Real-Time Frame-Level Watermarking for Low-Latency Live Streaming
Solution Overview
Problem
Current server-side watermarking techniques for live digital media transmissions introduce significant latency in media delivery and extraction, limiting the capability of content owners to respond to unauthorized content detection in a timely manner.
Innovation Solution
A live media streaming architecture with real-time frame and subframe level watermarking using UDP/WebRTC architecture, allowing watermarks to be inserted and extracted with reduced latency, enabling fast and reliable identification of subscribers and republishers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If TCP/HTTP-based protocols (CMAF, LL-HLS) are used for media delivery, then reliability of transmission is improved, but media delivery latency increases to at least five seconds
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the media stream into smaller units that can be processed and delivered more efficiently. By breaking down the watermarking process into frame-level and subframe-level operations, the system achieves lower latency while maintaining reliability through structured data organization and transmission.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the granularity parameter of watermarking from segment-level to frame-level and subframe-level. This parameter change enables faster processing and reduced latency while maintaining the reliability of transmission through more fine-grained control of the watermarking process.
2Ease of operation
If HLS or DASH protocols are used for media delivery, then compatibility and ease of operation are improved, but media delivery latency increases to 10-60 seconds
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the watermarking process into discrete frame-level and subframe-level operations. This allows the system to maintain compatibility with existing protocols while reducing latency through more granular processing that doesn't require waiting for complete segments.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary action by inserting watermarks at the frame or subframe level before complete segments are formed. This advance watermarking enables faster extraction and reduces overall latency while maintaining compatibility with standard streaming protocols.
3Reliability
If watermarking is applied to large segments of transmitted data, then extraction reliability is improved, but extraction time increases to five to fifteen minutes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the watermarking process into frame-level and subframe-level operations, allowing extraction to be performed on smaller, more manageable units. This segmentation maintains extraction reliability through distributed watermarking while reducing total extraction time by parallel processing multiple small segments.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the watermarking granularity parameter from segment-level to frame-level and subframe-level. This parameter change enables faster extraction by reducing the amount of data that must be processed at once, while maintaining reliability through the distributed nature of frame-level watermarking across multiple frames.
4Loss of time
If frame-level or subframe-level watermarking is implemented, then extraction time is reduced to five to fifteen seconds, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses segmentation to divide the complex watermarking process into standardized frame-level and subframe-level modules. This modular segmentation reduces system complexity by creating reusable, independent components that can be processed in parallel, despite the increased granularity of operation.
Data Source
AI summary
A live media streaming architecture with real-time live watermarking wherein watermarks are added at a frame or subframe level. The architecture can use a UDP/WebRTC architecture, without requiring a content delivery network, which is not dependent on transmitting media by segments, thus allowing insertion of the watermark at a frame or subframe level. By inserting watermarks at a frame or subframe level, latency is minimized for media delivery to under 500 milliseconds (ms) and for extraction to about five to fifteen seconds.