Method for controlling download rate of real-time streaming as needed by media player

• US 8,775,665 B2
• Filed: 02/09/2009
• Issued: 07/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: OptiMorphix, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Citrix Systems, Inc. (Cloud Software Group)
• Inventors: Melnyk, Miguel, Kidd, Robert, Penner, Andrew, Tidemann, Jeremy, Breg, Fabian
• Primary Examiner(s): HOANG, HIEU T
• Application Number:
  US12/368,260
• Publication Number:
  US 20100205318A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,975 Days
• Field of Search: 709230-233, 709/236
• US Class Current: 709/233
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/752 adapting media to network capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/762 at the source reformatting of additional data in video distribution servers H04N21/2355
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/765 intermediate
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2402 Monitoring of the downstream path of the transmission network, e.g. bandwidth available traffic monitoring in data switching networks H04L43/00; monitoring data switching networks utilization H04L43/0876
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/242 Synchronization processes, e.g. processing of PCR [Program Clock References] arrangements for synchronising broadcast or distribution via plural systems in broadcast distribution systems H04H20/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26216 involving the channel capacity, e.g. network bandwidth admission control, resource allocation in open networks H04L12/5692; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; establishing a schedule or organising the servicing of application requests taking into account QoS H04L67/61
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43072 of multiple content streams on the same device

Abstract

A computer-implemented method including receiving streaming media, wherein the streaming media is requested by a media player at a mobile device; retrieving timing information from the streaming media, wherein the timing information corresponds to real-time playback rate on the media player; framing the streaming media based on the real-time playback rate on the media player; scheduling transmission of the framed streaming media based on the framing; and transmitting the framed streaming media to the media player according to the schedule.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving media via progressive download, wherein the progressively downloaded media is requested by a media player at a mobile device, and the progressively downloaded media includes a first portion and a second portion of a plurality of media frames;

retrieving timing information from the progressively downloaded media, wherein the plurality of media frames each carry a timestamp corresponding to a time at which the media frame is played on the media player;

determining a playback rate of the progressively downloaded media on the media player based on the timestamp associated with each media frame of the plurality of media frames;

framing the first portion of media frames based on the determined playback rate;

scheduling transmission of the framed progressively downloaded media based on the framing; and

transmitting the framed progressively downloaded media to the media player according to the schedule.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing the framed progressively downloaded media; and

providing the stored-framed progressively downloaded media for the transmitting according to the schedule.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the progressively downloaded media comprises:

a header including information about characteristics of media tracks.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising transmitting the header to the media player.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising transmitting the header and the second portion of the media frames to the media player.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein framing the first portion of the media frames comprises framing the parsed progressively downloaded media based on the timestamp of each frame.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining optimization parameters; and

framing the progressively downloaded media based on the playback rate on the media player and the optimization parameters.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the optimization parameters comprises:

source of the progressively downloaded media;

characteristics of the mobile device;

previous usage profile of the mobile device;

time and date when the progressively downloaded media is requested by the mobile device; and

bandwidth of network segment where the mobile device is located.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein framing the progressively downloaded media comprises:

optimizing the progressively downloaded media by altering the progressively downloaded media based on one or more of the optimization parameters; and

framing the optimized ptrogressively downloaded media based on the playback rate on the media player.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein optimizing the progressively downloaded media based on one or more of the optimization parameters results in reduction in size of the progressively downloaded media.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting changes in network segment where the mobile device is located;

updating the framing of the first portion of the media frames, based on the playback rate on the media player and the changes in the network segment where the mobile device is located; and

transmitting the updated-framed progressively downloaded media to the media player.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein changes in the network segment where the mobile device is located comprises increases or decreases in bandwidth of the network segment.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein updating the framing of the progressively downloaded media comprises:

optimizing the progressively downloaded media by altering the progressively downloaded media based on the changes in the network segment where the mobile device is located; and

framing the optimized progressively downloaded media based on the playback rate on the media player.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining pre-configured variable multipliers; and

framing the progressively downloaded media based on the playback rate on the media player and the pre-configured variable multipliers.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the pre-configured variable multipliers comprise an arbitrary number of multipliers and application period pairs, which can include at least:

a first number factor being used in the framing to control the transmission of the progressively downloaded media to the mobile device during a first time period; and

a second number factor being used in the framing to control the transmission of the progressively downloaded media to the mobile device during a second time period.

