Method and Apparatus for Scrub Preview Services

• US 20120070125A1
• Filed: 09/15/2011
• Published: 03/22/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Futurewei Technologies Incorporated (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Futurewei Technologies Incorporated (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Lin, Kui, Yu, Hong Heather, Li, Hongbing
• Granted Patent: US 9,445,135 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 386/241
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/986 Document structures and storage, e.g. HTML extensions
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/103 Formatting, i.e. changing of presentation of documents automatic justification G06F40/189; automatic line break hyphenation G06F40/191
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/106 Display of layout of documents; Previewing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234327 by decomposing into layers, e.g. base layer and one or more enhancement layers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8549 Creating video summaries, e.g. movie trailer retrieval in video databases by using presentations in form of a video summary G06F16/739

Abstract

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a method of streaming media with a media preview includes generating a preview data by extracting preview information from a media file to be streamed. The preview data has a multi-dimensional hierarchical data structure having a plurality of layers with increasing content of the preview information in each layer of the plurality of layers. The preview data is configured to provide a differentiated preview service.

Claims

1. A method of generating a media preview of a media stream, the method comprising:

generating a preview data by extracting preview information from a media file to be streamed, wherein the preview data comprises a multi-dimensional hierarchical data structure having a plurality of layers with increasing content of the preview information in each layer of the plurality of layers, wherein the preview data is configured to provide an adaptive and scalable preview service.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the adaptive and scalable preview service provides a differentiated preview service.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the multi-dimensional hierarchical data structure comprises a plurality of time segments in one dimension and the plurality of layers in another dimension.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a first dimension of the multi-dimensional hierarchical data structure comprises degrees of freedom for a number of alternate previews, wherein a second dimension of the multi-dimensional hierarchical data structure comprises a plurality of time segments in one dimension, and wherein a third dimension of the multi-dimensional hierarchical data structure comprises the plurality of layers.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the preview data comprises preview data type information.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the preview data type information comprises a data type from the group consisting of preview video data, preview audio data, keyframe images, preview content description text, preview content description image, preview relevant images, and preview relevant text.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein generating a preview data comprises generating a service profile for each user.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein generating a service profile comprises:

generating the preview data having the preview data type information and multiple layers;

generating service class types offered for the media streaming;

generating service class attributes for each service class type;

generating a maximum service profile indicating a best available preview data; and

generating a default instantaneous user service profile.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the default instantaneous user service profile is generated based on user preferences, user profile, and/or subscription level, and wherein each service profile identifies a layer of preview data for each type of preview data.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the preview data comprises scrub description information.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein generating a preview data comprises:

generating a scrub description file comprising the scrub description information;

generating an index file describing the structure of the scrub description file; and

generating a manifest file comprising additional description and/or metadata.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein generating a scrub description file comprises:

defining a total length of the media stream;

assigning the plurality of layers to the media stream;

for each layer, dividing the media stream into smaller time segments, a duration of time segments increasing with each layer; and

assigning a preview description data for each time segment in each layer.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the preview data comprises scrub description information and keyframe images.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein generating a preview data comprises generating a scrub description file comprising the scrub description information, and wherein generating a scrub description file comprises adding layers comprising scrub description information to a keyframe based scrub preview comprising the keyframe images.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein generating a scrub description file comprises extracting keyframe images and extracting scrub description data for each time segment of the media file for each layer of the multi-dimensional hierarchical data structure comprising the plurality of layers.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the preview data comprises additional information in video, image, graph, and/or text form.

17. A method of receiving a media preview of a media, the method comprising:

sending a preview data request to a preview server, the preview data request comprising a request for preview data for a media file being received; and

receiving a preview data comprising preview information for the media file, wherein the preview data comprises a multi-dimensional hierarchical data structure having a plurality of layers with increasing content of the preview information in each layer of the plurality of layers.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the preview data comprises preview data type information.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

sending a user specified parameter for preview data type to the preview server, wherein the preview data received is based on the user specified parameter.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the user specified parameter comprises a parameter from the group consisting of low resolution video, medium resolution video, high resolution video, minimum text description, moderate text description, and maximum text description.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the user specified parameter comprises a parameter from the group consisting of preview video data, preview audio data, keyframe images, preview content description text, preview content description image, preview relevant images, and preview relevant text.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein the preview data comprises scrub description information.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein receiving a preview data comprises:

receiving a scrub description file comprising the scrub description information;

receiving an index file describing the structure of the scrub description file;

receiving a manifest file comprising additional description and/or metadata;

extracting preview description information from the scrub description file based on the index file; and

rendering the preview description information to a display of an end user media player.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein receiving a preview data comprises:

receiving a first scrub file comprising a first layer of a scrub description; and

receiving a second scrub file comprising a k^th layer of the scrub description, wherein the k^th layer is any layer from the plurality of layers of the multi-dimensional hierarchical data structure.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein receiving a preview data comprises:

receiving a first scrub file comprising a k¹ layer of a scrub description; and

receiving a second scrub file comprising a k^q layer of the scrub description, wherein the k¹ layer and the k^q layer are layers from the plurality of layers of the multi-dimensional hierarchical data structure, and wherein the k¹ layer and the k^q layer are selected based on a decision criterion of selecting a level of granularity from the plurality of layers.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

sending user specified parameter comprising a desired level of granularity for the decision criterion.

27. An apparatus for generating media preview of a media stream, the apparatus comprising:

a preview data generator configured to generate a preview data by extracting preview information from a media file to be streamed, wherein the preview data comprises a multi-dimensional hierarchical data structure having a plurality of layers with increasing content of the preview information in each layer of the plurality of layers, wherein the preview data generator is configured to provide preview data for an adaptive and scalable preview service.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the adaptive and scalable preview service provides a differentiated preview service.

29. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the multi-dimensional hierarchical data structure comprises a plurality of time segments in one dimension and the plurality of layers in another dimension.

30. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein a first dimension of the multi-dimensional hierarchical data structure comprises degrees of freedom for a number of alternate previews, wherein a second dimension of the multi-dimensional hierarchical data structure comprises a plurality of time segments in one dimension, and wherein a third dimension of the multi-dimensional hierarchical data structure comprises the plurality of layers.

31. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the preview data comprises preview data type information.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the preview data type information comprises a data type from the group consisting of preview video data, preview audio data, keyframe images, preview content description text, preview content description image, preview relevant images, and preview relevant text.

33. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the preview data generator comprises a service profile generator, the service profile generator configured to generate a service profile for each user.

34. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the service profile generator comprises:

a preview data type generator configured to generate the preview data having the preview data type information and multiple layers;

a service class type generator configured to generate service class types offered for the media streaming;

a service class attributes generator configured to generate service class attributes for each service class type;

a maximum service profile generator configured to generate a maximum service profile indicating a best available preview data; and

a default instantaneous user service profile generator configured to generate a default instantaneous user service profile.

35. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the default instantaneous user service profile generator is configured to generate the default instantaneous user service profile based on user preferences, user profile, and/or subscription level, and wherein each service profile identifies a layer of preview data for each type of preview data.

36. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the preview data comprises scrub description information.

37. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the preview data generator comprises:

a scrub description file generator configured to generate a scrub description file comprising the scrub description information;

an index file generator configured to generate an index file describing the structure of the scrub description file; and

a manifest file generator configured to generate a manifest file comprising additional description and/or metadata.

38. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the scrub description file generator comprises:

a length estimator configured to define a total length of the media stream;

a layer assignor configured to assign the plurality of layers to the media stream;

a media stream divider configured to divide the media stream into smaller time segments for each layer, a duration of time segments increasing with each layer; and

a preview description data assignor configured to assign a preview description data for each time segment in each layer.

39. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the preview data comprises scrub description information and keyframe images.

40. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein the preview data generator comprises a scrub description file generator configured to generate a scrub description file comprising the scrub description information, and wherein the scrub description file generator is configured to add layers comprising scrub description information to a keyframe based scrub preview comprising the keyframe images.

41. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein the preview data generator comprises a scrub description file generator configured to generate a scrub description file comprising the scrub description information, and wherein the scrub description file generator is configured to extract keyframe images and scrub description data for each time segment of the media file for each layer of the multi-dimensional hierarchical data structure.

42. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the preview data comprises additional information in video, image, graph, and/or text form.

43. An apparatus for receiving a media preview of a media, the apparatus comprising:

a preview data sender configured to send a preview data request to a preview server, the preview data request comprising a request for a preview data for a media file being received; and

a preview data receiver configured to receive the preview data comprising preview information for the media file, wherein the preview data comprises a multi-dimensional hierarchical data structure having a plurality of layers with increasing content of the preview information in each layer of the plurality of layers.

44. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the preview data comprises preview data type information.

45. The apparatus of claim 44, further comprising:

a user specified parameter sender configured to send a user specified parameter for preview data type to the preview server, wherein the preview data receiver is configured to receive preview data based on the user specified parameter sent to the preview server.

46. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein the user specified parameter comprises a parameter from the group consisting of low resolution video, medium resolution video, high resolution video, minimum text description, moderate text description, and maximum text description.

47. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein the user specified parameter comprises a parameter from the group consisting of preview video data, preview audio data, keyframe images, preview content description text, preview content description image, preview relevant images, and preview relevant text.

48. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the preview data comprises scrub description information.

49. The apparatus of claim 48, wherein the preview data receiver comprises:

a scrub description file receiver configured to receive a scrub description file comprising the scrub description information;

an index file receiver configured to receive an index file describing the structure of the scrub description file;

a manifest file receiver configured to receive a manifest file comprising additional description and/or metadata;

a preview description information extractor configured to extract preview description information from the scrub description file based on the index file; and

a preview description information renderor configured to render the preview description information to a display of an end user media player.

50. The apparatus of claim 48, wherein the preview data receiver comprises:

a first scrub file receiver configured to receive a first scrub file comprising a first layer of a scrub description; and

a second scrub file receiver configured to receive a second scrub file comprising a k^th layer of the scrub description, wherein the k^th layer is any layer from the plurality of layers of the multi-dimensional hierarchical data structure.

51. The apparatus of claim 48, wherein the preview data receiver comprises:

a first scrub file receiver configured to receive a first scrub file comprising a k¹ layer of a scrub description; and

a second scrub file receiver configured to receive a second scrub file comprising a k^q layer of the scrub description, wherein the k¹ layer and the k^q layer are layers from the plurality of layers of the multi-dimensional hierarchical data structure, and wherein the k¹ layer and the k^q layer are selected based on a decision criterion of selecting a level of granularity from the plurality of layers.

52. The apparatus of claim 51, further comprising:

an user specified parameter sender configured to send an user specified parameter comprising a desired level of granularity for the decision criterion.