Distributed on-demand media transcoding system and method

• US 6,407,680 B1
• Filed: 12/22/2000
• Issued: 06/18/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Generic Media, Inc.
• Inventors: Agnoli, Giovanni M., Chartock, Howard E., Pirazzi, Christopher V., Lai, Angela C. W., Hoddie, James Peter, Chen, Steve H., Chomsky, Harry A., Hokamura, Hitoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Tokar, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mai, Lam T.
• Application Number:
  US09/742,294
• Time in Patent Office: 543 Days
• Field of Search: 341/51, 341/50, 341/58, 341/61, 341/87, 341/65, 341/56, 709/203, 709/217, 709/218, 709/223, 709/229, 370/255, 370/278, 370/282, 370/477, 375/133, 375/220, 375/240, 348/192, 348/469, 348/434, 348/466, 348/384, 348/470
• US Class Current: 341/50
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/70 Media network packetisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/75 Media network packet handling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/756 adapting media to device capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• 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 21/23106 involving caching operations prefetching while addressing of a memory level in which the access to the desired data or data block requires associative addressing means within memory systems or architectures G06F12/0862; caching at an intermediate stage in a data network H04L67/568
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23113 involving housekeeping operations for stored content, e.g. prioritizing content for deletion because of storage space restrictions storage management, e.g. defragmentation G06F3/0604; snloading stored programs G06F9/445; housekeeping operations in file systems, e.g. deletion policies G06F16/10; buffering arrangements in a network node or in an end terminal in packet networks H04L49/90
• 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 21/23439 for generating different versions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2404 Monitoring of server processing errors or hardware failure error or fault detection G06F11/07; monitoring in general G06F11/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2405 Monitoring of the internal components or processes of the server, e.g. server load allocation of resources in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/50; performance measurement of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2408 Monitoring of the upstream path of the transmission network, e.g. client requests monitoring data switching networks utilization H04L43/0876; scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2662 Controlling the complexity of the video stream, e.g. by scaling the resolution or bitrate of the video stream based on the client capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2743 Video hosting of uploaded data from client
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6379 directed to encoder , e.g. for requesting a lower encoding rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8193 dedicated tools, e.g. video decoder software or IPMP tool
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A system and method for the on-demand transcoding of media content from a source type to a destination type is provided, wherein the system includes a plurality of transcoders for transcoding from a plurality of source types to a plurality of destination types, and wherein the system receives a transcoding request for media content, fetches the media content in response to the transcoding request, sends the media content to one of the plurality of transcoders based on the source type and destination type, transcodes the media content from the source type to the destination type, thereby generating transcoded media content, and transmits the transcoded media content. The system fetches, sends, and transcodes the media content and transmits the transcoded media content in a pipelined fashion. The system also provides for the publication of media content as a file or stream of digital data, for the archiving of media content, and the caching of transcoded media content to improve system efficiency.

Claims

1. A method for transcoding media content from a source type to a destination type, comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving a transcoding request for the media content;

(b) fetching the media content in response to said transcoding request;

(c) selecting one of a plurality of transcoders for transcoding from a plurality of source types to a plurality of destination types, wherein said one transcoder is selected based on the source type and the destination type;

(d) sending the media content to said selected transcoder;

(e) transcoding the media content from the source type to the destination type, thereby generating transcoded media content; and

(f) transmitting said transcoded media content.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the media content comprises a file of digital information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the media content comprises a stream of digital data.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the media content is fetched, sent and transcoded as a stream of digital data and said transcoded media file is transmitted as a stream of digital data, and wherein steps (b), (d), (e) and (f) are performed in a pipelined fashion.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said transcoding request is received over the Internet and wherein said transcoded media content is transmitted over the Internet.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the media content type is defined according to at least one publishing variable, wherein said at least one publishing variable is:

(1) the file format of the media content;

(2) the bit-rate of the media content;

(3) the compression algorithm according to which the media content is stored;

(4) the communication protocol according to which the media content is transferred;

or

(5) the physical medium on which the media content is stored; and

wherein said step (e) comprises converting said at least one publishing variable of the media content from a source publishing variable type to a destination publishing variable type.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

(g) storing said transcoded media content in a transcoded cache; and

(h) responding to subsequent transcoding requests for the media content by fetching said transcoded media content from said transcoded cache, and transmitting said transcoded media content.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of:

