Media Stream Scheduling for Hiccup-Free Fast-Channel-Change in the Presence of Network Chokepoints

• US 20080189755A1
• Filed: 04/07/2008
• Published: 08/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Green, Dustin L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,606,951 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/116
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/764 at the destination reformatting of additional data in video clients H04N21/4355
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/238 Interfacing the downstream path of the transmission network, e.g. adapting the transmission rate of a video stream to network bandwidth; Processing of multiplex streams hybrid fiber coaxial [HFC] networks for downstream channel allocation for video distribution H04L12/2801; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; real-time communication protocols in data switching networks H04L65/00; scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23805 Controlling the feeding rate to the network, e.g. by controlling the video pump
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2387 Stream processing in response to a playback request from an end-user, e.g. for trick-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2402 Monitoring of the downstream path of the transmission network, e.g. bandwidth available traffic monitoring in data switching networks H04L43/00; monitoring data switching networks utilization H04L43/0876
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/242 Synchronization processes, e.g. processing of PCR [Program Clock References] arrangements for synchronising broadcast or distribution via plural systems in broadcast distribution systems H04H20/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26216 involving the channel capacity, e.g. network bandwidth admission control, resource allocation in open networks H04L12/5692; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; establishing a schedule or organising the servicing of application requests taking into account QoS H04L67/61
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4384 involving operations to reduce the access time, e.g. fast-tuning for reducing channel switching latency

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.

Claims

1. A computer-readable medium having processor-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, perform a method comprising:

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.

2. A medium as recited in claim 1, wherein the method further comprises sending the start-up profile to the presentation device so that the device can make perform the temporally based test.

3. A medium as recited in claim 1, wherein the method further comprises sending a start-presentation notification to the presentation device when the temporally based test indicates that it may start presentation of the new media stream.

4. A computer-readable medium having processor-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, perform a method comprising:

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.

5. 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.

6. A media-stream presenter comprising:

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