Seamless Video Player Control Transfer via Pre-loading
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing video content replay systems introduce delays due to the initial loading of applications, which can be undesirable for viewers accessing video content through set-top boxes or televisions, particularly in catch-up or on-demand services.
Innovation Solution
A method that involves loading a native video player and then transferring control to a second video content player, which is configured to take over playback seamlessly, using an Application Information Table (AIT) to determine the appropriate application environment and loading an HTML5 player to manage video content playback, allowing for buffering and control transfer at optimal points such as GOP boundaries, thereby reducing delays and providing a seamless viewing experience.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If an application is launched to view video content, then the video content can be played back, but there is an initial loading delay that is undesirable for viewers
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-loading the video content and buffering it before the application is fully launched. The native video player begins playback using buffered content while the application environment is still loading in the background, thereby eliminating the initial loading delay for the viewer.
Solution Approach 2:
The system ensures continuity of useful action by maintaining video playback throughout the application loading process. The native player continues to play buffered content without interruption, and when the application is ready, control is seamlessly transferred without stopping the playback, thus eliminating idle time.
2Reliability
If control is transferred from the first video content player to the second video content player, then seamless playback is achieved, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces a control transfer mechanism that acts as an intermediary between the native video player and the application-based video player. This mediator manages the handover of playback control, ensuring seamless transition while abstracting the complexity of the dual-player architecture from the user experience.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements self-service through automatic control transfer based on playback state detection. The native player automatically transfers control to the application player when appropriate conditions are met (e.g., at GOP boundaries), without requiring manual intervention or complex user-facing configuration, thereby managing system complexity internally.
3Reliability
If video content is buffered before playback, then network variations have reduced impact, but the initial buffering time increases delay
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary buffering of video content before the user initiates playback. This pre-buffering action ensures that sufficient content is available in the buffer to withstand network variations during playback, while the actual buffering occurs in the background before the user perceives any delay.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements partial buffering by buffering only the necessary amount of content required to handle typical network variations, rather than buffering the entire video. This excessive action of buffering slightly more than the absolute minimum provides a safety margin against network fluctuations without unnecessarily extending the initial delay.
Data Source
AI summary
A video content replay apparatus comprises a first video content player operable to playback video content comprising a plurality of images to be displayed at respective display times; load a second video content player in response to the initiation of the playback of the video content by the first video content player; and transfer control of the playback of the video content from the first video content player to a second video content player such that the plurality of images displayed by the second video content player are each displayed at their respective display times as if they had been displayed by the first video content player and the first image of the plurality of images displayed by the second video content player and the last image of the plurality of images displayed by the first video content player are sequential images in the video content.