Apparatus and methods for time mapping media segments in streaming media files
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- causing presentation, by a client device, of a first media segment of a first representation of a selected media content file;
determining at least one of a desired time point or a desired second representation of the selected media content file, wherein the desired time point is a point along a timeline of the media content file;
identifying a second media segment associated with the determined at least one of the desired time point or the desired second representation; and
retrieving, by the client device, the second media segment from a network server for presentation,wherein each of the first and second representations is independently accessible as a set of media segments,wherein the first representation includes at least the first media segment and the second media segment in an instance in which only the desired time point is determined, andwherein the first representation includes at least the first media segment and the second representation includes at least the second media segment in an instance in which the desired second representation is determined.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus, methods, and computer program products are provided for receiving and presenting, or playing-out, representations of media content and for enabling time synchronization and random seeking across multiple representations. A client device can access an appropriate time mapping fragment that associates play-out time intervals of the media content of the multiple representations with the corresponding media segments to identify the appropriate media segment corresponding to the desired time point within the current representation or in another selected representation. The time mapping fragments may be created and preloaded onto a media content server, and the media content server may transmit the time mapping fragment(s) to a client device upon receiving a request form the client device or as part of a media segment. In other cases, the media content server may create the time mapping fragments dynamically, e.g., upon receiving a request from the client device.
31 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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causing presentation, by a client device, of a first media segment of a first representation of a selected media content file; determining at least one of a desired time point or a desired second representation of the selected media content file, wherein the desired time point is a point along a timeline of the media content file; identifying a second media segment associated with the determined at least one of the desired time point or the desired second representation; and retrieving, by the client device, the second media segment from a network server for presentation, wherein each of the first and second representations is independently accessible as a set of media segments, wherein the first representation includes at least the first media segment and the second media segment in an instance in which only the desired time point is determined, and wherein the first representation includes at least the first media segment and the second representation includes at least the second media segment in an instance in which the desired second representation is determined. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method comprising:
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causing transmission, by a network server, of a multimedia presentation description to a client device in response to a request for media content by said client device; causing transmission of a first media segment of a first representation of the media content to the client device; causing transmission of time mapping information to the client device, wherein the time mapping information maps at least one media segment of a respective representation of the media content to a corresponding presentation time; and causing transmission of a second media segment of a respective representation of the media content to the client device, wherein the second media segment corresponds to the mapped presentation time, wherein each representation is independently accessible as a set of media segments, and wherein the presentation time comprises a point along a timeline of the media content. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
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12. An apparatus, comprising:
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at least one processor, and at least one memory including computer executable program code, the at least one memory and the computer executable program code working with the at least one processor to cause the apparatus to perform at least the following; cause presentation of a first media segment of a first representation of a selected media content file; determine at least one of a desired time point or a desired second representation of the selected media content file, wherein the desired time point is a point along a timeline of the media content file; identify a second media segment associated with the determined at least one of the desired time point or the desired second representation; and retrieve the second media segment from a network server for presentation wherein each of the first and second representations is independently accessible as a set of media segments, wherein the first representation includes at least the first media segment and the second media segment in an instance in which only the desired time point is determined, and wherein the first representation includes at least the first media segment and the second representation includes at least the second media segment in an instance in which the desired second representation is determined. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An apparatus comprising:
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at least one processor, and at least one memory including computer executable program code, the at least one memory and the computer executable program working with the at least one processor to cause the apparatus to perform at least the following; cause transmission of a multimedia presentation description to a client device in response to a request for media content by said client device; cause transmission of a first media segment of a first representation of the media content to the client device; cause transmission of time mapping information to the client device, wherein the time mapping information maps at least one media segment of a respective representation of the media content to a corresponding presentation time; and cause transmission of a second media segment of a respective representation of the media content to the client device, wherein the second media segment corresponds to the mapped presentation time, wherein each representation is independently accessible as a set of media segments, and wherein the presentation time comprises a point along a timeline of the media content. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification