Distributed on-demand media transcoding system and method

• US 6,888,477 B2
• Filed: 06/20/2003
• Issued: 05/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Chartock, Howard E., Chomsky, Harry A., Hokamura, Hitoshi, Pirazzi, Christopher V., Agnoli, Giovanni M., Lai, Angela C. W., Hoddie, James Peter, Chen, Steve H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tokar, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mai, Lam T.
• Application Number:
  US10/465,805
• Publication Number:
  US 20040032348A1
• Time in Patent Office: 683 Days
• Field of Search: 341/50, 341/51, 341/58, 709/203, 709/217, 370/255, 370/278, 375/133, 375/220, 348/192, 348/469
• 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 providing media content transcoding services, comprising:

(a) fetching media content;

(b) 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 at least on the destination type;

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

(d) transcoding the media content to the destination type, thereby generating transcoded media content; and

(e) transmitting said transcoded media content; and

(f) wherein said selected one of said plurality of transcoders for transcoding from a source type to a destination type which have different;

(1) file formats of the media content;

(2) bit-rates of the media content;

(3) communication protocols according to which the media content is transferred;

(4) physical media on which the media content is stored;

(5) encoding formats;

(6) compression algorithms;

(7) digital rights management information;

or

(8) combinations thereof.

2. The method of claim 1, said source type and said destination type having different file formats.

3. The method of claim 1, said source type and said destination type having different bit rates.

4. The method of claim 1, said source type and said destination type having different communication protocols.

5. The method of claim 1, said source type and said destination type having different physical media on which said media content is stored.

6. The method of claim 1, said source type and said destination type having different encoding formats.

7. The method of claim 1, said source type and said destination type having different compression algorithms.

20. The method of claim 1, said source type and said destination type having different digital rights management information.

8. A method for delivering media content over a network, comprising:

(a) transcoding the media content to generate a plurality of copies of the media content, each of said plurality of copies having a different destination type or a different source type or both;

(b) storing said plurality of copies in a cache;

(c) receiving requests for the media content; and

(d) selecting and delivering a copy of one of said plurality of copies in response to each of said requests,

(e) wherein said different destination type or different source type or both of said each of said plurality of copies having different;

(1) file formats of the media content;

(2) bit-rates of the media content;

(3) communication protocols according to which the media content is transferred;

(4) physical media on which the media content is stored;

(5) encoding formats;

(6) compression algorithms;

(7) digital rights management information;

or

(8) combinations thereof.

9. The method of claim 8, said different destination type or different source type or both of said each of said plurality of copies having different file formats.

10. The method of claim 8, said different destination type or different source type or both of said each of said plurality of copies further having different bit rates.

11. The method of claim 8, said different destination type or different source type or both of said each of said plurality of copies further having different communication protocols.

12. The method of claim 8, said different destination type or different source type or both of said each of said plurality of copies further having different physical media on which said media content is stored.

13. The method of claim 8, said different destination type or different source type or both of said each of said plurality of copies further having different encoding formats.

14. The method of claim 8, said different destination type or different source type or both of said each of said plurality of copies further having different compression algorithms.

15. The method of claim 8, said different destination type or different source type or both of said each of said plurality of copies further having different digital rights management information.

16. 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;

(f) transmitting said transcoded media content; and

wherein the source type and the destination type are defined by at least digital rights management information.

17. A method for providing media content transcoding services, comprising;

(a) fetching media content;

(b) 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 at least on the destination type;

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

(d) transcoding the media content to the destination type, thereby generating transcoded media content; and

(e) transmitting said transcoded media content; and

(f) wherein said selected one of said plurality of transcoders for transcoding from a source type to a destination type which have different digital rights management information.

18. A method for delivering media content, comprising:

(a) transcoding the media content to generate a plurality of copies of the media content, each of said plurality of copies having a different destination type or a different source type or both;

(b) storing said plurality of copies in a cache;

(c) receiving requests for the media content; and

(d) selecting and delivering a copy of one of said plurality of copies in response to each of said requests;

(e) wherein said different destination type or different source the or both of said each of said plurality of copies having different digital rights management information.

19. A method for providing media content transcoding services, comprising:

(a) fetching media content;

(b) 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 at least on the destination type;

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

(d) transcoding the media content to the destination type, thereby generating transcoded media content; and

(e) transmitting said transcoded media content; and

(f) wherein said selected one of said plurality of transcoders for transcoding from a source type to a destination type which have different digital rights management information.