(i) determining whether to keep said transcoded media content in said transcoded cache based on an intelligent algorithm.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said intelligent algorithm is a Least Recently Used algorithm.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of publishing the media content, wherein said publishing step further comprises the steps of:

(1) receiving the media content;

(2) archiving the media content in a master archive;

wherein said publishing step precedes step (a), and wherein said step (b) comprises fetching said archived media content from said master archive in response to said transcoding request.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of publishing the media content, wherein said publishing step further comprises the step of:

(1) receiving location and access information for the media content;

wherein said publishing step precedes step (a), and wherein said step (b) comprises fetching the media content in response to said transcoding request using said location and access information.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of publishing the media content, wherein said publishing step further comprises the step of:

(1) receiving the media content as a stream of digital data;

wherein said publishing step precedes step (a), and wherein said step (b) comprises fetching said stream of digital data in response to said transcoding request.

13. A media transcoding system for transcoding media content from a source type to a destination type, comprising:

a network interface;

a resource manager;

a transmitting server;

a streaming server; and

a plurality of transcoders for transcoding from a plurality of source types to a plurality of destination types;

wherein said network interface is adapted to receive a transcoding request for the media content, and wherein said resource manager is adapted to respond to said transcoding request and, in response to said transcoding request, to command said transmitting server to fetch the media content, to select one of said plurality of transcoders based on the source type and the destination type, to command said selected transcoder to transcode the media content from the source type to the destination type, thereby generating transcoded media content, and to command said streaming server to transmit said transcoded media content.

14. The media transcoding system of claim 13, wherein the media content comprises a file of digital information.

15. The media transcoding system of claim 13, wherein the media content comprises a stream of digital data.

16. The media transcoding system of claim 13, wherein said transmitting server is adapted to fetch the media content as a data stream, said selected transcoder is adapted to transcode the media content as a data stream, and said streaming server is adapted to transmit said transcoded media content as a data stream, and wherein said resource manager manages the operation of said transmitting server, said selected transcoder, and said streaming server so that said fetching, transcoding and transmitting occur in a pipelined fashion.

17. The media transcoding system of claim 13, wherein said network interface comprises a Web server interface.

18. The media transcoding system of claim 13, wherein said network interface is adapted to receive said transcoding request over the Internet and wherein said streaming server is adapted to transmit said transcoded media content over the Internet.

19. The media transcoding system of claim 13, wherein the media content type is defined according to a least one publishing variable, wherein said at least one publishing variable is:

(1) the file format of the media content;

(2) the bit-rate of the media content;

(3) the compression algorithm according to which the media content is stored;

(4) the communication protocol according to which the media content is transferred;

or

(5) the physical medium on which the media content is stored; and

wherein said selected transcoder is adapted to convert said at least one publishing variable of the media content from a source publishing variable type to a destination publishing variable type.

20. The media transcoding system of claim 13, further comprising:

a transcoded cache;

wherein said transcoded cache is adapted to store said transcoded media content and wherein said resource manager is adapted to command said transmitter server to fetch said transcoded media content from said transcoded cache and to command said streaming server to transmit said transcoded media content when said network interface receives a subsequent transcoding request for the media content.

21. The media transcoding system of claim 20, wherein said resource manager is adapted to determine whether to keep said transcoded media file in said transcoded cache based on an intelligent algorithm.

22. The media transcoding system of claim 21, wherein said intelligent algorithm is a Least Recently Used algorithm.

23. The media transcoding system of claim 13, further comprising:

a master archive; and

a content provider network interface;

wherein said content provider network interface is adapted to receive the media content and to archive the media content in said master archive, and wherein said transmitter server is adapted to fetch said archived media content from said master archive.

24. The media transcoding system of claim 13, further comprising:

a content provider network interface;

wherein said content provider network interface is adapted to receive location and access information for the media content, and wherein said transmitter server is adapted to fetch the media content using said location and access information.

25. The media transcoding system of claim 13, further comprising:

a content provider network interface;

wherein said content provider network interface is adapted to receive the media content as a stream of digital data, and wherein said transmitter server is adapted to fetch said stream of digital media content.

26. The media transcoding system of claim 13, wherein said transmitting server, said streaming server, and each of said plurality of transcoders each further comprise a slave monitor, wherein each of said slave monitors is adapted to receive a command from said resource manager and to initiate a task in response to said command.

27. The media transcoding system of claim 26, wherein each of said slave monitors is further adapted to report a status of said task to said resource manager.

