Adjusting encoding parameters at a mobile device based on a change in available network bandwidth

• US 10,356,149 B2
• Filed: 02/16/2017
• Issued: 07/16/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wowza Media Systems LLC
• Original Assignee: Wowza Media Systems LLC
• Inventors: Owen, Barry
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Nam D
• Application Number:
  US15/435,162
• Publication Number:
  US 20170163709A1
• Time in Patent Office: 880 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/52 by attributing bandwidth to queues
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/70 Media network packetisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/102 characterised by the element, parameter or selection affected or controlled by the adaptive coding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/134 characterised by the element, parameter or criterion affecting or controlling the adaptive coding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/146 Data rate or code amount at the encoder output
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/166 concerning the amount of transmission errors, e.g. bit error rate [BER]

Abstract

A mobile device is configured to generate a GUI including a plurality of elements, including one or more of: a first element to receive a first set of audio-video encoding parameters; a second element to start/stop streaming to a media server; a third element to enable input of a second set of parameters; a fourth element to select audio and/or video for inclusion in the encoded stream; a fifth element to select the media server from multiple available media servers; a sixth element to toggle front- and rear-facing video cameras; a seventh element to select a streaming application program; an eighth element to accept media server credentials; a ninth element to force identity across the first and second set of parameters; or a tenth element to navigate multiple screens of the GUI.

Claims

1. A mobile device comprising:

a display;

a wireless interface configured to communicate via a wireless network;

a memory storing computer instructions; and

a processor,

wherein when executed by the processor, the computer instructions cause the processor to display a graphical user interface (GUI) on the display, the GUI comprising a first graphical element configured to receive user input indicating a first set of encoding parameters, and a second graphical element configured to receive user input to cause the processor to encode a media stream and to send the encoded media stream to a media server via the wireless network,

wherein the processor is configured to encode at least a first portion of the media stream according to the first set of encoding parameters,

wherein the processor is configured to, in response to a change in available network bandwidth associated with the wireless network, adjust one or more of the encoding parameters of the first set of encoding parameters to generate a second set of encoding parameters, wherein the processor is further configured to encode at least a second portion of the media stream according to the second set of encoding parameters, and

wherein the change in the available network bandwidth corresponds to one or more of;

a transition from a first type of network connection to a second type of network connection, a transition in a network connection from a first wireless network to a second wireless network, a transition in a network connection from a first available bandwidth of a wireless network to a second available bandwidth of the wireless network, a change in signal strength of the wireless network, packet loss associated with the wireless network, or a real-time transport protocol (RTP) control protocol (RTCP) receiver report.

2. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the GUI further comprises a third graphical element configured to receive user input specifying the second set of encoding parameters.

3. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the GUI further comprises a fourth graphical element configured to receive user input specifying whether to send video data only, audio data only, or a combination of audio data and video data to the media server.

4. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the GUI further comprises a fifth graphical element configured to receive user input selecting the media server from a plurality of available media servers.

5. The mobile device of claim 4, wherein the plurality of available media servers are identified on the GUI based on at least one of an IP address or a server name.

6. The mobile device of claim 1, further comprising a front-facing video camera and a rear-facing video camera, wherein the GUI further comprises a sixth graphical element configured to receive user input to select the front-facing video camera or the rear-facing video camera to capture video to be included in the media stream.

7. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the GUI further comprises a seventh graphical element configured to receive user input specifying an application program by which to communicate with the media server.

8. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the GUI further comprises an eighth graphical element configured to receive a login credential associated with the media server.

9. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the first set of encoding parameters specifies at least one of an encoding bitrate, a frame resolution, a frame rate, a key frame interval, an audio coder/decoder (CODEC), or a video CODEC.

10. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the change in the available network bandwidth further corresponds to quality of service (QoS) information associated with the network connection.

11. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the second set of encoding parameters specifies at least one of an encoding bitrate, a frame resolution, a frame rate, a key frame interval, an audio coder/decoder (CODEC), or a video CODEC.

12. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein determining the second set of encoding parameters comprises:

decrease an encoding bitrate from the first set of encoding parameters while maintaining an encoding frame rate or an encoding frame resolution from the first set of encoding parameters;

decrease the encoding frame rate from the first set of encoding parameters while maintaining the encoding frame resolution from the first set of encoding parameters;

increase the encoding frame resolution from the first set of encoding parameters while maintaining the encoding frame rate or the encoding bitrate of the first set of encoding parameters;

or

increase the encoding frame rate from the first set of encoding parameters while maintaining the encoding bitrate of the first set of encoding parameters.

13. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the second set of encoding parameters specifies a threshold frame resolution, a threshold frame rate, or a combination thereof.

14. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the first graphical element includes one or more of a virtual button, a virtual radio button, a drop-down menu, or a text-entry box.

15. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the GUI comprises multiple screens.

16. The mobile device of claim 15, wherein the GUI further comprises a tenth graphical element configured to navigate among the multiple screens.

17. The mobile device of claim 1 wherein the memory and the processor are included in a mobile phone, a tablet computer, or a laptop computer.

18. A computer-readable storage device storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

generate a graphical user interface (GUI) on a display device, the GUI comprising at least;

a first graphical element configured to receive user input indicating a first set of encoding parameters; and

a second graphical element configured to receive user input to cause the processor to encode a media stream and to send the encoded media stream to a media server via a wireless network;

encode at least a first portion of the media stream according to the first set of encoding parameters; and

in response to a change in available network bandwidth associated with the wireless network, adjust one or more of the encoding parameters of the first set of encoding parameters to generate a second set of encoding parameters, wherein the processor is further configured to encode at least a second portion of the media stream according to a second set of encoding parameters, wherein the change in the available network bandwidth corresponds to one or more of;

a transition from a first type of network connection to a second type of network connection, a transition in a network connection from a first wireless network to a second wireless network, a transition in a network connection from a first available bandwidth of a wireless network to a second available bandwidth of the wireless network, a change in signal strength of the wireless network, packet loss associated with the wireless network, or a real-time transport protocol (RTP) control protocol (RTCP) receiver report.

19. A mobile device comprising:

a front-facing video camera;

a rear-facing video camera;

a display;

a wireless interface configured to communicate via a wireless network;

a memory storing computer instructions; and

a processor,

wherein when executed by the processor the computer instructions cause the processor to display a graphical user interface (GUI) on the display, the GUI comprising;

a first graphical element configured to receive user input indicating a first set of encoding parameters;

a second graphical element configured to receive user input to cause the processor to encode a media stream and to send the encoded media stream to a media server via the wireless network; and

a third graphical element configured to receive user input selecting the front-facing video camera or the rear-facing video camera,

wherein the processor is configured to encode at least a first portion of the media stream according to the first set of encoding parameters,

wherein the processor is configured to, in response to a change in available network bandwidth associated with the wireless network, adjust one or more of the encoding parameters of the first set of encoding parameters to generate a second set of encoding parameters, wherein the processor is further configured to encode at least a second portion of the media stream according to a second set of encoding parameters, and

wherein the change in the available network bandwidth corresponds to one or more of;

a transition from a first type of network connection to a second type of network connection, a transition in a network connection from a first wireless network to a second wireless network, a transition in a network connection from a first available bandwidth of a wireless network to a second available bandwidth of the wireless network, a change in signal strength of the wireless network, packet loss associated with the wireless network, or a real-time transport protocol (RTP) control protocol (RTCP) receiver report.

20. The mobile device of claim 19, wherein the change in the available network bandwidth further corresponds to a quality of service (QoS) information associated with the network connection.