Background transcoding

• US 20050246451A1
• Filed: 05/03/2004
• Published: 11/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Thomas, Myron C., Silverman, Andrew L., Gupta, Madhuvan, Olson, Kipley J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,676,590 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/231
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/756 adapting media to device capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/762 at the source reformatting of additional data in video distribution servers H04N21/2355
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/127 Prioritisation of hardware or computational resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/40 using video transcoding, i.e. partial or full decoding of a coded input stream followed by re-encoding of the decoded output stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234309 by transcoding between formats or standards, e.g. from MPEG-2 to MPEG-4 or from Quicktime to Realvideo conversion of standards in analog television systems H04N7/01
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234336 by media transcoding, e.g. video is transformed into a slideshow of still pictures or audio is converted into text

Abstract

A system and methods are described for transcoding media content in the background on a source computer device prior to such time as a target media playback device is connected to the source computer for synchronization of the media content. The system and methods anticipate which media content to background-transcode based on user input rules and media status data that are maintained in a transcode database. Pre-transcoding media content provides advantages that include a significant reduction in the time needed to synchronize media content between a source computer and a target media playback device, and an efficient use of CPU power for transcoding media content at times when the CPU might otherwise stand idle.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

anticipating a need to transcode media content for a target playback device; and

transcoding the media content on a source device before the target playback device is connected to the source device.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the anticipating comprises:

receiving the media content in a media library; and

in response to the receiving, evaluating data stored in a transcode database to determine if one or more potential target playback devices is intended to receive the media content.

3. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein the evaluating comprises:

determining that the target playback device is intended to receive the media content;

determining that the media content has not yet been transferred to the target playback device;

determining that the media content needs to be transcoded prior to being transferred to the target playback device; and

determining that the media content has not yet been transcoded.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the transcoding comprises:

evaluating device capability information stored in a transcode database, the device capability information indicating capabilities of the target playback device;

transcoding the media content according to the device capability information; and

storing the transcoded media content in a transcode cache.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the transcoding is selected from the group comprising:

transcoding video content from one format to another format;

transcoding audio content from one format to another format;

altering the bit rate of the media content;

altering screen size resolution of video content;

altering a word length of an individual data samples independently of bit rate;

altering a complexity profile of an encoder portion of a transcoding process to manage processing requirements at the target playback device; and

changing representative color spaces between a source file and a destination files as required by the target playback device.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

sensing that the target playback device has been connected to the source device; and

copying the transcoded media content from a transcode cache on the source device to the target playback device.

7. A method as recited in claim 6, wherein the copying comprises:

determining that the media content is desired content for the target playback device;

determining that the media content has not yet been transferred to the target playback device;

determining that the media content needs to be transcoded prior to being transferred to the target playback device; and

determining that the media content has already been transcoded and is stored in the transcode cache.

8. A method as recited in claim 6, further comprising deleting the transcoded media content from the transcode cache after the copying.

9. A method as recited in claim 6, further comprising:

evaluating data stored in a transcode database to determine if a different target playback device is intended to receive the media content; and

if there is not a different target playback device intended to receive the media content, deleting the transcoded media content from the transcode cache after the copying.

10. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the transcoding is a first transcoding process, the method further comprising:

sensing that a different target playback device is connected to the source device during the first transcoding process; and

adjusting a transcode priority to accommodate the different target playback device.

11. A method as recited in claim 10, wherein the adjusting a transcode priority comprises:

interrupting the first transcoding process;

running a second transcoding process to transcode different media content for the different target playback device; and

resuming the first transcoding process when the second transcoding process is complete.

12. A method as recited in claim 11, further comprising copying transcoded different media content to the different target playback device after the second transcoding process is complete.

13. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request to reduce resources consumed by the transcoding; and

throttling back the transcoding in response to the request.

14. A method as recited in claim 13, further comprising:

receiving another request to increase the resources consumed by the transcoding; and

throttling up the transcoding in response to the other request.

15. A method as recited in claim 13, wherein the receiving a request comprises receiving a request from an application program for a level of processing power.

16. A method as recited in claim 15, wherein the throttling back the transcoding comprises reducing processing power devoted to the transcoding.

17. A method as recited in claim 13, wherein the request to reduce the transcoding is a request to stop the transcoding and the throttling back the transcoding comprises stopping the transcoding.

18. A processor-readable medium comprising processor-executable instructions configured for:

receiving media content;

determining that a target playback device is intended to be synchronized with the media content; and

transcoding the media content for the target playback device before the target playback device is connected to be synchronized.

19. A processor-readable medium as recited in claim 18, further comprising storing transcoded media content in a transcode cache.

20. A processor-readable medium as recited in claim 19, further comprising:

sensing that the target playback device is connected for synchronization; and

copying the transcoded media content from the transcode cache to the target playback device.

21. A processor-readable medium as recited in claim 20, further comprising:

determining if another target playback device is intended to be synchronized with the media content;

deleting the transcoded media content from the transcode cache if another target playback device is not intended to be synchronized with the media content; and

retaining the transcoded media content in the transcode cache if another target playback device is intended to be synchronized with the media content.

22. A processor-readable medium as recited in claim 18, wherein the transcoding comprises:

determining device capabilities of the target playback device; and

transcoding the media content in accordance with the device capabilities.

23. A processor-readable medium as recited in claim 18, further comprising:

receiving an transcode interrupt request during the transcoding; and

stopping the transcoding of the media content for the target playback device in response to the request.

24. A processor-readable medium as recited in claim 23, further comprising:

transcoding different media content for a different target playback device; and

resuming the transcoding of the media content for the target playback device after the transcoding different media content for the different target playback device is completed.

25. A processor-readable medium as recited in claim 18, further comprising:

receiving an transcode reduction request during the transcoding; and

reducing processor power devoted to the transcoding.

26. A processor-readable medium as recited in claim 25, further comprising:

receiving an transcode increase request during the transcoding; and

increasing processor power devoted to the transcoding.

27. A computer comprising the processor-readable medium of claim 18.

28. A computer comprising:

a media library configured to store media content; and

a transcode architecture configured to pre-transcode at least a portion of the media content in anticipation of a connection between a target playback device and the computer.

29. A computer as recited in claim 28, wherein the transcode architecture comprises:

a transcode cache;

a transcode database; and

a transcode manager configured to transcode media content according to capabilities of the target playback device stored in the transcode database, and to store transcoded media content in the transcode cache.

30. A computer as recited in claim 29, wherein the transcode database includes media status information for one or more target playback devices.

31. A computer as recited in claim 29, further comprising a synchronization module configured to provide information to the transcode database indicating media content desired for the target playback device.

32. A computer as recited in claim 28, further comprising a media source application configured to provide media content to the media library.