28. A media transcoding system for transcoding media content from a source type to a destination type, comprising:

a network interface;

a resource manager;

a streaming server; and

a plurality of transcoding servers for transcoding from a plurality of source types to a plurality of destination types;

wherein said network interface is adapted to receive a transcoding request for the media content, and wherein said resource manager is adapted to respond to said transcoding request and, in response to said transcoding request, to select one of said plurality of transcoders based on the source type and the destination type, to command said transcoding server to fetch and transcode the media content from the source type to the destination type, thereby generating transcoded media content, and to command said streaming server to transmit said transcoded media content.

29. A media transcoding system for transcoding media content from a source type to a destination type, comprising:

a plurality of transcoding means for transcoding from a plurality of source types to a plurality of destination types;

transmitting means;

streaming means;

means for receiving a transcoding request;

means for responding to said transcoding request, wherein said means for responding to said transcoding request include resource management means for commanding said transmitting means to fetch the media content, for selecting one of said plurality of transcoding means based on the source type and the destination type, for commanding said selected transcoding means to transcode the media content from the source type to the destination type, thereby generating transcoded media content, and for commanding said streaming means to transmit said transcoded media content.

30. The media transcoding system of claim 29, wherein the media content comprises a file of digital information.

31. The media transcoding system of claim 29, wherein the media content comprises a stream of digital data.

32. The media transcoding system of claim 29, wherein said transmitting means is adapted to fetch the media content as a data stream, said selected transcoding means is adapted to transcode the media content as a data stream, and said streaming means is adapted to transmit said transcoded media content as a data stream, and wherein said resource management means manages the operation of said transmitting means, said selected transcoding means, and said streaming means so that said fetching, transcoding and transmitting occur in a pipelined fashion.

33. The media transcoding system of claim 29, wherein said means for receiving said transcoding request is adapted to receive said transcoding request over the Internet and wherein said streaming means is adapted to transmit said transcoded media content over the Internet.

34. The media transcoding system of claim 29, wherein the media content type is defined according to a least one publishing variable, wherein said at least one publishing variable is:

(1) the file format of the media content;

(2) the bit-rate of the media content;

(3) the compression algorithm according to which the media content is stored;

(4) the communication protocol according to which the media content is transferred;

or

(5) the physical medium on which the media content is stored; and

wherein said selected transcoding means is adapted to convert said at least one publishing variable of the media content from a source publishing variable type to a destination publishing variable type.

35. A method for transcoding media content, comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving a transcoding request for the media content, wherein said transcoding request includes a source type, a source location, a destination type, and a destination location;

(b) fetching the media content from said source location in response to said transcoding request;

(c) selecting one of a plurality of transcoders for transcoding from a plurality of source types to a plurality of destination types, wherein said one transcoder is selected based on said source type and said destination type;

(d) sending the media content to said selected transcoder;

(e) transcoding the media content from said source type to said destination type, thereby generating transcoded media content; and

(f) transmitting said transcoded media content to said destination location.

36. The method of claim 35, further comprising the step of parsing said transcoding request to determine said source type, said source location, said destination type, and said destination location.

37. The method of claim 36, further comprising the step of fetching at least one of said source type, said source location, said destination type, or said destination location when it is determined in said parsing step that said transcoding request is incomplete.

38. A method for transcoding media content from a source type to a destination type, comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving a request for the media content;

(b) fetching the media content;

(c) selecting one of a plurality of transcoders for transcoding from a plurality of source types to a plurality of destination types, wherein said one transcoder is selected based on the source type and the destination type;

(d) sending the media content to said selected transcoder;

(e) transcoding the media content from the source type to the destination type, thereby generating transcoded media content; and

(f) transmitting said transcoded media content.

39. A media transcoding system for transcoding media content, comprising:

a network interface;

a resource manager;

a transmitting server;

a streaming server; and

a plurality of transcoders for transcoding from a plurality of source types to a plurality of destination types;

wherein said network interface is adapted to receive a transcoding request for the media content, wherein said transcoding request includes a source type, a source location, a destination type, and a destination location and wherein said resource manager is adapted to respond to said transcoding request and, in response to said transcoding request, to command said transmitting server to fetch the media content from said source location, to select one of said plurality of transcoders based on said source type and said destination type, to command said selected transcoder to transcode the media content from said source type to said destination type, thereby generating transcoded media content, and to command said streaming server to transmit said transcoded media content to said destination location.

40. The media transcoding system of claim 39, further comprising:

a task manager;

wherein said task manager is adapted to parse said transcoding request to determine said source type, said source location, said destination type, and said destination location.

41. The media transcoding system of claim 40, wherein said task manager is further adapted to fetch at least one of said source type, said source location, said destination type, or said destination location when it is determined that said transcoding request is incomplete.

42. The media transcoding system of claim 39, wherein said network interface is a Web server interface.

43. A media transcoding system for transcoding media content from a source type to a destination type, comprising:

a network interface;

a resource manager;

a transmitting server;

a streaming server; and

a plurality of transcoders for transcoding from a plurality of source types to a plurality of destination types;

wherein said network interface is adapted to receive a transcoding request for the media content, and wherein said resource manager is adapted to respond to said transcoding request and, in response to said transcoding request, to command said transmitting server to fetch the media content, to select one of said plurality of transcoders based on the source type and the destination type, to command said selected transcoder to transcode the media content from the source type to the destination type, thereby generating transcoded media content, and to command said streaming server to transmit said transcoded media content.

44. A method for transcoding media content from a source type to a first destination type and a second destination type, comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving a request for the media content;

(b) fetching the media content;

(c) selecting a first transcoder from a plurality of transcoders for transcoding from a plurality of source types to a plurality of destination types, wherein said first transcoder is selected based on the source type and the first destination type;

(d) sending the media content to said first transcoder;

(e) transcoding the media content from the source type to the first destination type, thereby generating first transcoded media content;

(f) transmitting said first transcoded media content;

(g) selecting a second transcoder from said plurality of transcoders, wherein said second transcoder is selected based on the source type and the second destination type;

(h) sending the media content to said second transcoder;

(i) transcoding the media content from the source type to the second destination type, thereby generating second transcoded media content; and

(j) transmitting said second transcoded media content.

45. A method for transcoding a first media content from a first source type to a destination type and transcoding a second media content from a second source type to the destination type, comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving a request for the first and second media content;

(b) fetching the first and second media content;

(c) selecting a first transcoder from a plurality of transcoders for transcoding from a plurality of source types to a plurality of destination types, wherein said first transcoder is selected based on the first source type and the destination type;

(d) sending the first media content to said first transcoder;

(e) transcoding the first media content from the first source type to the destination type, thereby generating first transcoded media content;

(f) transmitting said first transcoded media content;

(g) selecting a second transcoder from said plurality of transcoders, wherein said second transcoder is selected based on the second source type and the destination type;

(h) sending the second media content to said second transcoder;

(i) transcoding the second media content from the second source type to the destination type, thereby generating second transcoded media content; and

(j) transmitting said second transcoded media content.

46. A media transcoding system for transcoding media content from a source type to a first destination type and a second destination type, comprising:

a resource manager;

a first and second transmitting server;

a first and second streaming server; and

a plurality of transcoders for transcoding from a plurality of source types to a plurality of destination types;

wherein said resource manager is adapted to command said first transmitting server to fetch the media content, to select a first transcoder from said plurality of transcoders based on the source type and the first destination type, to command said first transcoder to transcode the media content from the source type to the first destination type, thereby generating first transcoded media content, to command said first streaming server to transmit said first transcoded media content, to command said second transmitting server to fetch the media content, to select a second transcoder from said plurality of transcoders based on the source type and the second destination type, to command said second transcoder to transcode the media content from the source type to the second destination type, thereby generating second transcoded media content, and to command said second streaming server to transmit said second transcoded media content.

47. A media transcoding system for transcoding a first media content from a first source type to a destination type and for transcoding a second media content from a second source type to the destination type, comprising:

a resource manager;

a first and second transmitting server;

a first and second streaming server; and

a plurality of transcoders for transcoding from a plurality of source types to a plurality of destination types;

wherein said resource manager is adapted to command said first transmitting server to fetch the first media content, to select a first transcoder from said plurality of transcoders based on the first source type and the destination type, to command said first transcoder to transcode the media content from the first source type to the destination type, thereby generating first transcoded media content, to command said first streaming server to transmit said first transcoded media content, to command said second transmitting server to fetch the second media content, to select a second transcoder from said plurality of transcoders based on the second source type and the destination type, to command said second transcoder to transcode the second media content from the second source type to the destination type, thereby generating second transcoded media content, and to command said second streaming server to transmit said second transcoded media content.