Real-time priority-based media communication

• US 7,587,509 B1
• Filed: 08/20/2007
• Issued: 09/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Adobe Inc.
• Original Assignee: Adobe Systems Incorporated (Adobe Inc.)
• Inventors: Edelman, Bradley, Lozben, Slavik, Shetty, Pritham, Gay, Jonathan
• Primary Examiner(s): Etienne; Ario
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chea; Philip J
• Application Number:
  US11/841,517
• Time in Patent Office: 750 Days
• Field of Search: 709/231, 709/219, 725/103
• US Class Current: 709/231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2416 Real-time traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2433 Allocation of priorities to traffic types
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/60 Network streaming of media packets
• 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: H04L 65/762 at the source reformatting of additional data in video distribution servers H04N21/2355
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2353 specifically adapted to content descriptors, e.g. coding, compressing or processing of metadata
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2389 Multiplex stream processing, e.g. multiplex stream encrypting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/262 Content or additional data distribution scheduling, e.g. sending additional data at off-peak times, updating software modules, calculating the carousel transmission frequency, delaying a video stream transmission, generating play-lists scheduling strategies for dispatcher in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/4881; arrangements for scheduling broadcast services or broadcast-related services H04H60/06; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; establishing a time schedule or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/62
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/173 with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal

Abstract

Representative embodiments are disclosed of a real-time priority-based communication system and method for communicating media streams made up of multiple media message sub-streams, the communication system comprising a chunk configurator for dividing media message sub-streams into chunks, a state machine configured to translate between information regarding the media message sub-streams and the chunks and state associations to the information, the state associations written into a header for each of the chunks, a queue for holding the chunks waiting to be transmitted, and a processor for executing a scheduling algorithm, wherein the scheduling algorithm determines ones of the chunks in the queue to transmit next.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

communicating a media stream comprised of a one or more streams, wherein each of said one or more streams is divided into a plurality of chunks; and

associating a state of a plurality of states with each chunk of said plurality of chunks, a header of each of said chunks including a state association representing said state, the state association indicating one of a plurality of possible purposes for each respective chunk, wherein said possible purposes indicated by said state association consist of;

a new stream chunk associated with a new stream, wherein said new stream chunk includes a plurality of new parameters in said header and uses no parameters from a previous header,

a new media chunk associated with said new stream wherein said new media chunk includes a plurality of new parameters in said header and uses at least one other parameter from a previous header,

a new time chunk associated with said new stream wherein said new time chunk includes at least one new parameter in said header and uses a plurality of other parameters from a previous header, and

a continuation chunk requiring no new parameters in said header and using a plurality of parameters from a previous header.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said state associations provide information regarding an associated one of said one or more streams and said media stream.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said communicating said media stream comprises receiving a transmitted plurality of chunks, and said associating a state of said plurality of states with each chunk of said plurality of chunks comprises translating state associations from each of said plurality of chunks into information regarding an associated one of said one or more streams and said media stream.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said parameters include one or more of:

a stream ID parameter;

a length parameter;

a media type parameter; and

a time delta parameter.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

queuing said plurality of chunks for transmission; and

transmitting ones of said plurality of chunks according to a scheduling algorithm.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said queuing includes:

queuing said plurality of chunks according to a media type of said chunk, wherein said media type comprises one of;

an audio format chunk;

a video format chunk; and

a data format chunk.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said scheduling algorithm further interleaves said audio format chunks, said video format chunks, and said data format chunks according to an interleaving algorithm.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

assigning a priority to each stream of said one or more streams;

totaling a priority for each media stream;

calculating a desired transmission rate for each stream of said one or more streams using said assigned priority and said totaled priority;

counting a sub-total of chunks transmitted per each said stream during a preset period;

counting a total number of chunks transmitted during said preset period;

calculating an actual transmission rate for each said stream using said sub-total and said total; and

calculating a ratio between said desired transmission rate and said actual transmission rate.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said scheduling algorithm includes:

determining a stream of said one or more streams having a lowest ratio;

checking said queue of said plurality of chunks for a chunk associated with said determined stream; and

transmitting said chunk associated with said determined stream when found in said queue.

10. A computer program product having a computer readable medium with computer program logic recorded thereon, said computer program product comprising:

code for communicating a media stream comprised of one or more streams, wherein each of said one or more streams is divided into a plurality of chunks; and

code for implementing a state machine that processes state assignments for each of said plurality of chunks, wherein a header of each of said chunks includes at least one of said state assignments, the state assignments indicating one of a plurality of purposes for each corresponding chunk, and wherein the possible purposes indicated by said state assignments consist of;

a new stream chunk associated with a new stream wherein said new stream chunk includes a plurality of new parameters in said header and uses no parameters from a previous header,

a new media chunk associated with said new stream wherein said new media chunk includes a plurality of new parameters in said header and uses at least one other parameter from a previous header,

a new time chunk associated with said new stream wherein said new time chunk includes at least one new parameter in said header and uses a plurality of other parameters from a previous header, and

a continuation chunk requiring no new parameters in said header and using a plurality of parameters from a previous header.

11. The computer program product of claim 10, further comprising:

code for writing a corresponding one of said state assignments into said header of each of said plurality of associated chunks.

12. The computer program product of claim 10, further comprising:

code for breaking down each one of said one or more streams into a plurality of associated chunks.

13. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein said code for communicating comprises code for receiving said plurality of associated chunks.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, further comprising:

code for reading said state assignments from said header of each of said received plurality of chunks.

15. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein said code for implementing comprises code for translating said state assignments for each of said plurality of associated chunks into information regarding said one or more streams and said media stream.

16. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein said code for implementing comprises code for assigning a chunk ID for associating said chunk with one of said one or more streams, wherein said chunk ID is smaller than an ID related to said one of said one or more streams.

17. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein said parameters include at least one of:

a stream ID parameter;

a length parameter;

a media type parameter; and

a time delta parameter.

18. The computer program product of claim 10, further comprising:

code for queuing ones of said plurality of chunks waiting for transmission according to a scheduling algorithm.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein said code for queuing includes:

code for queuing said plurality of chunks according to a media type of said chunk, wherein said media type comprises one of;

an audio format chunk;

a video format chunk; and

a data format chunk.

20. The computer program product of claim 18, further comprising:

code for assigning a priority to each stream of said one or more streams;

code for totaling a priority for each media stream;

code for calculating a desired transmission rate for each stream of said one or more streams using said assigned priority and said totaled priority;

code for counting a sub-total of said plurality of associated chunks transmitted per said one or more streams during a preset period;

code for counting a total number of said plurality of associated chunks transmitted during said preset period;

code for calculating an actual transmission rate for each stream of said one or more streams using said sub-total and said total; and

code for calculating a ratio between said desired transmission rate and said actual transmission rate.

21. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein said scheduling algorithm comprises:

code for selecting said stream of said one or more streams having a lowest of said calculated ratio;

code for searching said queue for one of said plurality of chunks related to said selected stream; and

code for transmitting said one of said plurality of chunks related to said determined stream.

22. A method comprising:

receiving a multimedia stream including a plurality of media message chunks, each chunk having a control header and data payload associated therewith;

reading a chunk type identifier of each said control header, wherein said chunk type identifiers indicate a purpose of a plurality of possible purposes for said chunk, and wherein the possible purposes indicated by said chunk type identifiers consist of;

a new stream chunk, wherein said control header of said new stream chunk includes a plurality of new parameters and uses no parameters from a control header of a previous chunk,

a new media chunk, wherein said control header of said new media chunk includes a plurality of new parameters and uses at least one other parameter from a control header of a previous chunk,

a new time chunk, wherein said control header of said new time chunk includes at least one new parameter and uses a plurality of other parameters from a control header of a previous chunk, and

a continuation chunk, wherein said control header of said continuation chunk includes no new parameters and uses a plurality of parameters from a control header of a previous chunk.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

selecting, using an associated one of said chunk type identifiers, particular parameters of said plurality of parameters for use with respect to one or more subsequent chunks of said multimedia stream.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

controlling a state machine to set said particular parameters for use by said one or more subsequent chunks.

25. The method of claim 22, further comprising.

reading a chunk stream identifier of each said control headers;

and

determining, using an associated one of said chunk stream identifiers, whether a corresponding chunk is a low-level protocol message or a media stream content message.

26. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

reading a chunk stream identifier of each said control headers; and

determining, using an associated one of said chunk stream identifiers, a number of bytes of a chunk control byte used to identify a chunk stream said chunk is associated with.

27. A computer program product having a computer readable medium with computer program logic recorded thereon, said computer program product comprising:

code for receiving a multimedia stream including a plurality of media message chunks, said chunks each having a control header and data payload associated therewith;

code for reading a chunk type identifier of each said control header, wherein said chunk type identifiers indicate a purpose of a plurality of possible purposes for said chunk, and wherein the possible purposes indicated by said chunk type identifiers consist of;

a new stream chunk, wherein said control header of said new stream chunk includes a plurality of new parameters and uses no parameters from a control header of a previous chunk,

a new media chunk, wherein said control header of said new media chunk includes a plurality of new parameters and uses at least one other parameter from a control header of a previous chunk,

a new time chunk, wherein said control header of said new time chunk includes at least one new parameter and uses a plurality of other parameters from a control header of a previous chunk, and

a continuation chunk, wherein said control header of said continuation chunk includes no new parameters and uses a plurality of parameters from a control header of a previous chunk.

28. The computer program product of claim 27, further comprising:

code for selecting, using an associated one of said chunk type identifiers, particular parameters of said plurality of parameters for use with respect to one or more subsequent chunks of said multimedia stream.

29. The computer program product of claim 28, further comprising:

code for controlling a state machine to set said particular parameters for use by said one or more subsequent chunks.

30. The computer program product of claim 27, further comprising:

code for reading a chunk stream identifier of each said control headers; and

code for determining, using an associated one of said chunk stream identifiers, whether a corresponding chunk is a low-level protocol message or a media stream content message.

31. The computer program product of claim 27, further comprising:

code for reading a chunk stream identifier of each said control headers; and

code for determining, using an associated one of said chunk stream identifiers, a number of bytes of a chunk control byte used to identify a chunk stream said chunk is associated with.