Server-Side Scheduling for Adaptive Media Streaming
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing media distribution systems face challenges in maintaining viewing quality for mobile devices as they move through areas with varying network conditions, leading to potential degradation in media content delivery due to unpredictable network throughput.
Innovation Solution
A server-side scheduling scheme that monitors current and predicts future network transport characteristics based on a mobile device's trajectory, allowing for dynamic adaptation of transmission rates and buffering to ensure continuous and high-quality media playback.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If client-side scheduling is used for media transmission, then the system is simpler to implement, but the viewing quality degrades when mobile devices move through areas with varying network conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional client-side scheduling approach by implementing server-side scheduling. The server monitors network conditions and proactively schedules media segment transmissions based on predicted future network states, rather than relying on client requests. This inversion allows the system to anticipate network variations and adjust transmissions accordingly, maintaining viewing quality while managing complexity at the server level.
Solution Approach 2:
The server performs preliminary actions by monitoring current network conditions and predicting future transport characteristics before actual media transmission occurs. This allows the server to pre-schedule transmissions during optimal network conditions and buffer segments appropriately, preventing quality degradation before it occurs rather than reacting to problems after they arise.
2Reliability
If transmission rate is increased to maintain playback quality, then viewing quality is maintained, but network bandwidth consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts transmission rates based on real-time network conditions and predicted future states. Rather than using a fixed high transmission rate, the server adapts the rate to match actual network capacity, transmitting at higher rates when conditions permit and lower rates when bandwidth is constrained, thereby maintaining quality while optimizing bandwidth usage.
Solution Approach 2:
The server changes transmission parameters including rate and buffering duration based on monitored network conditions. By adjusting these parameters dynamically according to predicted transport characteristics, the system maintains playback quality while adapting bandwidth consumption to actual network availability, avoiding unnecessary bandwidth usage during periods of predicted congestion.
3Reliability
If buffering is increased to ensure continuous playback, then playback continuity is maintained, but initial transmission time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The server performs preliminary buffering actions based on predicted future network conditions. By anticipating periods of poor network performance, the server pre-loads and buffers media segments during optimal transmission windows, ensuring continuous playback is maintained without requiring excessive initial buffering that would delay transmission start.
Data Source
AI summary
A server that incorporates the subject disclosure may perform, for example, operations including monitoring current transport characteristics of an internet protocol network communicatively coupled to the server and to a mobile device. Data packets are transported to the device according to a dynamic adaptive streaming over hypertext transfer protocol. A future transport characteristic of the network is predicted according to the trajectory of the device. A request is received from the device for transmission of a data packet, and a time for fulfilling the request is scheduled according to the current and predicted transport characteristics. The operations further comprise selecting a transmission rate for transmission of the data packet to the mobile device responsive to detecting the time for fulfilling the request. The device performs buffering of the data packet for a future presentation of the media content. Other embodiments are disclosed.