Manifest file updates for network streaming of coded multimedia data

• US 8,806,050 B2
• Filed: 08/08/2011
• Issued: 08/12/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Chen, Ying, Stockhammer, Thomas, Watson, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): SERRAO, RANODHI N
• Application Number:
  US13/205,574
• Publication Number:
  US 20120042090A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,100 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 709/231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/70 Media network packetisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/752 adapting media to network capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/756 adapting media to device capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/762 at the source reformatting of additional data in video distribution servers H04N21/2355
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/764 at the destination reformatting of additional data in video clients H04N21/4355
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8455 involving pointers to the content, e.g. pointers to the I-frames of the video stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8456 by decomposing the content in the time domain, e.g. in time segments

Abstract

In one example, a device for retrieving multimedia data, the device comprising one or more processors configured to retrieve data of a first segment of a representation of multimedia content in accordance with data of a copy of a manifest file stored by the device, retrieve a portion of a second segment of the representation in accordance with the manifest file, wherein the second segment occurs after the first segment in the representation, and wherein the portion of the second segment indicates that the manifest file is to be updated, update the copy of the manifest file stored by the device based on the indication that the manifest file is to be updated, and retrieve media data of the second segment in accordance with the updated manifest file.

Claims

1. A method of retrieving multimedia data, the method comprising:

retrieving data of a first segment of a representation of multimedia content in accordance with data of a copy of a manifest file stored by a client device, wherein the data of the first segment corresponds to a period of the multimedia content;

retrieving a portion of a second segment of the representation in accordance with the manifest file, wherein data of the second segment corresponds to the period to which the data of the first segment corresponds, wherein the second segment occurs after the first segment in the representation, and wherein the portion of the second segment indicates that the manifest file is to be updated;

updating the copy of the manifest file stored by the client device based on the indication that the manifest file is to be updated; and

retrieving media data of the second segment in accordance with the updated manifest file.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein updating the manifest file comprises updating the manifest file using data of the portion of the second segment.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein updating the manifest file comprises retrieving data to update the manifest file from a location indicated in the portion of the second segment.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein updating the manifest file comprises:

determining one or more elements of the manifest file that are to be updated; and

updating only the determined one or more elements of the manifest file.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

retrieving media data from a second, different representation of the multimedia content; and

sending information indicative of the data retrieved from the first representation and the second representation.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

constructing an extensible markup language formatted electronic document including information indicative of representations of the multimedia content, including the first and second representations, from which media data was retrieved,

wherein sending the information indicative of the data retrieved comprises sending the constructed document to a server from which the media data was retrieved.

7. A device for retrieving multimedia data, the device comprising one or more processors configured to retrieve data of a first segment of a representation of multimedia content in accordance with data of a copy of a manifest file stored by the device, wherein the data of the first segment correspond to a period of the multimedia content, retrieve a portion of a second segment of the representation in accordance with the manifest file, wherein data of the second segment corresponds to the period to which the data of the first segment corresponds, wherein the second segment occurs after the first segment in the representation, and wherein the portion of the second segment indicates that the manifest file is to be updated, update the copy of the manifest file stored by the device based on the indication that the manifest file is to be updated, and retrieve media data of the second segment in accordance with the updated manifest file.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein to update the manifest file, the one or more processors are configured to update the manifest file using data of the portion of the second segment.

9. The device of claim 7, wherein to update the manifest file, the one or more processors are configured to retrieve data to update the manifest file from a location indicated in the portion of the second segment.

10. The device of claim 7, wherein to update the manifest file, the one or more processors are configured to determine one or more elements of the manifest file that are to be updated, and update only the determined one or more elements of the manifest file.

11. The device of claim 7, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to retrieve media data from a second, different representation of the multimedia content, and send information indicative of the data retrieved from the first representation and the second representation.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to construct an extensible markup language formatted electronic document including information indicative of representations of the multimedia content, including the first and second representations, from which media data was retrieved, and wherein to send the information indicative of the data retrieved, the one or more processors are configured to send the constructed document to a server from which the media data was retrieved.

13. The device of claim 7, wherein the device comprises at least one of:

an integrated circuit;

a microprocessor; and

a wireless communication device that includes the one or more processors.

14. A device for retrieving multimedia data, the device comprising:

means for retrieving data of a first segment of a representation of multimedia content in accordance with data of a copy of a manifest file stored by the device, wherein the data of the first segment correspond to a period of the multimedia content;

means for retrieving a portion of a second segment of the representation in accordance with the manifest file, wherein data of the second segment corresponds to the period to which the data of the first segment corresponds, wherein the second segment occurs after the first segment in the representation, and wherein the portion of the second segment indicates that the manifest file is to be updated;

means for updating the copy of the manifest file stored by the device based on the indication that the manifest file is to be updated; and

means for retrieving media data of the second segment in accordance with the updated manifest file.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein updating the manifest file comprises updating the manifest file using data of the portion of the second segment.

16. The device of claim 14, wherein updating the manifest file comprises retrieving data to update the manifest file from a location indicated in the portion of the second segment.

17. The device of claim 14, wherein the means for updating the manifest file comprises:

means for determining one or more elements of the manifest file that are to be updated; and

means for updating only the determined one or more elements of the manifest file.

18. The device of claim 14, further comprising:

means for retrieving media data from a second, different representation of the multimedia content; and

means for sending information indicative of the data retrieved from the first representation and the second representation.

19. The device of claim 18, further comprising:

means for constructing an extensible markup language formatted electronic document including information indicative of representations of the multimedia content, including the first and second representations, from which media data was retrieved,

wherein the means for sending the information indicative of the data retrieved comprises means for sending the constructed document to a server from which the media data was retrieved.

20. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed, cause a processor of a device for retrieving multimedia data to:

retrieve data of a first segment of a representation of multimedia content in accordance with data of a copy of a manifest file stored by the device, wherein the data of the first segment correspond to a period of the multimedia content;

retrieve a portion of a second segment of the representation in accordance with the manifest file, wherein data of the second segment corresponds to the period to which the data of the first segment corresponds, wherein the second segment occurs after the first segment in the representation, and wherein the portion of the second segment indicates that the manifest file is to be updated;

update the copy of the manifest file stored by the device based on the indication that the manifest file is to be updated; and

retrieve media data of the second segment in accordance with the updated manifest file.

21. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein the instructions that cause the processor to update the manifest file comprise instructions that cause the processor to update the manifest file using data of the portion of the second segment.

22. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein the instructions that cause the processor to update the manifest file comprise instructions that cause the processor to retrieve data to update the manifest file from a location indicated in the portion of the second segment.

23. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein the instructions that cause the processor to update the manifest file comprise instructions that cause the processor to:

determine one or more elements of the manifest file that are to be updated; and

update only the determined one or more elements of the manifest file.

24. The computer program product of claim 20, further comprising instructions that cause the processor to:

retrieve media data from a second, different representation of the multimedia content; and

send information indicative of the data retrieved from the first representation and the second representation.

25. The computer program product of claim 24, further comprising instructions that cause the processor to:

construct an extensible markup language formatted electronic document including information indicative of representations of the multimedia content, including the first and second representations, from which media data was retrieved,

wherein the instructions that cause the processor to send the information indicative of the data retrieved comprise instructions that cause the processor to send the constructed document to a server from which the media data was retrieved.

26. A method of sending information for multimedia data, the method comprising:

sending data of a manifest file of multimedia content to a client device, wherein the manifest file includes information indicative of a first segment of a representation of the multimedia content, wherein data of the first segment corresponds to a period of the multimedia content;

sending at least a portion of the first segment of the representation to the client device in response to a request from the client device, wherein the portion of the first segment indicates that the manifest file is to be updated, wherein an updated version of the manifest file includes information indicative of a second, different segment of the representation, wherein data of the second segment corresponds to the period to which the data of the first segment corresponds; and

sending, in response to a request received from the client device and formed according to the updated manifest file, data of the second segment to the client device.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the portion of the first segment includes information indicative of updates to the manifest file.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the portion of the first segment includes information indicative of a location of data indicative of updates to the manifest file.

