Adaptive media playback

• US 20080195744A1
• Filed: 02/14/2007
• Published: 08/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Bowra, Todd, Speicher, Ashley, Fang, Nicholas
• Granted Patent: US 7,788,395 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2838 Distribution of signals within a home automation network, e.g. involving splitting/multiplexing signals to/from different paths adaptations of television systems for transmission by electric cable for domestic distribution H04N7/106; hybrid transport H04L12/6418; home network arrangements specially adapted for distribution of digital video signals H04N7/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/752 adapting media to network capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• 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 21/4341 Demultiplexing of audio and video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4394 involving operations for analysing the audio stream, e.g. detecting features or characteristics in audio streams arrangements characterised by components specially adapted for monitoring, identification or recognition of audio in broadcast systems H04H60/58
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4398 involving reformatting operations of audio signals details of audio signal transcoding G10L19/173
• 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 21/44227 Monitoring of local network, e.g. connection or bandwidth variations; Detecting new devices in the local network configuring of peripheral devices in general G06F9/4411; monitoring connectivity in data switched networks H04L43/0811
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8106 involving special audio data, e.g. different tracks for different languages
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

Described herein is technology for, among other things, performing playback in resource-limited environments. The technology involves identifying one or more primary streams and one or more secondary streams of a piece of media content based on the media content itself and/or on the particular playback scenario and then modifying playback and streaming parameters accordingly. The one or more primary streams may then be given priority in order to ensure a satisfactory playback experience. The playback characteristics, the one or more primary streams of the media content, and the resources available in the playback environment can be monitored and changed throughout playback. Both the device streaming and the device receiving the content may communicate to further optimize playback.

Claims

1. A method for performing playback comprising:

detecting playing of a streaming media content comprising a plurality of streams;

examining said plurality of streams;

identifying which of said plurality of streams are one or more primary streams;

identifying which of said plurality of streams are one or more secondary streams; and

adjusting playback to favor said one or more primary streams over said one or more secondary streams by adjusting one or more parameters affecting said one or more primary streams and one or more secondary streams.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said one or more primary streams of said streaming media content are identified based on the media formats present in said media content.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said parameters affecting said one or more primary streams and one or more secondary streams are adjusted based on available network bandwidth.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said one or more primary streams of said streaming media content are identified based on the media bit-rates of the plurality of streams in said media content.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said one or more primary streams of said streaming media content are identified based on a consistent frequency of samples or the stability of the bit rates of the streams in said media content.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said one or more primary streams of said streaming media content are identified based on a portion of metadata associated with said media content.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said one or more primary streams of said streaming media content are identified based on which streams are currently being played.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said one or more primary streams of said streaming media content are identified based on a particular playback situation.

9. A method for streaming media content comprising:

receiving a request for a piece of media content comprising a plurality of streams;

analyzing said plurality of streams;

selecting one or more primary streams from among said plurality of streams;

selecting one or more secondary streams from among said plurality of streams;

modifying a plurality of streaming parameters based on said one or more primary streams of said media content; and

streaming said media content based on said modified plurality of streaming parameters.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said plurality of streaming parameters includes the bit-rate of a portion of said streams in said media content.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein said plurality of streaming parameters includes the encoding format of a portion of said streams in said media content.

12. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

dropping a portion of said one or more secondary streams of said media content prior to streaming said streams.

13. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

seeding a render clock based upon said one or more primary streams of said media content.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein the one or more primary streams of said media content are by default the audio stream.

15. The method of claim 9 wherein said one or more primary streams of said media content is determined based on the resources of a playback device.

16. In a playback device, a method for playing media content comprising:

receiving a stream of media content comprising a video component and an audio component;

determining which of said video component and said audio component is more important for playback to a user;

if said video component is more important, changing playback parameters to prioritize said video component over said audio component;

if said audio component is more important, changing playback parameters to prioritize said audio component over said video component; and

initiating playback of said media content with said playback parameters.

17. The method of claim 16 further performing the step of:

initiating playback upon buffering a sufficient amount of said more important component of said media content, before a sufficient amount of said less important component is buffered

18. The method of claim 16 further performing the step of:

requesting retransmission of only a portion of components not received of said media content.

19. The method of claim 16 further performing the step of:

transmitting information wherein a portion of said information relates to modifying streaming parameters.

20. The method of claim 16 further performing the step of:

receiving information wherein a portion of said information relates to modifying playback parameters.