Video Preloading Control Using Buffer Thresholds for Smooth Playback
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Solution Overview
Problem
In recommendation-based short video playback scenarios, especially with mixed long and short videos, users experience start-up delays due to unstable networks, as they scroll through content, leading to potential stuttering and suboptimal user experience.
Innovation Solution
A video preloading method that dynamically adjusts based on buffered video length, creating and canceling preloading tasks to ensure smooth playback by loading subsequent videos only when necessary, using buffer management and multi-threaded downloading strategies.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If video preloading is performed continuously to minimize start-up delay, then playback smoothness is improved, but network resource waste increases when users scroll away from long videos
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic adjustment of preloading based on real-time buffer status and video length. The preloading threshold is dynamically set as a proportion of video length, and the system continuously monitors buffer length to start or cancel preloading tasks, making the preloading behavior adaptive rather than static
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes key parameters including buffer length threshold, video length proportion, and network condition metrics to determine preloading behavior. By adjusting these parameters based on current state, the system optimizes between minimizing start-up delay and avoiding network resource waste
2Productivity
If preloading is aggressive to ensure instant playback, then user engagement is maintained, but playback smoothness deteriorates when buffer length is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback mechanisms by continuously monitoring buffer length and comparing it against dynamically calculated thresholds. Based on this feedback, the system adjusts preloading behavior in real-time, ensuring that preloading only occurs when buffer conditions are sufficient, thus maintaining both playback smoothness and buffer reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary checks of buffer length and video length proportions before initiating preloading tasks. This preliminary action ensures that preloading is only started when the buffer has sufficient capacity, preventing playback smoothness deterioration while maintaining user engagement
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are a video preloading method and apparatus, a device, and a medium. The method includes: in response to determining that a length of a buffered video reaches a first numerical value, creating and executing a preloading task, where the buffered video is a current video that is buffered and is to be played, and the preloading task is used for preloading a subsequent video; and in an execution process of the preloading task, in response to determining that the length of the buffered video is less than or equal to a second numerical value, cancelling the preloading task, where the second numerical value is less than the first numerical value.