System and method for automatic adjustment of streaming video bit rate
First Claim
1. A method for transmitting a media stream over a network comprising the steps of:
- providing a transmitter and a receiver connected through the network, wherein the transmitter includes an encoder having an adjustable bit rate and a transmission buffer having a fixed size;
encoding, by the encoder, with an encoding bit rate an original media stream into an encoded media stream;
transmitting the encoded media stream to the receiver;
monitoring a throughput of the encoded media stream;
wherein the monitoring step provides a result based on at least a rate at which the transmission buffer is filled and cleared;
computing an adjustment to the encoding bit rate using the result of the monitoring step without changing the size of the transmission buffer; and
adjusting the encoding bit rate so as to encode the encoded media stream at an adjusted bit rate;
wherein the adjusting is executed after receiving, from the receiver, a request for a change in the encoding bit rate; and
wherein the encoding bit rate is reduced if the transmitter buffer repeatedly overflows and the encoding bit rate is increased if the transmitter buffer is repeatedly empty.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for automatically sets the encoding bit-rate across a network. The method includes encoding an original media stream with an encoding bit rate having an adjustable rate, transmitting the encoded media stream to a receiver, monitoring a throughput of the encoded media stream, computing an adjustment to the encoding bit rate, and adjusting the encoder'"'"'s encoding bit rate. A throughput monitor (which can be freestanding, part of the transmitter, or part of the receiver), is operable to monitor the encoded media stream, wherein the transmitter is operable to adjust the encoding bit rate using a result of the monitored throughput. The transmitter and receiver both contain a buffer, and respective buffer monitors. Conditions (e.g., overflow, full, empty) at the transmitter or receiver buffer are detected by the respective transmitter or receiver buffer monitor, where upon a repeated condition the encoded bit rate is adjusted higher or lower.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method for transmitting a media stream over a network comprising the steps of:
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providing a transmitter and a receiver connected through the network, wherein the transmitter includes an encoder having an adjustable bit rate and a transmission buffer having a fixed size; encoding, by the encoder, with an encoding bit rate an original media stream into an encoded media stream; transmitting the encoded media stream to the receiver; monitoring a throughput of the encoded media stream; wherein the monitoring step provides a result based on at least a rate at which the transmission buffer is filled and cleared; computing an adjustment to the encoding bit rate using the result of the monitoring step without changing the size of the transmission buffer; and adjusting the encoding bit rate so as to encode the encoded media stream at an adjusted bit rate;
wherein the adjusting is executed after receiving, from the receiver, a request for a change in the encoding bit rate; and
wherein the encoding bit rate is reduced if the transmitter buffer repeatedly overflows and the encoding bit rate is increased if the transmitter buffer is repeatedly empty. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A device for transmitting data over a network comprising:
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a transmitter and a receiver in communication over the network; the transmitter containing a central processing unit, a network interface, a buffer having a fixed size, and an encoder, the encoder being operable to encode an original media stream, with an encoding bit rate, into an encoded media stream; the receiver containing a central processing unit, a network interface, and a decoder, the receiver being operable to receive the encoded media stream from the transmitter; a throughput monitor operable to monitor the encoded media stream based on at least a rate at which the transmission buffer is filled and cleared; wherein the transmitter is operable to adjust the encoding bit rate using a result of the monitored throughput without adjusting the size of the buffer;
wherein the receiver is operable to send a request to the transmitter to initiate the encoder adjustment; and
wherein the transmitter is further operable to adjust the encoding bit rate in response to a predetermined capacity condition detected by the throughput monitor, and if the throughput monitor detects that the transmitter buffer repeatedly overflows, then the encoding bit rate is reduced. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A device for transmitting data over a network comprising:
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a transmitter and a receiver in communication over the network; the transmitter containing a central processing unit, a transmitter buffer having a fixed size, a transmitter buffer monitor, a network interface, and an encoder, the encoder being operable to encode an original media stream, with an encoding bit rate, into an encoded media stream; wherein the transmitter buffer monitor is configured to determine a rate at which the transmission buffer is filled and cleared; the receiver containing a central processing unit, a receiver buffer, a receiver buffer monitor, a network interface, and a decoder, the receiver being operable to receive the encoded media stream from the transmitter; and wherein the transmitter is operable to adjust the encoding bit rate in response to the transmission buffer fill and clear rate determined by the transmitter buffer monitor without adjusting the size of the transmitter buffer;
wherein the receiver is operable to send a request to the transmitter to initiate the encoder adjustment; and
wherein the transmitter is further operable to adjust the encoding bit rate in response to a predetermined capacity condition detected by the transmitter buffer monitor, and if the transmitter buffer monitor detects that the transmitter buffer repeatedly overflows, then the encoding bit rate is reduced. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method for transmitting a media stream over a network comprising the steps of:
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providing a transmitter and a receiver connected through the network, wherein the transmitter includes a transmitter buffer having a fixed size, a transmitter buffer monitor, and an encoder having an adjustable bit rate, and the receiver includes a receiver buffer; encoding an original media stream by the encoder having an encoding bit rate;
transmitting the encoded media stream to the receiver;monitoring the transmitter buffer, by the transmitter buffer monitor, for a predetermined capacity condition; wherein the monitoring step provides a result based on at least a rate at which the transmission buffer is filled and cleared; computing an adjustment to the encoding bit rate based on the result and when the monitoring step detects the predetermined capacity condition without changing the size of the transmitter buffer; and adjusting the encoding bit rate so as to encode the original media stream at an adjusted bit rate;
wherein the adjusting is executed after receiving, from the receiver, a request for a change in the encoding bit rate; andmonitoring the transmitter buffer for the predetermined capacity condition and increasing the encoding bit rate, by the transmitter, if the detected predetermined capacity condition includes the transmitter buffer being repeatedly empty. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification