Signaling tier information to assist MMCO stream manipulation

• US 9,819,899 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2014
• Issued: 11/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Triton US VP Acquisition, Co.
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rodriguez, Arturo A., Cook, Benjamin M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Thai
• Assistant Examiner(s): MESA, JOSE M
• Application Number:
  US14/501,905
• Publication Number:
  US 20150016806A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,141 Days
• Field of Search: 386343
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23418 involving operations for analysing video streams, e.g. detecting features or characteristics television picture signal circuitry for scene change detection H04N5/147; filtering for image enhancement G06T5/00; methods or arrangements for recognising scenes G06V20/00; arrangements characterised by components specially adapted for monitoring, identification or recognition of video in broadcast systems H04H60/59
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4325 by playing back content from the storage medium reproduction of recorded television signals H04N5/76; reproduction of recorded television signals H04N9/79
• 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 21/8451 using Advanced Video Coding [AVC]
• 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 5/76 Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/781 on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/783 Adaptations for reproducing at a rate different from the recording rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/91 Television signal processing therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/7921 for more than one processing mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8205 involving the multiplexing of an additional signal and the colour video signal

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method that provides tier information corresponding to a picture, the tier information provided in an adaptation field of a transport packet, the transport packet comprising a first byte of a header of a packetized elementary stream (PES) containing the picture; and provides the first transport packet.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

determining a first tier number from a tier assertion field for a first picture received in an Advanced Video Coding (AVC) stream, wherein the encoded first picture includes a memory management control operation (MMCO), wherein decoding of a second picture depends on processing the MMCO, wherein the tier assertion field comprises a number of bits corresponding to a number of available tiers;

effecting the issuance, by the first picture, of the MMCO during a first playback mode, the first picture processed but not decoded during the first playback mode;

wherein the first picture is decoded during a second playback mode, the second playback mode different than the first playback mode, wherein the first picture comprises a first byte that conveys a minimum number of independently decodable pictures for a predetermined time irrespective of a second playback mode speed, and wherein the MMCO issued by the first picture affects referencing of the second picture by a third picture, the first picture different than the second picture and the third picture; and

interpreting the first tier number based on which of the number of bits is set to a first value.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the number of bits are ordered based on increasing or decreasing tier numbers.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the tier assertion field is provided in an adaptation field.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a tier assertion field is associated with some, but not all pictures in the AVC stream.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein a tier assertion field is not associated with a picture associated with a RAP.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the tier assertion field comprises a tier assertion byte representing the number of pictures away from a RAP picture the first picture is.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the tier assertion field comprises a tier assertion byte that conveys whether the number of bits are ordered based on increasing or decreasing tier numbers.

8. A method, comprising:

providing a first tier number in a tier assertion field for a first picture in an Advanced Video Coding (AVC) stream, wherein the encoded first picture includes a memory management control operation (MMCO), wherein decoding of a second picture depends on processing the MMCO, wherein the tier assertion field comprises a number of bits corresponding to a number of available tiers;

effecting the issuance by the first picture, of the MMCO during a first playback mode, wherein the first picture is processed but not decoded during the first playback mode, wherein the first picture is decoded during a second playback mode, the second playback mode different than the first playback mode, wherein the first picture comprises a first byte that conveys a minimum number of independently decodable pictures for a predetermined time irrespective of a second playback mode speed, and wherein the MMCO issued by the first picture affects referencing of the second picture by a third picture, the first picture different than the second picture and the third picture; and

providing the AVC stream.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein an assertion tier byte is provided in the tier assertion field.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the assertion tier byte is signaled by a message announced through an elementary stream information loop.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the message is assigned via an assigned message descriptor tag.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the descriptor tag conveys that information corresponding to one of a plurality of tag values is present in the elementary stream.

13. A system, comprising:

a memory;

a processor coupled to the memory, wherein the processor is configured to;

determine a first tier number from a tier assertion field for a first picture received in an Advanced Video Coding (AVC) stream, wherein the encoded first picture includes a memory management control operation (MMCO), wherein decoding of a second picture depends on processing the MMCO, wherein the tier assertion field comprises a number of bits corresponding to a number of available tiers;

effect the issuance, by the first picture, of the MMCO during a first playback mode, wherein the first picture is processed but not decoded during the first playback mode, wherein the first picture is decoded during a second playback mode, the second playback mode different than the first playback mode, wherein the first picture comprises a first byte that conveys a minimum number of independently decodable pictures for a predetermined time irrespective of a second playback mode speed, and wherein the MMCO issued by the first picture affects referencing of the second picture by a third picture, the first picture different than the second picture and the third picture; and

interpret the first tier number based on which of the number of bits is set to a first value.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the tier assertion field further comprises a tier assertion byte, the tier assertion byte comprising a subfield that signals whether the MMCO should be issued.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein a first portion of the tier assertion byte comprises plural tier levels according to a particular order.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein a second portion of the tier assertion byte is dedicated to identifying the second picture.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the subfield comprises a value corresponding to a relative location of the second picture.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the subfield indicates that the second picture is not identified by the tier assertion byte.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the subfield indicates whether the number of bits are ordered based on increasing or decreasing tier numbers.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein processor is contained in a set-top box.