Streaming Media Pause Prediction via Bitstream Analysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Content providers face challenges in determining the quality of the end consumer's experience with streaming media due to difficulties in measuring pause times and transfer rates, leading to inconvenient playback interruptions and potential loss of viewership.
Innovation Solution
A computer system and method that includes a bit stream analyzer, encoding rate extractor, and pause calculator to detect and quantify the minimum wait time during playback pauses by determining the encoding and transfer bit rates, allowing for non-intrusive and efficient assessment of consumer experience.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If content is streamed progressively to allow early playback, then consumer can begin experiencing content sooner, but playback interruptions occur when transfer rate is slower than encoding rate
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary analysis of the bitstream to extract encoding rate information before playback begins. By pre-determining the encoding rate and comparing it with the transfer bit rate, the system can predict potential playback interruptions in advance, allowing for proactive quality assessment and corrective actions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors the transfer bit rate and compares it against the extracted encoding rate to determine minimum wait times and playback pause events. This feedback mechanism enables real-time quality assessment of the consumer experience, allowing content providers to adjust streaming parameters dynamically to minimize interruptions.
2Reliability
If content providers monitor consumer experience quality to reduce playback interruptions, then user experience improves, but measurement and detection of pause times and transfer rates becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts encoding rate information directly from the bitstream itself, separating this measurement task from complex overall quality monitoring. By focusing on extracting specific encoding rate parameters from the bitstream and comparing with transfer rates, the system simplifies the measurement process while maintaining reliable quality assessment.
Solution Approach 2:
The bitstream contains embedded encoding rate information that serves the measurement function automatically. The system utilizes this self-contained information within the bitstream to determine encoding rates without requiring external calibration or complex measurement equipment, enabling autonomous quality monitoring.
Data Source
AI summary
A bit stream analyzer may detect a bitstream representing a streamed content file that is being streamed from a streaming server to a client over a network connection. An encoding rate extractor may determine an encoding rate of the bitstream, and a bit rate extractor may determine a transfer bit rate at which the bitstream is being streamed. A pause calculator may determine a minimum wait time experienced at the client during which playback of the streamed content file is paused, based on the encoding rate and the transfer bit rate.