Media streaming with enhanced seek operation
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for performing a seek operation in a media stream displayed on a playback device, comprising:
- receiving a media stream from a network, the media stream being associated with a first bit rate and including a plurality of fragments;
receiving a user request to seek to a new location in the media stream;
using the new location to determine a corresponding network address of one of the plurality of fragments in the media stream;
in response to the user request, downloading the media stream, associated with a second bit rate that is less than the first bit rate, from substantially the new location to ensure fast start-up by using the network address in the media stream, wherein the content of the media stream is identical at the first and second bit rates, but quality increases with higher bit rates;
rendering the media stream starting at the new location; and
ramping-up the bit rate of the media stream after the fast start-up based on a previously stored network bandwidth.
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Abstract
The present disclosure relates to playback of video/audio streaming media data. The media stream is available from the network at multiple bit rates. When a seek operation is performed, a playback device requests a lower bit rate media stream in order to quickly fill a playback buffer so that playback can commence more readily. After a seek start-up period is complete, the playback device can return to downloading the media stream associated with higher bit rates in order to increase the quality of the playback.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method for performing a seek operation in a media stream displayed on a playback device, comprising:
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receiving a media stream from a network, the media stream being associated with a first bit rate and including a plurality of fragments; receiving a user request to seek to a new location in the media stream; using the new location to determine a corresponding network address of one of the plurality of fragments in the media stream; in response to the user request, downloading the media stream, associated with a second bit rate that is less than the first bit rate, from substantially the new location to ensure fast start-up by using the network address in the media stream, wherein the content of the media stream is identical at the first and second bit rates, but quality increases with higher bit rates; rendering the media stream starting at the new location; and ramping-up the bit rate of the media stream after the fast start-up based on a previously stored network bandwidth. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for performing a seek operation, comprising:
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receiving a media segment, associated with a first bit rate, from a network; displaying the media segment including a location indicator showing a current time point being viewed in the media segment; receiving a request to view the media segment from a second time point that is different than the current time point; using the second time point to determine one of a plurality of fragments in the media segment associated with the second time point; receiving the media segment starting with the determine one of the plurality of fragments in the media segment, associated with a second bit rate that is lower than the first bit rate, the media segment at the second bit rate including a same content as the media segment at the first bit rate from the network for rendering from the second time point to ensure fast start-up for viewing the media segment; and returning to receiving the media segment associated with the first bit rate from the network after the start-up is completed. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for performing a seek operation, comprising:
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receiving a media segment to display from a network, wherein the media segment comprises at least multiple sequential media fragments encoded at a first bit rate; displaying the media segment by displaying the fragments sequentially in association with a location indicator showing a current point being viewed in the media segment; receiving a seek request to view the media segment from a second, different point; generating a network address associated with the second point; requesting, from a server computer, a next fragment in the media segment that is encoded at a second bit rate, different than the first bit rate, the next fragment being at the generated network address and continuing to receive fragments at the second bit rate for a start-up period; and after the start-up period, returning to receiving the fragments associated with the media segment that are encoded at the first bit rate or another bit rate higher than the second bit rate. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification