US 5,859,641 A · Automatic bandwidth allocation in multimedia scripting tools

Abstract

A tool for scheduling the delivery of media objects within varying constraints of available bandwidth. In a preferred embodiment in which the invention is enabled by software executable on a general purpose multimedia grade computer, a system designer orchestrates the playback of a series of media objects on a playback "score" analogous to a musical score. The system designer can also see the results of his or her work by playing back the playback score in real time on a corresponding runtime view. The media objects are represented on the playback score as playback icons. Responsive to the designer's manipulation of playback icons on the playback score, the present invention further creates and displays a corresponding download score, also viewable by the system designer, in which download icons (corresponding to playback icons on the playback score) are automatically deployed and arranged to fill up a displayed "pipe" of available bandwidth. The topographical area of the download icons, as displayed, corresponds to the data size of the media objects. The download icons are displayed as rectangular or square-cornered polygonal shapes. As the playback score becomes more information-rich, the pipe tends to fill to capacity with download icons. Eventually, as more information is added, delivery tends towards an error condition where download can no longer keep up with demand (i.e. the pipe is full). When this happens, the invention highlights this condition to the designer. The designer must then take action to correct the error condition so that delivery of media objects is once again compatible with playback. Alternatively, in a second embodiment, the system automatically degrades the content of media objects according to preselected sequences and conditions. The corresponding reduction in data-richness of degraded media objects causes the delivery thereof to again be compatible with playback.

Claims60

Dependent claims

A method for allocating bandwidth in a multimedia scripting tool, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) writing a playback script calling for the playback of a plurality of media objects each having a known data size, the playback script comprising a plurality of playback icons deployed on a playback score, each playback icon representing a corresponding media object, each playback icon deployed on the playback score according to a preselected period in real time in which the playback script calls for the corresponding media object to be played back;
(b) responsive to step (a), robotically deploying download icons on a download score to create a download script corresponding to the playback script, one download icon deployed for each media object represented by a playback icon deployed on the playback score, deployment of a download icon on the download score representing delivery of the corresponding media object in real time to feed playback thereof in the playback script;
(c) introducing a constraint of bandwidth in which the download script must deliver media objects to feed playback thereof in the playback script;
and
(d) robotically arranging the download icons on the download score so that the delivery script delivers media objects within the constraint of bandwidth to keep up with demand therefor in the playback script.

2 more elements

A method for allocating bandwidth in a multimedia scripting tool, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) writing a playback script calling for the playback of a plurality of media objects each having a known data size, the playback script comprising a plurality of playback icons deployed on a playback score, each playback icon representing a corresponding media object, each playback icon deployed on the playback score according to a preselected period in real time in which the playback script calls for the corresponding media object to be played back;
(b) responsive to step (a), robotically deploying download icons on a download score to create a download script corresponding to the playback script, one download icon deployed for each media object represented by a playback icon deployed on the playback score, deployment of a download icon on the download score representing delivery of the corresponding media object in real time to feed playback thereof in the playback script, the download score presenting a first axis scaled in increments of elapsed time orthogonal to a second axis scaled in increments of bandwidth, download icons being deployed on the download score according to initial default settings, the download icons further deployed as predetermined shapes whose topographical areas, in view of said scales of the first and second axes, are automatically sized to represent the data size of the corresponding media objects;
(c) introducing a constraint of bandwidth in which the download script must deliver media objects to feed playback thereof in the playback script, the constraint of bandwidth represented as a pipe formed by a space bounded between the first axis and a line drawn parallel thereto, the line further orthogonal to a point on the second axis representing the constraint of bandwidth;
(d) robotically arranging the download icons on the download score so that the delivery script delivers media objects within the constraint of bandwidth to keep up with demand therefor in the playback script, said robotic arrangement including adapting the download icons according to delivery rules into adapted shapes situated within the pipe, the topographical areas enclosed by said adapted shapes held constant throughout said adaptation;
(e) changing the playback script;
(f) responsive to step (e), robotically rearranging the download icons on the download score according to step (d) so that the delivery script continues to deliver media objects within the constraint of bandwidth to keep up with demand therefor in said changed playback script;
(g) playing back the media objects according to the playback script in a separate runtime view, wherein the runtime view, the playback score and the delivery score are separately and independently viewable;
and
(h) robotically compensating when, in step (d) or step (f), the delivery script is unable to deliver media objects to keep up with demand therefor in the playback script, said robotic compensation including robotically reducing the data size of selected media objects by a technique selected from the group consisting of:
(1) resampling;
and
(2) compression.

9 more elements

A system for allocating bandwidth in a multimedia scripting tool, the system comprising:

means for writing a playback script calling for the playback of a plurality of media objects each having a known data size, the playback script comprising a plurality of playback icons deployed on a playback score, each playback icon representing a corresponding media object, each playback icon deployed on the playback score according to a preselected period in real time in which the playback script calls for the corresponding media object to be played back;
means, responsive to the means for writing, for robotically deploying download icons on a download score to create a download script corresponding to the playback script, one download icon deployed for each media object represented by a playback icon deployed on the playback score, deployment of a download icon on the download score representing delivery of the corresponding media object in real time to feed playback thereof in the playback script;
means for introducing a constraint of bandwidth in which the download script must deliver media objects to feed playback thereof in the playback script;
means for robotically arranging the download icons on the download score so that the delivery script delivers media objects within the constraint of bandwidth to keep up with demand therefor in the playback script;
means for alerting of an error condition wherein at least one download icon, as deployed on the download score, is calling for the delivery of data in the corresponding media object in the delivery script later than when said data is needed in the playback script;
and
means for correcting for said error condition by a combination of techniques, at least one of said techniques selected from the group consisting of:
(1) altering the playback script to play first selected media objects slower;
(2) altering the playback script to play second selected media objects later;
and
(3) altering the data size of third selected media objects.

8 more elements

A computer program product including computer readable logic recorded thereon for allocating bandwidth in a multimedia scripting tool, the computer program product comprising:

a computer-readable storage medium;
and
a computer program stored on the computer-readable storage medium, the computer program comprising:
means for writing a playback script calling for the playback of a plurality of media objects each having a known data size, the playback script comprising a plurality of playback icons deployed on a playback score, each playback icon representing a corresponding media object, each playback icon deployed on the playback score according to a preselected period in real time in which the playback script calls for the corresponding media object to be played back;
means, responsive to the means for writing, for robotically deploying download icons on a download score to create a download script corresponding to the playback script, one download icon deployed for each media object represented by a playback icon deployed on the playback score, deployment of a download icon on the download score representing delivery of the corresponding media object in real time to feed playback thereof in the playback script;
means for introducing a constraint of bandwidth in which the download script must deliver media objects to feed playback thereof in the playback script;
means for robotically arranging the download icons on the download score so that the delivery script delivers media objects within the constraint of bandwidth to keep up with demand therefor in the playback script;
and
means for robotically compensating when the delivery script is unable to deliver media objects to keep up with demand therefor in the playback script.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Automatic bandwidth allocation in multimedia scripting tools

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Automatic bandwidth allocation in multimedia scripting tools

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims60