Streaming encoded video data

An apparatus for transporting encoded video data, the apparatus comprising:

• a processor configured to receive encoded video data comprising a number of video segments, form a first presentation comprising a number of video files, each of the video files corresponding to a respective one of the video segments, form a second, different presentation comprising the number of video files, each of the video files of the second presentation corresponding to a respective one of the video segments, such that the video files of the second presentation are temporally aligned with the video files of the first presentation, and signal information in a media presentation description (MPD) indicative of a first rendering capability for the first presentation, a first decoding capability for the first presentation, a first average bitrate for the first presentation, a second rendering capability for the second presentation, a second decoding capability for the second presentation, a second average bitrate for the second presentation, file sizes of the video files in the first presentation, file sizes of the video files in the second presentation, and information indicating that the video files of the first presentation are temporally aligned with the video files of the second presentation;
• and
• a network interface configured to, in response to a request for a temporal section of the video data and that specifies the first presentation or the second presentation, output at least one of the video files corresponding to the respective one of the video segments of the requested temporal section from the specified one of the first presentation or the second presentation, wherein to specify the temporal section, the request specifies a file name including a start time and an end time, wherein the request comprises a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) partial GET request specifying a byte range of the one of the video files of the specified presentation, and wherein to output the at least one of the video files, the network interface is configured to output at least a portion of one of the video files from the presentation corresponding to the request, the one of the video files having the start time and the end time specified in the request.

An apparatus for transporting encoded video data, the apparatus comprising:

• means for receiving encoded video data comprising a number of video segments;
• means for forming a first presentation comprising a number of video files, each of the video files corresponding to a respective one of the video segments;
• means for forming a second, different presentation comprising the number of video files, each of the video files of the second presentation corresponding to a respective one of the video segments, such that the video files of the second presentation are temporally aligned with the video files of the first presentation;
• means for signaling information in a media presentation description (MPD) indicative of a first rendering capability for the first presentation, a first decoding capability for the first presentation, a first average bitrate for the first presentation, a second rendering capability for the second presentation, a second decoding capability for the second presentation, a second average bitrate for the second presentation, file sizes of the video files in the first presentation, information indicative of file sizes of the video files in the second presentation, and information indicating that the video files of the first presentation are temporally aligned with the video files of the second presentation;
• and
• means for outputting, in response to a request for a temporal section of the video data and that specifies the first presentation or the second presentation, at least one of the video files corresponding to the respective one of the video segments of the requested temporal section from the specified one of the first presentation or the second presentation, wherein to specify the temporal section, the request specifies a file name including a start time and an end time, wherein the request comprises a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) partial GET request specifying a byte range of the one of the video files of the specified presentation, and wherein the means for outputting the at least one of the video files comprises means for outputting at least a portion of one of the video files from the presentation corresponding to the request, the one of the video files having the start time and the end time specified in the request.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a processor of a source device for transporting encoded video data to:

• receive encoded video data comprising a number of video segments;
• form a presentation comprising a number of video files, each of the video files corresponding to a respective one of the video segments;
• form a second, different presentation comprising the number of video files, each of the video files of the second presentation corresponding to a respective one of the video segments, such that the video files of the second presentation are temporally aligned with the video files of the first presentation;
• signal information in a media presentation description (MPD) indicative of a first rendering capability for the first presentation, a first decoding capability for the first presentation, a first average bitrate for the first presentation, a second rendering capability for the second presentation, a second decoding capability for the second presentation, a second average bitrate for the second presentation, file sizes of the video files in the first presentation, file sizes of the video files in the second presentation, and information indicating that the video files of the first presentation are temporally aligned with the video files of the second presentation;
• and
• in response to a request for a temporal section of the video data and that specifies the first presentation or the second presentation, output at least one of the video files corresponding to the respective one of the video segments of the requested temporal section from the specified one of the first presentation or the second presentation, wherein to specify the temporal section, the request specifies a file name including a start time and an end time, wherein the request comprises a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) partial GET request specifying a byte range of the one of the video files of the specified presentation, and wherein the instructions that cause the processor to output the at least one of the video files comprise instructions that cause the processor to output at least a portion of one of the video files from the presentation corresponding to the request, the one of the video files having the start time and the end time specified in the request.

