Adaptive Bitrate Streaming Rendition Switching via P-Frame Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Adaptive bitrate streaming faces challenges in reducing end-to-end latency while maintaining high video quality, as shorter segment durations increase the frequency of IDR-frames, leading to inefficient encoding and potential decreases in image quality and fidelity.
Innovation Solution
Allowing rendition switching at both IDR-frames and P-frames, with P-switch frames designed to support switching, reduces latency without compromising image quality by enabling more frequent and responsive switching to changes in transmission characteristics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If segment duration is reduced to reduce latency, then end-to-end latency is improved, but the frequency of IDR-frames increases leading to decreased image quality and fidelity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the video stream into multiple renditions with different quality levels and introduces P-frames as intermediate switching points between IDR-frames. This segmentation allows the system to reduce segment duration for lower latency while using P-frames to maintain image quality, resolving the contradiction between latency reduction and quality maintenance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the frame type parameter from only IDR-frames to include P-frames as switching points. This parameter change enables more flexible rendition switching without requiring frequent IDR-frames, thus reducing latency while maintaining image quality and fidelity.
2Speed
If segment duration is reduced to reduce latency, then responsiveness to network changes is improved, but encoding efficiency decreases due to more frequent IDR-frame transmissions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the video stream into multiple renditions and introduces P-frames as intermediate switching points between IDR-frames. This segmentation allows the system to reduce segment duration for faster responsiveness while using P-frames to maintain image quality, resolving the contradiction between responsiveness and encoding efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the frame type parameter from only IDR-frames to include P-frames as switching points. This parameter change enables more flexible rendition switching without requiring frequent IDR-frames, thus improving responsiveness while maintaining encoding efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques for improved rendition switching in association with adaptive bitrate streaming are described herein. The disclosed techniques may allow switching between segments at P-frames in addition to IDR-frames. By allowing switching at P-frames, the disclosed techniques may improve efficiency by, for example, reducing end-to-end latency without causing an undesirable decrease in image quality and image fidelity. In some examples, switching to a lower image quality rendition (e.g., lower bitrate, lower resolution, etc.) may be accomplished using P-frame switching, IDR-frame switching or both. Also, in some examples, switching to a higher image quality rendition (e.g., higher bitrate, higher resolution, etc.) may be accomplished using only IDR-frame switching.