Media stream scheduling for hiccup-free fast-channel-change in the presence of network chokepoints
First Claim
1. A computer-readable medium having processor-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, performs a method comprising:
- receiving a request to start a new media stream from a media-stream presentation device on a media-stream network having one or more bandwidth-limiting chokepoints therein;
calculating an available data-rate reservation on a time-dependent basis through the network to the presentation device, wherein the available data-rate is limited by the one or more chokepoints in the network and their already-reserved time-dependent data-rate usage;
inserting delivery deadlines of data of the new media stream into a delivery deadline schedule of outgoing media streams being sent via the network, wherein data scheduled proximate to a start of the new stream is scheduled to be delivered via the network to the presentation device at a data-rate equal to or greater than the calculated available data-rate, wherein the delivery deadline schedule determines a minimum bit-rate and a deadline by which data from the outgoing media streams will be delivered via the network.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An implementation, as described herein, facilitates fast start-up of a new media stream while avoiding temporal interruption (i.e., “hiccups”) of the presentation of that new media stream. At least one implementation, described herein, coordinates the delivery of multiple simultaneous media streams on a media-stream network. Its coordination accounts for traversal of bandwidth-restricted chokepoints; quickly stopping delivery of one or more media streams from the set of streams; quickly initiating delivery and presentation of one or more new media streams not previously in the set (i.e., a “channel change”); and producing clean playback of all of the streams in the set, despite their different timelines. This abstract itself is not intended to limit the scope of this patent. The scope of the present invention is pointed out in the appending claims.
113 Citations
51 Claims
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1. A computer-readable medium having processor-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, performs a method comprising:
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receiving a request to start a new media stream from a media-stream presentation device on a media-stream network having one or more bandwidth-limiting chokepoints therein;
calculating an available data-rate reservation on a time-dependent basis through the network to the presentation device, wherein the available data-rate is limited by the one or more chokepoints in the network and their already-reserved time-dependent data-rate usage;
inserting delivery deadlines of data of the new media stream into a delivery deadline schedule of outgoing media streams being sent via the network, wherein data scheduled proximate to a start of the new stream is scheduled to be delivered via the network to the presentation device at a data-rate equal to or greater than the calculated available data-rate, wherein the delivery deadline schedule determines a minimum bit-rate and a deadline by which data from the outgoing media streams will be delivered via the network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method facilitating fast start-up of a new media stream, the method comprising:
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receiving a request to start a new media stream from a media-stream presentation device on a media-stream network having one or more bandwidth-limiting chokepoints therein;
calculating an available data-rate reservation on a time-dependent basis through the network to the presentation device, wherein the available data-rate is limited by the one or more chokepoints in the network and their already-reserved time-dependent data-rate usage;
inserting delivery deadlines of data of the new media stream into a delivery deadline schedule of outgoing media streams being sent via the network, wherein data scheduled proximate to a start of the new stream is scheduled to be delivered via the network to the presentation device at a data-rate equal to or greater than the calculated available data-rate, wherein the delivery deadline schedule determines a minimum bit-rate and a deadline by which data from the outgoing media streams will be delivered via the network. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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- 30. A computer-readable medium having processor-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, perform a method comprising providing a media-stream delivery deadline schedule that specifies the deadline by which data of one or more media streams being transmitted over a media-stream network must be sent to a media-stream presentation device.
- 36. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a media-stream delivery deadline schedule data structure, comprising multiple data fields representing a succession of timeslots for a defined time interval of one or more media streams, each field containing values that specify the deadline by which data of one or more media streams being transmitted over a media-stream network must be sent to a media-stream presentation device.
- 38. A computer-readable medium having processor-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, perform a method comprising determining bandwidth capacity of one or more chokepoints of a media-stream network over a defined time interval.
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41. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a chokepoint bandwidth-capacity data structure, comprising multiple data fields representing a succession of timeslots for a defined time interval of one or more media streams, each field containing values that facilitate a determination of bandwidth capacity of one or more chokepoints of a media-stream network over the time interval.
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42. A computer-readable medium having processor-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, perform a method comprising:
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receiving a request to start a new media stream from a media-stream presentation device on the media-stream network having one or more bandwidth-limiting chokepoints therein;
generating a start-up profile that indicates the conditions under which a presentation device can start presenting the new media stream without underflowing, wherein the conditions provide a temporally based test of whether the device has received enough data to avoid underflow when it begins playback. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44)
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45. A computer-readable medium having processor-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, perform a method comprising:
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sending a request to start a new media stream from a media-stream presentation device on the media-stream network having one or more bandwidth-limiting chokepoints therein;
receiving a start-up profile that indicates the conditions under which the presentation device can start presenting the new media stream stream without underflowing, wherein the conditions provide a temporally based test of whether the device has received enough data to avoid underflow when it begins playback.
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46. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a start-up profile data structure, comprising multiple data fields representing a succession of timeslots for a defined time interval, each field containing a specified value that facilitates a determination as to whether a media-stream presentation device received enough data to avoid underflow when it begins playback.
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47. A scheduler system comprising:
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a receiving unit configured to receive a request to start a new media stream from a media-stream presentation device on a media-stream network having one or more bandwidth-limiting chokepoints therein;
a bandwidth-capacity calculator configured to calculate an available data-rate reservation on a time-dependent basis through the network to the presentation device, wherein the available data-rate is limited by the one or more chokepoints in the network and their already-reserved time-dependent data-rate usage;
a scheduling sub-system configured to insert delivery deadlines of data of the new media stream into a delivery deadline schedule of outgoing media streams being sent via the network, wherein data scheduled proximate to a start of the new stream is scheduled to be delivered via the network to the presentation device at a data-rate equal to or greater than the calculated available data-rate, wherein the delivery deadline schedule determines a minimum bit-rate and a deadline by which data from the outgoing media streams will be delivered via the network. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49, 50)
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51. A media-stream presenter comprising:
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a transmission sub-system configured to send a request to start a new media stream on the presenter, wherein the request is sent via a media-stream network having one or more bandwidth-limiting chokepoints therein;
a receiving unit configured to receive a start-up profile that indicates the conditions under which the presentation device should start presenting the new media stream, wherein the conditions provide a temporally based test of whether the device has received enough data to avoid underflow when it begins playback.
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Specification