16. A system comprising:

a client device having a media player, wherein the client device is capable of requesting progressively downloaded media from a media server; and

an optimization server is configured to;

receive the progressively downloaded media originated from the media server, wherein the progressively downloaded media includes a first portion and a second portion of a plurality of media frames;

retrieve timing information from the progressively downloaded media, wherein the plurality of media frames each carry a timestamp corresponding to a time at which the media frame is played on the media player,

determine a playback rate of the progressively downloaded media on the media player based on the timestamp associated with each media frame of the plurality of media frames,

frame the first portion of media frames based on the determined playback rate,

schedule transmitting the framed progressively downloaded media based on the framing, and

transmit the framed progressively downloaded media to the media player according to the schedule.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the optimization server is the media server.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the optimization server comprises:

a de-muxer parsing the progressively downloaded media and retrieving the timing information from the progressively downloaded media;

a flow control module framing the parsed progressively downloaded media and scheduling the transmission of the framed progressively downloaded media, based on the retrieved timing information;

a frame scheduler triggering the transmission of the framed progressively downloaded media according to the schedule specified by the flow control module; and

a muxer transmitting the framed progressively downloaded media to the mobile device.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the de-muxer parses the progressively downloaded media into:

a header including information about characteristics of media tracks.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the flow control module provides the header to the de-muxer for transmitting to the media player.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the flow control module provides the header and the second portion of the media frames to the de-muxer for transmitting to the media player.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein the flow control module frames the parsed progressively downloaded media and schedules the transmission of the framed first portion of the media frames, based on the timestamp of each frame.

23. The system of claim 18, wherein the optimization server further comprises:

a storage device storing the framed progressively downloaded media and providing the stored-framed progressively downloaded media to the muxer for the transmitting.

24. The system of claim 18, wherein the optimization server further comprises:

a media processor optimizing the progressively downloaded media by altering the progressively downloaded media, and providing the optimized progressively downloaded to the flow control module for the framing.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the optimization server further comprises:

a network controller detecting changes in network where the mobile device is located, and instructing the media processor to optimize the progressively downloaded media based on the changes.

26. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method of framing progressively downloaded media requested by a media player at a mobile device from a media server, the method comprising:

receiving the progressively downloaded media originated from the media server, wherein the progressively downloaded media includes a first portion and a second portion of a plurality of media frames;

retrieving timing information from the progressively downloaded media, wherein the plurality of media frames each carry a timestamp corresponding to a time at which the media frame is played on the media player;

determining a playback rate of the progressively downloaded media on the media player based on the timestamp associated with each media frame of the plurality of media frames;

framing the first portion of media frames based on the determined playback rate;

scheduling transmission of the framed progressively downloaded media based on the framing; and

transmitting the framed progressively downloaded media to the media player according to the schedule.

27. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 26, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to perform the method, the method comprising:

storing the framed progressively downloaded media; and

providing the stored-framed progressively downloaded media for the transmitting according to the schedule.

28. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 26, wherein the streaming media comprises:

a header including information about characteristics of media tracks.

29. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 28, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to perform the method;

the method comprising

transmitting the header to the media player.

30. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 28, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to perform the method, the method comprising

transmitting the header and the second portion of the media frames to the media player.

31. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 28, wherein framing the first portion of the media frames comprises framing the parsed progressively downloaded media based on the timestamp of each frame.

32. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 26, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to perform the method, the method comprising:

obtaining optimization parameters; and

framing the progressively downloaded media based on the playback rate on the media player and the optimization parameters.

33. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 32, wherein the optimization parameters comprises:

source of the streaming media;

characteristics of the mobile device;

previous usage profile of the mobile device;

time and date when the progressively downloaded media is requested by the mobile device; and

bandwidth of network segment where the mobile device is located.

34. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 33, wherein framing the progressively downloaded media comprises:

optimizing the progressively downloaded media by altering the progressively downloaded media based on one or more of the optimization parameters; and

framing the optimized progressively downloaded media based on the playback rate on the media player.

35. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 34, wherein optimizing the progressively downloaded media based on one or more of the optimization parameters results in reduction in size of the progressively downloaded media.

36. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 26, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to perform the method, the method comprising:

detecting changes in network segment where the mobile device is located;

updating the framing of the first portion of the media frames, based on the playback rate on the media player and the changes in the network segment where the mobile device is located; and

transmitting the updated-framed progressively downloaded media to the media player.

37. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 36, wherein changes in the network segment where the mobile device is located comprises increases or decreases in bandwidth of the network segment.

38. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 36, wherein updating the framing of the progressively downloaded media comprises:

optimizing the progressively downloaded media by altering the progressively downloaded media based on the changes in the network segment where the mobile device is located; and

framing the optimized progressively downloaded media based on the playback rate on the media player.

39. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 26, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to perform the method, the method comprising:

obtaining pre-configured variable multipliers; and

framing the progressively downloaded media based on the playback rate on the media player and the pre-configured variable multipliers.

40. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 39, wherein the pre-configured variable multipliers comprise an arbitrary number of multipliers and application period pairs, which can include at least:

a first number factor being used in the framing to control the transmission of the progressively downloaded media to the mobile device during a first time period; and

a second number factor being used in the framing to control the transmission of the progressively downloaded media to the mobile device during a second time period.