Skipping Segments in Live HLS Playlists
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Solution Overview
Problem
Large playlists for live events, especially in low latency HLS, result in significant communication overhead due to their size, which existing compression and rolling window approaches have not adequately addressed.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a server-side option to create and transmit updated and condensed playlists by skipping media segments up to a predetermined point near the live edge, using a skip indicator in the media playlist, and allowing client devices to request these condensed playlists, reducing the number of segments and tags transmitted.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional HLS playlists include all media segments, then complete content delivery is ensured, but communication overhead increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes unnecessary media segments from the playlist that are beyond the skip boundary. The server identifies segments that can be skipped based on the skip indicator and excludes them from transmission, thereby reducing communication overhead while maintaining delivery of essential content within the skip boundary.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the playlist into two parts: segments within the skip boundary that must be delivered, and segments beyond the skip boundary that can be skipped. This segmentation allows selective transmission of only the necessary segments, reducing overall communication overhead.
2Speed
If playlists are updated frequently to reduce latency, then low latency HLS performance improves, but communication channels become overwhelmed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes redundant segment information from frequently updated playlists. By skipping segments beyond the boundary and using skip tags to represent multiple skipped segments, the playlist size is reduced, allowing more frequent updates without overwhelming communication channels.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of transmitting complete segment lists, the patent inverts the approach by transmitting condensed playlists with skip tags that indicate skipped segments. This inversion reduces the amount of data transmitted in each update, enabling more frequent updates with lower communication overhead.
3Loss of information
If complete playlists with all segments and tags are transmitted, then accurate content information is provided, but playlist size increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes tags associated with skipped media segments from the playlist. By eliminating these unnecessary tags along with the skipped segments, the playlist size is reduced while preserving all tags for segments within the skip boundary that are actually transmitted.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements skipping of media segments and their associated tags by introducing skip tags that represent multiple skipped segments. This allows the playlist to rush through omitted segments efficiently, reducing playlist size while maintaining information accuracy for transmitted content.
Data Source
AI summary
In a streaming media method, a set of one or more server devices can provide media playlists that skip media segments. For example, a client device can receive a full media playlist from a server device, and the full media playlist can indicate that the server device supports providing updated playlists that are condensed by skipping media segments. The client device can then request an updated playlist that skips media segments and use that updated playlist to request and receive steaming content.