Enhanced block-request streaming using block partitioning or request controls for improved client-side handling
First Claim
1. In a communication system wherein a client device receives blocks of media from one or more media ingestion systems, a method comprising:
- identifying, at the client device, an amount of media stored in a buffer for storing received blocks of media prior to being consumed by an output of the client device;
identifying, at the client device, a rate of consumption of the media at the output of the client device;
determining a rate of change of the amount of the media stored in the buffer;
determine a current estimate T of a travel time of blocks of media and a current download speed R;
measure a number of bytes B delivered for a previous request, wherein the previous request was for a total number of bytes S; and
determining, for a plurality of block requests corresponding to blocks of the media being consumed by the output of the client device, a block to request and a timing of the request, wherein the block to request is determined based upon the amount of the media stored in the buffer and the rate of change of the amount of the media stored in the buffer, and the timing of the request is determined based in part of whether S minus B is less than a multiple of R multiplied by T, wherein the timing of the request is associated with a time at which a request for a new block will be made.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A block-request streaming system provides for improvements in the user experience and bandwidth efficiency of such systems, typically using an ingestion system that generates data in a form to be served by a conventional file server (HTTP, FTP, or the like), wherein the ingestion system intakes content and prepares it as files or data elements to be served by the file server. A client device can be adapted to take advantage of the ingestion process. The client device might be configured to optimize use of resources, given the information available to it from the ingestion system. This may include configurations to determine the sequence, timing and construction of block requests based on monitoring buffer size and rate of change of buffer size, use of variable sized requests, mapping of block requests to underlying transport connections, flexible pipelining of requests, and/or use of whole file requests based on statistical considerations.
515 Citations
15 Claims
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1. In a communication system wherein a client device receives blocks of media from one or more media ingestion systems, a method comprising:
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identifying, at the client device, an amount of media stored in a buffer for storing received blocks of media prior to being consumed by an output of the client device; identifying, at the client device, a rate of consumption of the media at the output of the client device; determining a rate of change of the amount of the media stored in the buffer; determine a current estimate T of a travel time of blocks of media and a current download speed R; measure a number of bytes B delivered for a previous request, wherein the previous request was for a total number of bytes S; and determining, for a plurality of block requests corresponding to blocks of the media being consumed by the output of the client device, a block to request and a timing of the request, wherein the block to request is determined based upon the amount of the media stored in the buffer and the rate of change of the amount of the media stored in the buffer, and the timing of the request is determined based in part of whether S minus B is less than a multiple of R multiplied by T, wherein the timing of the request is associated with a time at which a request for a new block will be made. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A client device having a network connection allowing for receiving blocks of media from one or more media ingestion systems via a communication system, comprising:
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a video display of the client device that is capable of presenting media content in a perceptible form to a user of the client device; a network interface for making requests, via a communication system, for media and for receiving responses to the requests; a buffer capable of for storing received blocks of media prior to being consumed by the presentation element; a processor for processing instructions; logic for determining an amount of media stored in the buffer; logic for identifying a rate of consumption of the media at the presentation element; logic for determining a rate of change of the amount of the media stored in the buffer; logic for determining a current estimate T of a travel time of blocks of media and a current download speed R; logic for measuring a number of bytes B delivered for a previous request, wherein the previous request was for a total number of bytes S; and logic for determining, for a plurality of block requests corresponding to blocks of the media being consumed by the output of the client device, a block to request and a timing of the request, wherein the block to request is determined based upon the amount of the media stored in the buffer and the rate of change of the amount of the media stored in the buffer, and the timing of the request is determined based in part on whether S minus B is less than a multiple of R multiplied by T, wherein the timing of the request is associated with a time at which a request for a new block will be made. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
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12. A client device having a network connection allowing for receiving blocks of media from one or more media ingestion systems via a communication system, comprising:
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a video display of the client device that is capable of presenting media content in a perceptible form to a user of the client device; a network interface for making requests, via a communication system, for media and for receiving responses to the requests; a buffer capable of for storing received blocks of media prior to being consumed by the presentation element; a processor for processing instructions; logic for identifying an amount of media stored in a buffer, wherein the media includes blocks of media received by the buffer prior to being consumed by the video display; logic for determining a current estimate T of a travel time of blocks of media and a current download speed R; logic for measuring a number of bytes B delivered for a previous request, wherein the previous request was for a total number of bytes S; logic for determining a rate of consumption of the stored received blocks; logic for determining, based on the rate of consumption and the amount of media stored in the buffer, the size of a request to make to the one or more media ingestion systems; logic for determining, based in part on whether S minus B is less than a multiple of R multiplied by T, the timing of the request to make to the one or more media ingestion systems; and logic for issuing the request, via the network interface, to the one or more media ingestion systems. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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Specification