Method and apparatus for signaling presentation description updates in HTTP streaming

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-8935424-B2
Application number	US-201213344975-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 6, 2012
Priority date	Jan 7, 2011
Publication date	Jan 13, 2015
Grant date	Jan 13, 2015

Abstract

A method comprises updating, by an apparatus, a media presentation description file, associated with media content streamed to one or more client devices using hypertext transfer protocol; and embedding, within one or more media segments of the media content, an indication of the update of the media presentation description file. At least one of the one or more media segments is provided, upon a request, to at least one of the one or more client devices.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
updating, by an apparatus, a media presentation description file associated with media content streamed to one or more client devices using hypertext transfer protocol;
and embedding, within one or more media segments of the media content, an indication of the update of the media presentation description file,
wherein at least one of the one or more media segments is provided, upon a request, to at least one of the one or more client devices, and
wherein the indication comprises an indication signaled within metadata of the one or more media segments of the media content.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the indication comprises indication embedded in one or more media segments accessible using a prior media presentation description file, said prior presentation description being used prior to said updated media presentation description file.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the indication comprises:
a signaling of the availability of the updated media presentation description file;
at least one portion of the updated media presentation description file;
an indicator of a number of remaining media segments that are still accessible using a prior media presentation description file, said prior media presentation description file being in use by a client device, prior to the updated media presentation description file, to fetch media segments;
time remaining until the start of the first media segment that is accessible using only the updated media presentation description file; and
an identifier of a version for the updated media presentation description file.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the indication comprises one of:
said indicator of the number of remaining media segments and wherein said number of remaining media segments varies based, at least in part, on the media segment in which the indication is embedded; and
said time remaining and wherein said time remaining varies based, at least in part, on the media segment in which the indication is embedded.

5. An apparatus, comprising:
at least one processor; and
at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following:
update, by an apparatus, a media presentation description file associated with media content streamed to one or more client devices using hypertext transfer protocol; and
embed, within one or more media segments of the media content, an indication of the update of the media presentation description file,
wherein at least one of the one or more media segments is provided, upon a request, to at least one of the one or more client devices, and
wherein the indication comprises an indication embedded in one or more media segments accessible using a prior media presentation description file, said prior presentation description being used prior to said updated media presentation description file.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the indication comprises indication embedded in one or more media segments accessible using a prior media presentation description file, said prior presentation description being used prior to said updated media presentation description file.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the indication comprises:
a signaling of the availability of the updated media presentation description file;
at least one portion of the updated media presentation description file;
an indicator of a number of remaining media segments that are still accessible using a prior media presentation description file, said prior media presentation description file being in use by a client device, prior to the updated media presentation description file, to fetch media segments;
time remaining until the start of the first media segment that is accessible using only the updated media presentation description file; and
an identifier of a version for the updated media presentation description file.

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the indication comprises one of:
said indicator of the number of remaining media segments and wherein said number of remaining media segments varies based, at least in part, on the media segment in which the indication is embedded; and said time remaining and wherein said time remaining varies based, at least in part, on the media segment in which the indication is embedded.

9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 5 , wherein said apparatus comprises one of:
a hypertext transfer protocol server; and
a content provider server.

10. A computer-readable memory including computer executable instructions, said computer executable instructions, when executed by a processor, cause an apparatus to perform a method as claimed in claim 1 .

11. A method, comprising:
updating, by an apparatus, a media presentation description file associated with media content streamed to one or more client devices using hypertext transfer protocol;
embedding, within one or more media segments of the media content, an indication of the update of the media presentation description file,
wherein at least one of the one or more media segments is provided, upon a request, to at least one of the one or more client devices,
wherein the indication comprises an indication signaled within metadata of the one or more media segments of the media content,
fetching, by at least one of the one or more client devices, at least one of the one or more media segments using the media presentation description file according to hypertext transfer protocol;
detecting, by the at least one of the one or more client devices, the indication of the update associated with the media presentation description file; and
processing, by the at least one of the one or more client devices, the detected indication.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the detected indication comprises:
indication received within metadata of said at least one fetched media segment; and
indication embedded in one or more media segments accessible using a prior media presentation description file, said prior presentation description being used prior to said updated media presentation description file.

13. The method as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the indication comprises:
a signaling of the availability of the updated media presentation description file;
at least one portion of the updated media presentation description file;
an indicator of a number of remaining media segments that are still accessible using a prior media presentation description file, said prior media presentation description file being in use by a client device, prior to the updated media presentation description file, to fetch media segments;
time remaining until the start of the first media segment that is accessible using only the updated media presentation description file; and
an identifier of a version for the updated media presentation description file.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the indication comprises one of:
said indicator of the number of remaining media segments and wherein said number of remaining media segments varies based, at least in part, on the media segment in which the indication is embedded; and
said time remaining and wherein said time remaining varies based, at least in part, on the media segment in which the indication is embedded.

15. The method as claimed in claim 11 , wherein processing the indication comprises:
reading at least one portion of the media present

Assignees

• Bouazizi Imed
• Nokia Corp

Inventors

• Bouazizi Imed

Classifications

• H04L65/602

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04L65/607

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04N21/85406

  involving a specific file format, e.g. MP4 format · CPC title

• H04N21/84

  Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors {(systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73)} · CPC title

• H04N21/26291 Primary

  for providing content or additional data updates, e.g. updating software modules, stored at the client (deployment, distribution, installation, update of software G06F8/65; error detection or correction during software upgrading G06F11/1433; arrangements for updating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/25) · CPC title