Separate Trick Play Streams for Memory-Limited Video Playback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Client devices, especially small handheld devices, face memory constraints in implementing trick play features like rewind and fast forward due to the need to store large amounts of already downloaded video, which is not feasible with their limited memory capacity.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves encoding multimedia content into multiple adaptive bitrate streams and a separate trick play stream at lower encoding bitrates and frame rates, allowing client devices to download and play back trick play features efficiently by switching between these streams.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the client device stores large amounts of already downloaded video to implement trick play features, then trick play functionality is improved, but memory capacity is exceeded on small handheld devices
Solution Approach 1:
The video stream is segmented into multiple bitrate streams (e.g., high bitrate, medium bitrate, low bitrate) that are stored separately in the network service. When trick play is requested, the client device requests only the specific bitrate segment needed rather than storing large portions of the entire video locally, thus enabling trick play functionality without exceeding device memory capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The network service acts as an intermediary between the video source and the client device. Instead of the client device storing and managing large video buffers for trick play, the network service stores multiple bitrate versions and delivers the appropriate segments on demand, transferring the storage burden from the client device to the network infrastructure.
2Duration of action of stationary object
If the client device downloads and buffers successive encoded video segments for normal playback, then continuous playback is ensured, but storage requirements increase for trick play operations
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the bitrate of video segments delivered to the client device based on current playback needs and network conditions. During normal playback, higher bitrate segments are delivered for quality, while during trick play operations, lower bitrate segments are delivered temporarily, reducing storage requirements while maintaining playback continuity.
Solution Approach 2:
The bitrate parameter of the video stream is changed based on the playback mode. The network service delivers video segments at different bitrates depending on whether the client is performing normal playback or trick play operations, allowing the same video content to be delivered with optimized storage requirements for each operation type.
Data Source
AI summary
Network services encode multimedia content, such as video, into multiple adaptive bitrate streams of encoded video and a separate trick play stream of encoded video to support trick play features. The trick play stream is encoded at a lower encoding bitrate and frame rate than each of the adaptive bitrate streams. The adaptive bitrate streams and the trick play stream are stored in the network services. During normal content streaming and playback, a client device downloads a selected one of the adaptive bitrate streams from network serviced for playback at the client device. To implement a trick play feature, the client device downloads the trick play stream from the network services for trick play playback.