Trick Play Streaming Media Server Encoding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional streaming media technologies face challenges in implementing efficient trick play features like fast-forward and rewind, as they require significant processing resources and memory, and struggle with identifying key frames at irregular intervals, leading to inefficient operations and uneven playback experiences.
Innovation Solution
The method involves maintaining two sets of files representing a media stream, one encoded at a regular frame rate for normal playback and another in reverse order at a different frame rate for trick play, allowing seamless intermixing and reducing the need for additional processing or buffering, with frames provided at regular intervals for smooth reverse playback.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional trick play methods are used (skipping to key frames and re-decoding), then rewind and fast-forward functions can be implemented, but substantial processing resources and memory are consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary encoding by creating a second set of files with frames encoded in reverse order from the original media stream. These pre-encoded reverse frames are stored and readily available when trick play operations are requested, eliminating the need for real-time re-decoding and reducing processing resource consumption during actual trick play execution.
2Ease of operation
If key frames are located by scanning the stream, then trick play can be implemented, but the operation becomes inefficient and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary organization by encoding and storing frames in reverse order in a second set of files during the encoding phase. When trick play is requested, the system can immediately access these pre-organized reverse frames without needing to scan or search through the original stream, significantly reducing the time required to locate and present appropriate frames for reverse playback.
3Reliability
If frames are provided at irregular intervals from the original stream, then the original media quality is maintained, but playback smoothness during trick play deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the encoding parameters by creating a second set of files with frames encoded at different intervals optimized for trick play operations. These reverse-encoded frames are specifically structured to be provided at regular intervals during trick play, ensuring smooth playback while the original first set of files maintains the original media quality for normal playback.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods are described for providing trick play functions such as fast forward, rewind or slow motion during playback of streaming media content. Multiple sets of streamlets (132, 134, 136) or other media files that represent the same media stream are encoded differently from each other (e.g., at different frame rates and/or frame directions), and each set of files is simultaneously maintained at a server. Files encoded at a first format (132) are made available to the client device during regular playback, and files encoded at a different frame rate and/or a different direction of encoding (134, 136) are made available to support trick play.