Live content streaming using file-centric media protocols

• US 20080195746A1
• Filed: 02/13/2007
• Published: 08/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Bowra, Todd, Speicher, Ashley, Fang, Nicholas
• Granted Patent: US 7,844,723 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2805 Home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4625 Single bridge functionality, e.g. connection of two networks over a single bridge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1026 at the edge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/613 for the control of the source by the destination control signals issued by the client directed to the server or network components specially adapted for selective content distribution H04N21/637
• 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: H04N 5/783 Adaptations for reproducing at a rate different from the recording rate

Abstract

Described herein is technology for, among other uses, performing playback of dynamic content using protocols designed for playback of fixed-length files. The technology involves strategically updating the duration of the content during playback under various conditions. During playback, as the playback position approaches the duration, the duration is refreshed. Also, during playback the rate at which the duration is increasing is used to predict the duration and thus smoothly report the duration to the user. Upon receiving a seek request, if the request is beyond the current duration, the duration will be refreshed to avoid unnecessarily limiting the seek request.

Claims

1. A method for performing playback of dynamic media content comprising:

detecting the playing of dynamic media content;

checking a playback position;

checking a content duration;

comparing said playback position with said content duration; and

updating said content duration as said playback position approaches said content duration.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said dynamic media content is contained within a dynamic media file.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said duration is updated at regular intervals.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said content is being encoded.

5. The method as recited in claim 4 wherein said content being encoded is from a realtime source.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said content is being transcoded.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said content is being transferred over a protocol selected from the group consisting of HTTP and RTP.

8. A method for handling seek requests during dynamic media content playback comprising:

detecting the playing of dynamic media content;

receiving a seek request;

if said request is beyond a previously provided content duration;

updating said content duration;

performing said seek request; and

continuing playback of said media content with an updated content duration.

9. The method as recited in claim 8 wherein said dynamic media content is contained within a dynamic media file.

10. The method as recited in claim 8 further comprising:

Limiting the seek position to be less than or equal to said updated content duration.

11. The method as recited in claim 8 wherein said content is streaming over a communication medium.

12. The method as recited in claim 8 wherein said content is being downloaded on a server.

13. A system for reporting a dynamic media content playback position comprising:

a media player playing dynamic media content;

a processor for checking the content duration;

said processor determining a rate at which the content duration is increasing;

said processor predicting a content duration based on said rate; and

a display device displaying a playback position based on said predicted content duration.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein said processor enacts mitigation measures if said duration is not increasing as fast as the playback position is advancing.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein said mitigation measures comprise reducing the rendering rate of said content.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein said mitigation measures comprise buffering more of said content prior to starting or restarting playback.

17. The system of claim 13 wherein said dynamic media content is contained within a dynamic media file.

18. The system of claim 13 wherein said display device reports said playback position by a progress bar and by a counter.

19. The system of claim 13 wherein said display device reports said playback position only by a counter after said processor has detected that said content is dynamic.

20. The system of claim 13 wherein said content is streamed over a communication medium.