reliability
If frames are retrieved over network connections with variable transmission, then conventional streaming protocols are maintained, but frame retrieval becomes unpredictable and playback control reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent prepares packed I-frame segments in advance during video encoding, creating dedicated segments with I-frames at higher density before transmission. This preliminary action ensures that when fast forward or rewind operations are needed, the client device can retrieve pre-prepared I-frames from dedicated segments rather than waiting for variable network transmission of scattered I-frames, significantly reducing transmission delays and improving reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the temporal spacing parameter of I-frames by creating packed I-frame segments where I-frames are positioned at shorter intervals compared to standard segments. This parameter change allows faster retrieval of sufficient frames for playback control operations, reducing the time loss associated with variable network transmission while maintaining reliable playback control.
3Ease of operation
If I-frames are displayed at predetermined intervals for pleasing visual cadence, then viewer experience is improved, but network transmission variability causes unpredictable frame arrival and cadence consistency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments video data into dedicated packed I-frame segments where I-frames are densely packed at predetermined intervals optimized for playback control operations. This segmentation ensures that when frames are retrieved for fast forward or rewind, the predetermined intervals are maintained, providing pleasing visual cadence while the dedicated segment structure ensures reliable and consistent frame display intervals despite network variability.
4Productivity
If standard streaming segments are used with intermixed frame types, then conventional transmission protocols are followed, but cache utilization becomes inefficient and latency increases during playback control operations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments video data into dedicated packed I-frame segments that can be independently cached and retrieved. This segmentation improves cache utilization efficiency by allowing the client device to cache entire packed I-frame segments locally, enabling rapid retrieval during playback control operations without the latency of retrieving scattered I-frames from standard segments, thus improving productivity while reducing time loss.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for enabling playback control functions of a media player are disclosed. For example, a user of a client device receiving streaming playback of a video stream may perform rewind and fast forward control functions. The client device may implement these playback control functions by retrieving an enhanced playback segment. Using the enhanced playback segment, the media player may display selected frames at a predetermined interval while maintaining a visual cadence that is pleasing to a viewer. In the described embodiments, a client device may render a video stream, receive a command to control a fast forward or rewind playback mode for the video stream, and retrieve, from a distribution server or associated edge cache, one or more enhanced playback segments adapted to implement the user command.