METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR REAL-TIME SEEKING DURING REAL-TIME PLAYBACK OF A PRESENTATION LAYER PROTOCOL DATA STREAM

• US 20070106811A1
• Filed: 11/01/2006
• Published: 05/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Citrix Systems, Inc. (Cloud Software Group)
• Original Assignee: Citrix Systems, Inc. (Cloud Software Group)
• Inventors: Ryman, Paul
• Granted Patent: US 7,831,728 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/230
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/16 Combinations of two or more digital computers each having at least an arithmetic unit, a program unit and a register, e.g. for a simultaneous processing of several programs coordinating program control therefor G06F9/52; in regulating and control system G05B
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/65 Network streaming protocols, e.g. real-time transport protocol [RTP] or real-time control protocol [RTCP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/765 intermediate
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/564 Enhancement of application control based on intercepted application data

Abstract

A method for real-time seeking during real-time playback of presentation layer protocol data streams includes the step of receiving, by a foreground protocol engine, a request for rendering the contents of a packet in a presentation layer protocol data stream comprising a first plurality of packets already received and a second plurality of packets yet to be received. The foreground protocol engine identifies a state-snapshot having an associated timestamp previous to that of the requested packet. The foreground protocol engine displays during transmission of the presentation layer protocol data stream from a first device to a second device, the requested packet responsive to the identified state-snapshot.

Claims

1. A method for real-time seeking during real-time playback of presentation layer protocol data streams, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving, by a foreground protocol engine, a request for rendering the contents of a packet in a presentation layer protocol data stream comprising a first plurality of packets already received and a second plurality of packets yet to be received;

(b) identifying, by the foreground protocol engine, a state-snapshot having an associated timestamp previous to that of the requested packet; and

(c) displaying, by the foreground protocol engine, during transmission of the presentation layer protocol data stream from a first device to a second device, the requested packet responsive to the identified state-snapshot.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) further comprises rendering to a buffer the contents of an intermediate packet between the state-snapshot and the requested packet.

3. A method for generating state-snapshots enabling real-time seeking during real-time playback of a presentation layer protocol data stream comprising a first plurality of packets already received by a background protocol engine and a second plurality of packets yet to be received by the background protocol engine, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving, by the background protocol engine, the first plurality of packets during transmission of the presentation layer protocol data stream from a first device to a second device;

(b) generating, by the background protocol engine, display data represented by the first plurality of packets;

(c) generating, by the background protocol engine, at least one state-snapshot during a reading of at least one packet in the first plurality of packets;

(d) storing, by the background protocol engine, the generated state-snapshot; and

(e) modifying, by the background protocol engine, the regeneration of the display data and the at least one state-snapshot, responsive to receiving at least one packet in the second plurality of packets.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein step (c) further comprises generation of the at least one state-snapshot substantially simultaneously with a presentation of the first plurality of packets.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein step (c) further comprises generating, by the background protocol engine, at least one state-snapshot during a sequential reading of the first plurality of packets.

6. A system for real-time seeking during real-time playback of a presentation layer protocol data stream comprising a first plurality of packets already received by a background protocol engine and a second plurality of packets yet to be received by the background protocol engine, comprising:

the background protocol engine, receiving the first plurality of packets during transmission of the presentation layer protocol data stream from a first device to a second device;

a state-snapshot, generated by the background protocol engine, comprising a state of a protocol engine rendering the presentation layer protocol data stream at a point in time when a recorder copied a packet from the presentation layer protocol data stream into the first plurality of packets; and

a foreground protocol engine, receiving the first plurality of packets, rendering the contents of the first plurality of packets, receiving a request to seek display data represented by a content in a packet in the first plurality of packets, and rendering the content representing the requested display data, using the state-snapshot;

wherein the background protocol engine updates the state-snapshot responsive to receiving at least one packet in the second plurality of packets.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the state-snapshot further comprises a data structure describing a state of a screen at a point in time.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the state-snapshot further comprises maintaining the state of a visible surface.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the state-snapshot further comprises maintaining the state of an off-screen surface.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the state-snapshot further comprises maintaining the state of a drawing object.

11. The system of claim 6, wherein the state-snapshot further comprises maintaining the state of a color palette.

12. The system of claim 6, wherein the state-snapshot further comprises maintaining the state of a cached object.

13. The system of claim 6, wherein the state-snapshot further comprises maintaining the state of a buffer.

14. The system of claim 6, wherein the foreground protocol engine further comprises generating a real-time perceptible representation of the first plurality of packets for presentation to a user.

15. The system of claim 6, wherein the foreground protocol engine further comprises generating a real-time visible representation of the first plurality of packets for presentation to a user.

16. The system of claim 6, wherein the foreground protocol engine further comprises generating a real-time audible representation of the first plurality of packets for presentation to a user.

17. A method for adaptive generation of state-snapshots, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) presenting, to a user, a representation of a presentation layer protocol data stream comprising a first plurality of packets already received by a background protocol engine and a second plurality of packets yet to be received by the background protocol engine during transmission of the presentation layer protocol data stream from a first device to a second device;

(b) monitoring, by the background protocol engine, an activity of the user during the presentation;

(c) developing, by the background protocol engine, an activity profile responsive to the monitoring of the activity;

(d) generating, by the background protocol engine, at least one state-snapshot, responsive to the activity profile; and

(e) modifying, by the background protocol engine, the at least one state-snapshot, responsive to receiving at least one packet in the second plurality of packets.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein step (b) further comprises identifying a period of inactivity by the user.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein step (c) further comprises identifying a statistical distribution of seek probabilities.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein step (d) further comprises the step of generating the at least one state-snapshot responsive to the statistical distribution of seek probabilities.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein step (c) further comprises developing an activity profile for a usage pattern of the user.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein step (d) further comprises determining to extend an interval between one or more state-snapshots.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein step (d) further comprises determining to reduce an interval between one or more state-snapshots.

24. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of determining, by the background protocol engine, to remove the at least one state-snapshot, responsive to the activity profile.

25. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of determining, by the background protocol engine, to add at least one state-snapshot, responsive to the activity profile.

26. A system for adaptive generation of state-snapshots comprising:

a foreground protocol engine, presenting, to a user, a representation of a presentation layer protocol data stream comprising a first plurality of packets already received by a background protocol engine and a second plurality of packets yet to be received by the background protocol engine during transmission of the presentation layer protocol data stream from a first device to a second device; and

the background protocol engine, monitoring an activity of the user during the presentation and generating a state-snapshot; and

an activity profile, determined by the background protocol engine;

wherein the background protocol engine modifies the state-snapshot and the activity profile responsive to receiving at least one packet in the second plurality of packets.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the background protocol engine determines the activity profile responsive to the monitoring.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein the background protocol engine maintains the state-snapshot responsive to the activity profile.

29. The system of claim 26, wherein the activity profile identifies a usage pattern.