Media streaming with enhanced seek operation
AssigneeMicrosoft Corporation
InventorsGurpratap Virdi, Eldar Musayev, Wenbo Zhang, Andres Vega-Garcia
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present disclosure relates to playback of video/audio streaming media data. The media stream is available from the network at multiple bit rates. When a seek operation is performed, a playback device requests a lower bit rate media stream in order to quickly fill a playback buffer so that playback can commence more readily. After a seek start-up period is complete, the playback device can return to downloading the media stream associated with higher bit rates in order to increase the quality of the playback.
Claims14
A computer-readable non-volatile storage storing instructions thereon for executing a method for performing a seek operation in a media stream displayed on a playback device, the method comprising:
- receiving a media stream from a network, the media stream being associated with a first bit rate;
- receiving a user request to seek to a new location in the media stream;
- in response to the user request, downloading the media stream, associated with a second bit rate that is less than the first bit rate, from at or about the new location to ensure fast start-up, wherein the content of the media stream content is identical whether received at the first or second bit rates, but quality increases with higher bit rates;
- rendering the media stream starting at the new location;
- and
- ramping up the bit rate of the media stream after the fast start-up.
A computer-readable non-volatile storage having instructions for executing a method for performing a seek operation, the method comprising:
- receiving a media segment, associated with a first bit rate, from a network;
- displaying the media segment including a location indicator showing a current time point being viewed in the media segment;
- receiving a request to view the media segment from a second time point that is different than the current time point;
- in response to the request, receiving the media segment, associated with a second bit rate that is lower than the first bit rate, from the network for rendering from the second time point to ensure fast start-up for viewing the media segment, wherein the second bit rate includes a same content of the media segment as the first bit rate, but a different quality level;
- and
- returning to receiving the media segment at the first bit rate after the fast start-up is completed.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.