Playback Method for Managing Multiple Streaming Sessions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current mobile devices and low-end electronic devices lack the capability to support multiple simultaneous playback sessions of streaming media, leading to resource wastage and poor user experience, as they often stop playing content when switched to the background and lack efficient bandwidth management.
Innovation Solution
A playback method that allows multiple sessions to be opened with a pseudo playback mechanism and smart bitrate adaptation, enabling seamless switching between sessions by recording playback times and adjusting priority and bitrate based on activity levels, thus emulating a linear TV experience while optimizing bandwidth and power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple playback sessions are supported simultaneously, then user experience and session management capability are improved, but device resource consumption (bandwidth and power) increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic session management where playback sessions can be switched between active and background states. The system dynamically adjusts resource allocation based on session state - active sessions receive full bandwidth and processing power, while background sessions have their streaming paused or bitrate reduced, thereby supporting multiple sessions without proportionally increasing power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes operational parameters (bandwidth allocation, streaming bitrate, processing priority) based on session activity level. When a session transitions to background, parameters are adjusted to reduce resource consumption - this allows multiple sessions to coexist while maintaining acceptable power usage by adapting parameters to actual needs.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple playback sessions are supported simultaneously, then user experience and session management capability are improved, but bandwidth consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by pausing or reducing bitrate of background sessions rather than completely stopping them. This allows the system to maintain session state and enable quick resumption when users switch back, while consuming minimal bandwidth during background periods. The approach balances between full action (continuous streaming) and no action (complete pause).
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements periodic resource allocation where bandwidth is allocated to sessions in cycles based on their active state. Active sessions receive continuous bandwidth allocation, while background sessions have allocation paused or reduced. This periodic allocation pattern enables multi-session support without sustaining high bandwidth consumption across all sessions simultaneously.
3Ease of operation
If seamless switching between sessions is implemented, then user experience is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-loading or buffering content for background sessions before they are fully suspended. When a user switches between sessions, the previously active session already has buffered content ready, enabling seamless resumption without requiring complex real-time synchronization or rendering operations. This advance preparation simplifies the switching mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The system maintains session state copies or metadata for background sessions, including playback position, buffered content references, and configuration parameters. This copying approach allows rapid session restoration without complex state reconstruction, reducing the complexity of seamless switching while maintaining user experience.
4Duration of action of stationary object
If background sessions continue streaming, then session continuity is maintained, but power and bandwidth are wasted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the essential elements of session continuity (playback position, session state, buffered content) from the actual streaming process. When a session moves to background, the streaming is paused or reduced, but the extracted session state is preserved in memory or storage. This separation allows session continuity to be maintained through state preservation rather than continuous resource consumption, eliminating waste while preserving continuity.
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure proposes a playback method including displaying a first playback session which comprises an on-demand streaming session in a foreground of a display of the electronic device; switching, at a first playback time (t1), the first playback session from being displayed in the foreground to a background in which the on-demand streaming session ceases streaming; recording the t1 and a first clock time (T1) in response to switching the first playback session from being displayed in the foreground to the background; switching the first playback session back from the background to being displayed in the foreground; recording a second clock time (T2) in response to switching the first playback session back from the background to being displayed in the foreground; and changing the on-demand streaming session as being displayed in the foreground to a second playback time (t2) which is determined according to t2=t1+(T2−T1).