29. The method of claim 26, further comprising receiving information indicative of data of the multimedia content retrieved by the client device.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein receiving the information indicative of the data retrieved by the client device comprises receiving an extensible markup language formatted electronic document including information indicative of representations of the multimedia content from which the client device retrieved media data of the multimedia content.

31. A device for sending information for multimedia data, the device comprising one or more processors configured to send data of a manifest file of multimedia content to a client device, wherein the manifest file includes information indicative of a first segment of a representation of the multimedia content, wherein the data of the first segment corresponds to a period of the multimedia content, send at least a portion of the first segment of the representation to the client device in response to a request from the client device, wherein the portion of the first segment indicates that the manifest file is to be updated, wherein an updated version of the manifest file includes information indicative of a second, different segment of the representation, wherein the data of the second segment corresponds to the period to which the data of the first segment corresponds, and send, in response to a request received from the client device and formed according to the updated manifest file, data of the second segment to the client device.

32. The device of claim 31, wherein the portion of the first segment includes information indicative of updates to the manifest file.

33. The device of claim 31, wherein the portion of the first segment includes information indicative of a location of data indicative of updates to the manifest file.

34. The device of claim 31, wherein the one or more processors are configured to receive information indicative of data of the multimedia content retrieved by the client device.

35. The device of claim 34, wherein the information indicative of the data retrieved by the client device comprises receiving an extensible markup language formatted electronic document including information indicative of representations of the multimedia content from which the client device retrieved media data of the multimedia content.

36. The device of claim 31, wherein the device comprises at least one of:

an integrated circuit;

a microprocessor; and

a wireless communication device that includes the one or more processors.

37. A device for sending information for multimedia data, the device comprising:

means for sending data of a manifest file of multimedia content to a client device, wherein the manifest file includes information indicative of a first segment of a representation of the multimedia content, wherein the data of the first segment corresponds to a period of the multimedia content;

means for sending at least a portion of the first segment of the representation to the client device in response to a request from the client device, wherein the portion of the first segment indicates that the manifest file is to be updated, wherein an updated version of the manifest file includes information indicative of a second, different segment of the representation, wherein the data of the second segment corresponds to the period to which the data of the first segment corresponds; and

means for sending, in response to a request received from the client device and formed according to the updated manifest file, data of the second segment to the client device.

38. The device of claim 37, wherein the portion of the first segment includes information indicative of updates to the manifest file.

39. The device of claim 37, wherein the portion of the first segment includes information indicative of a location of data indicative of updates to the manifest file.

40. The device of claim 37, further comprising means for receiving information indicative of data of the multimedia content retrieved by the client device.

41. The device of claim 40, wherein the means for receiving the information indicative of the data retrieved by the client device comprises means for receiving an extensible markup language formatted electronic document including information indicative of representations of the multimedia content from which the client device retrieved media data of the multimedia content.

42. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed, cause a processor of a device for sending information for multimedia data to:

send data of a manifest file of multimedia content to a client device, wherein the manifest file includes information indicative of a first segment of a representation of the multimedia content, wherein the data of the first segment corresponds to a period of the multimedia content;

send at least a portion of the first segment of the representation to the client device in response to a request from the client device, wherein the portion of the first segment indicates that the manifest file is to be updated, wherein an updated version of the manifest file includes information indicative of a second, different segment of the representation, wherein the data of the second segment corresponds to the period to which the data of the first segment corresponds; and

send, in response to a request received from the client device and formed according to the updated manifest file, data of the second segment to the client device.

43. The computer program product of claim 42, wherein the portion of the first segment includes information indicative of updates to the manifest file.

44. The computer program product of claim 42, wherein the portion of the first segment includes information indicative of a location of data indicative of updates to the manifest file.

45. The computer program product of claim 42, further comprising instructions that cause the processor to receive information indicative of data of the multimedia content retrieved by the client device.

46. The computer program product of claim 45, wherein the instructions that cause the processor to receive the information indicative of the data retrieved by the client device comprises instructions that cause the processor to receive an extensible markup language formatted electronic document including information indicative of representations of the multimedia content from which the client device retrieved media data of the multimedia content.