Method for adaptive streaming of media

A client apparatus comprising:

• a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith, and a processor coupled to the computer readable storage medium, wherein responsive to executing the computer readable program code, the processor is configured to perform executable operations comprising:
• receiving metadata from a server apparatus, the metadata defining a first adaptation set, an adaptation set defining one or more sets of segment identifiers, each set of segment identifiers defining a plurality of linearly playable media segments of a predetermined resolution, each media segment in a set of media segments preferably having an identical playback duration, the first metadata enabling the client apparatus to request media segments and to sequentially playout the media segments of the set;
• selecting one or more segment identifiers on the basis of the metadata and transmitting one or more requests comprising the one or more segment identifiers and a client identifier to a server apparatus;
• transmitting navigation information to the server apparatus, the navigation information defining at least a region in the video frames of the first adaptation set;
• and
• receiving second metadata or information for retrieving the second metadata, the second metadata enabling the client apparatus to playback media segments of the second adaptation set after the playback of the first adaptation set.

A server apparatus configured to generate metadata for a client apparatus, the metadata being configured to enable streaming of media to the client apparatus, the server apparatus comprising:

• a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith, and a processor coupled to the computer readable storage medium, wherein responsive to executing the computer readable program code, the processor is configured to perform executable operations comprising:
• transmitting first metadata to a client apparatus, the first metadata defining a first adaptation set, an adaptation set defining one or more sets of segment identifiers, each set of segment identifiers defining a plurality of linearly playable media segments of a predetermined resolution, each media segment in a set of media, the first metadata enabling a client apparatus to request media segments and sequentially playout the media segments;
• receiving navigation information from the client apparatus, the navigation information defining at least a first region in video frames of the first adaptation set;
• selecting second metadata defining a second adaptation set on the basis of spatial playback information and a spatial distance or a spatial overlap between the first region and a second region in the video frames of the first adaptation set, wherein the spatial playback information signals the server apparatus that the second region in the video frames of the first adaptation set is linked to media segments of the second adaptation set;
• and
• transmitting the second metadata or information for retrieving the second metadata to the client apparatus, the second metadata enabling the client apparatus to playback media segments of the second adaptation set after the playback of media segments of the first adaptation set.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon adaptive streaming of video data that, when executed by one or more processors of a server apparatus, cause the server apparatus to carry out operations including:

• transmitting first metadata to a client apparatus, the first metadata defining a first adaptation set, an adaptation set defining one or more sets of segment identifiers, each set of segment identifiers defining a plurality of linearly playable media segments of a predetermined resolution, each media segment in a set of media segments having an identical playback duration, the first metadata enabling a client apparatus to request media segments and sequentially playout the media segments;
• receiving navigation information from the client apparatus, the navigation information defining at least a first region in video frames of the first adaptation set;
• selecting second metadata defining a second adaptation set on the basis of spatial playback information and a spatial distance or a spatial overlap between the first region and a second region in the video frames of the first adaptation set, wherein the spatial playback information signals the server apparatus that the second region in the video frames of the first adaptation set is linked to media segments of the second adaptation set;
• and
• transmitting the second metadata or information for retrieving the second metadata to the client apparatus, the second metadata enabling the client apparatus to playback media segments of the second adaptation set after the playback of media segments of the first adaptation set.