Buffer management for live video streaming

A method comprising:

• receiving video packets at a playback buffer;
• measuring inter-packet arrival times between successive video packets received at the playback buffer;
• generating a statistical representation of the measured inter-packet arrival times;
• and
• determining a target buffer size based on the statistical representation such that the target buffer size compensates for variability in the inter-packet arrival times.

A media client comprising:

• a playback buffer configured to receive video packets;
• and
• a processor circuitry configured to perform operations comprising
• measuring inter-packet arrival times between successive video packets received at the playback buffer,
• generating a statistical representation of the measured inter-packet arrival times, and
• determining a target buffer size based on the statistical representation such that the target buffer size compensates for variability in the inter-packet arrival times.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more computing devices, cause the one or more computing devices to perform operations comprising:

• measuring inter-packet arrival times between successive video packets received at a playback buffer;
• generating a statistical representation of the measured inter-packet arrival times;
• and
• determining a target buffer size based on the statistical representation such that the target buffer size compensates for variability in the inter-packet arrival times.