Peer-assisted video distribution

• US 9,560,422 B2
• Filed: 04/04/2013
• Issued: 01/31/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: InterDigital Madison Patent Holdings (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Picconi, Fabio
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Rong
• Application Number:
  US14/395,473
• Publication Number:
  US 20150058907A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,398 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 67/104 Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2343 involving reformatting operations of video signals for distribution or compliance with end-user requests or end-user device requirements video transcoding H04N19/40; media packet handling at the source H04L65/762
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2389 Multiplex stream processing, e.g. multiplex stream encrypting
• 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 21/26258 for generating a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlist, or scheduling item distribution according to such list retrieval of multimedia data based on playlists G06F16/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4385 Multiplex stream processing, e.g. multiplex stream decrypting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44004 involving video buffer management, e.g. video decoder buffer or video display buffer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44008 involving operations for analysing video streams, e.g. detecting features or characteristics in the video stream arrangements characterised by components specially adapted for monitoring, identification or recognition of video in broadcast systems H04H60/59
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4402 involving reformatting operations of video signals for household redistribution, storage or real-time display details of conversion of video standards at pixel level H04N7/01; video transcoding H04N19/40; adapting incoming signals to the display format of the display terminal G09G5/005; media handling at the source in data packet switching networks H04L65/764
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/632 using a connection between clients on a wide area network, e.g. setting up a peer-to-peer communication via Internet for retrieving video segments from the hard-disk of other client devices broadcast-related systems characterised by transmission among terminal devices H04H60/80; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8456 by decomposing the content in the time domain, e.g. in time segments

Abstract

A solution for peer-assisted distribution of video content over a broadband network is disclosed. A video file is segmented into segments and segmentation metadata is generated. The segments are converted to media stream segments with counter/timestamp consistency. The video file and the segmentation metadata are injected into a peer-assisted video delivery system. The segmentation metadata are then used for initializing download of offsets of the video file that are required for generating segments of the video file at a client.

Claims

1. A method for distributing a video file comprising frames via a peer-assisted video delivery system, the method comprising:

segmenting the video file into temporal segments such that any frame of the video file is present in one and only one temporal segment, wherein each temporal segment is a self-contained physical object;

generating segmentation metadata comprising at least video offsets corresponding to the video frames that need to be extracted from the video file to generate the temporal segments, continuity counter values suitable for detecting data loss, and segment start times;

converting the temporal segments into media stream segments in accordance with a media stream format, which uses continuity counters and/or or timestamps, such that the continuity counters within the media stream segments and between consecutive media stream segments are properly incremented and/or or the timestamps within the media stream segments and between consecutive media stream segments are valid and synchronized; and

injecting the video file and the segmentation metadata into the peer-assisted video delivery system.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the video file is segmented into fixed-duration temporal segments.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the video file is an MP4 file or an MKV file.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the media stream segments are converted MPEG transport stream segments.

5. A method for receiving a video file comprising frames from a peer-assisted video delivery system, the method comprising:

downloading segmentation metadata comprising at least video offsets corresponding to video frames that were extracted from the video file to generate temporal segments of the video file, continuity counter values suitable for detecting data loss, and segment start times;

analyzing the segmentation metadata to determine video offsets to be downloaded and for initiating download of the determined video offsets;

downloading the determined video offsets for at least a full length segment;

generating video segments from the downloaded video offsets; and

converting the video segments into media stream segments in accordance with a media stream format, which uses continuity counters and/or or timestamps, such that the continuity counters within the media stream segments and between consecutive media stream segments are properly incremented and/or or the timestamps within the media stream segments and between consecutive media stream segments are valid and synchronized.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the video file is an MP4 file or an MKV file.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein the media stream segments are MPEG transport stream segments.

8. An apparatus for distributing a video file comprising frames via a peer-assisted video delivery system, the apparatus comprising:

a segmenter configured for segmenting the video file into temporal segments such that any frame of the video file is present in one and only one temporal segment, wherein each temporal segment is a self-contained physical object, and to generate segmentation metadata comprising at least video offsets corresponding to the video frames that need to be extracted from the video file to generate the temporal segments, continuity counter values suitable for detecting data loss, and segment start times;

a converter configured for converting the temporal segments into media stream segments in accordance with a media stream format, which uses continuity counters or timestamps, such that the continuity counters within the media stream segments and between consecutive media stream segments are properly incremented or the timestamps within the media stream segments and between consecutive media stream segments are valid and synchronized; and

an injector configured for injecting the video file and the segmentation metadata into the peer-assisted video delivery system.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the segmenter segments the video file into fixed-duration temporal segments.

10. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the video file is an MP4 file or an MKV file.

11. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the converter converts the media stream segments are MPEG transport stream segments.

12. An apparatus for receiving a video file comprising frames from a peer-assisted video delivery system, the apparatus comprising:

a network connector configured to download segmentation metadata comprising at least video offsets corresponding to video frames that were extracted from the video file to generate temporal segments of the video file, continuity counter values suitable for detecting data loss, and segment start times and to download the video offsets for at least a full length segment;

an analyzer configured to analyze the segmentation metadata to determine video offsets to be downloaded and to initiate download of the determined video offsets;

a segment generator configured to generate video segments from the downloaded video offsets; and

a converter configured to convert the video segments into media stream segments in accordance with a media stream format, which uses continuity counters or timestamps, such that the continuity counters within the media stream segments and between consecutive media stream segments are properly incremented or the timestamps within the media stream segments and between consecutive media stream segments are valid and synchronized.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the video file is an MP4 file or an MKV file.

14. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the media stream segments are MPEG transport stream segments.

15. A method for distributing a video file comprising frames via a peer-assisted video delivery system, the method comprising:

segmenting the video file into temporal segments such that any frame of the video file is present in one and only one temporal segment, wherein each temporal segment is a self-contained physical object;

generating segmentation metadata comprising at least video offsets corresponding to the video frames that need to be extracted from the video file to generate the temporal segments, continuity counter values suitable for detecting data loss, and segment start times;

converting the temporal segments into media stream segments in accordance with a media stream format, which uses continuity counters and timestamps, such that the continuity counters within the media stream segments and between consecutive media stream segments are properly incremented and the timestamps within the media stream segments and between consecutive media stream segments are valid and synchronized; and

injecting the video file and the segmentation metadata into the peer-assisted video delivery system.

16. A method for receiving a video file comprising frames from a peer-assisted video delivery system, the method comprising:

downloading segmentation metadata comprising at least video offsets corresponding to video frames that were extracted from the video file to generate temporal segments of the video file, continuity counter values suitable for detecting data loss, and segment start times;

—

analyzing the segmentation metadata to determine video offsets to be downloaded and for initiating download of the determined video offsets;

downloading the determined video offsets for at least a full length segment;

generating video segments from the downloaded video offsets; and

converting the video segments into media stream segments in accordance with a media stream format, which uses continuity counters and timestamps, such that the continuity counters within the media stream segments and between consecutive media stream segments are properly incremented and the timestamps within the media stream segments and between consecutive media stream segments are valid and synchronized.

17. An apparatus for distributing a video file comprising frames via a peer-assisted video delivery system, the apparatus comprising:

a segmenter for segmenting the video file into temporal segments such that any frame of the video file is present in one and only one temporal segment, wherein each temporal segment is a self-contained physical object, and to generate segmentation metadata comprising at least video offsets corresponding to the video frames that need to be extracted from the video file to generate the temporal segments, continuity counter values suitable for detecting data loss, and segment start times;

a converter for converting the temporal segments into media stream segments in accordance with a media stream format, which uses continuity counters and timestamps, such that the continuity counters within the media stream segments and between consecutive media stream segments are properly incremented and the timestamps within the media stream segments and between consecutive media stream segments are valid and synchronized; and

an injector for injecting the video file and the segmentation metadata into the peer-assisted video delivery system.

18. An apparatus for receiving a video file comprising frames from a peer assisted video delivery system, the apparatus comprising:

a network connector for downloading segmentation metadata comprising at least video offsets corresponding to video frames that were extracted from the video file to generate temporal segments of the video file, continuity counter values suitable for detecting data loss, and segment start times to download the video offsets for at least a full length segment;

an analyzer for analyzing the segmentation metadata to determine video offsets to be downloaded and to initiate download of the determined video offsets;

a segment generator for generating video segments from the downloaded video offsets; and

a converter for converting the video segments into media stream segments in accordance with a media stream format, which uses continuity counters and timestamps, such that the continuity counters within the media stream segments and between consecutive media stream segments are properly incremented and the timestamps within the media stream segments and between consecutive media stream segments are valid and synchronized.