A method for retrieving encoded video data, the method comprising:

• retrieving, by a client device, a media presentation description (MPD) comprising presentation description data that describes characteristics of two or more presentations of video data including a first presentation and a second presentation, wherein the video data comprises a number of video segments, wherein the first presentation comprises a number of video files, each of the video files of the first presentation corresponding to a respective one of the video segments, and wherein the second presentation comprises a number of video files, each of the video files of the second presentation corresponding to a respective one of the video segments, such that the video files of the second presentation are temporally aligned with the video files of the first presentation, wherein the characteristics for the first presentation comprise at least one of an expected decoding capability for the first presentation, an expected rendering capability for the first presentation, and an average bitrate for the first presentation, and wherein the characteristics for the second presentation comprise at least one of an expected decoding capability for the second presentation, an expected rendering capability for the second presentation, and an average bitrate for the second presentation;
• receiving information indicating that the video files of the first presentation and the second presentation are temporally aligned with one another and information indicating file sizes of the video files of the first presentation and the second presentation;
• determining instantaneous bitrates for the video files of the first presentation and the second presentation corresponding to a temporal section of the video data using the information indicating the file sizes of the video files of the first presentation and the second presentation;
• selecting either the first presentation or the second presentation for the temporal section based on the determined instantaneous bitrates, the characteristics of the first presentation, the characteristics of the second presentation, and at least one of decoding capabilities of the client device and rendering capabilities of the client device;
• forming an HTTP partial GET request to retrieve one of the video files, wherein forming the request comprises forming the request to include a file name for the one of the video files that specifies at least one of the first or the second presentation, a start time for the one of the video files, an end time for the one of the video files, and a byte range of the one of the video files such that the request specifies the temporal section of the video data and the selected one of the first presentation or the second presentation;
• submitting the request to a source device;
• receiving, in response to the request, the one of the video files that has the start time and the end time specified in the request from the source device;
• and
• decoding and displaying the one of the video files.

An apparatus for retrieving encoded video data, the apparatus comprising:

• a network interface;
• a control unit configured to retrieve, via the network interface, a media presentation description (MPD) comprising presentation description data that describes characteristics of two or more presentations of video data including first presentation and a second presentation, wherein the video data comprises a number of video segments, wherein the first presentation comprises a number of video files, each of the video files of the first presentation corresponding to a respective one of the video segments, and wherein the second presentation comprises a number of video files, each of the video files of the second presentation corresponding to a respective one of the video segments, such that the video files of the second presentation are temporally aligned with the video files of the first presentation, wherein the characteristics for the first presentation comprise at least one of an expected decoding capability for the first presentation, an expected rendering capability for the first presentation, and an average bitrate for the first presentation, and wherein the characteristics for the second presentation comprise at least one of an expected decoding capability for the second presentation, an expected rendering capability for the second presentation, and an average bitrate for the second presentation, receive information indicating that the video files of the first presentation and the second presentation are temporally aligned with one another and information indicating file sizes of the video files of the first presentation and the second presentation, determine instantaneous bitrates for the video files of the first presentation and the second presentation corresponding to a temporal section of the video data using the information indicating the file sizes of the video files of the first presentation and the second presentation, select either the first presentation or the second presentation for the temporal section based on the determined instantaneous bitrates, the characteristics of the first presentation, the characteristics of the second presentation, and at least one of decoding capabilities of the client device and rendering capabilities of the client device, form an HTTP partial GET request to retrieve one of the video files, wherein the request includes a file name for the one of the video files that specifies at least one of the first or the second presentation, a start time for the one of the video files, an end time for the one of the video files, and a byte range of the one of the video files such that the request specifies the temporal section of the video data and the selected one of the first presentation or the second presentation, submit the request to a source device, and to receive, in response to the request, the one of the video files that has the start time and the end time specified in the request from the source device;
• a video decoder configured to decode the at least one of the video files;
• and
• a user interface comprising a display configured to display the decoded at least one of the video files.

An apparatus for retrieving encoded video data, the apparatus comprising:

• means for retrieving a media presentation description (MPD) comprising presentation description data that describes characteristics of two or more presentations of video data including a first presentation and a second presentation, wherein the video data comprises a number of video segments, wherein the first presentation comprises a number of video files, each of the video files of the first presentation corresponding to a respective one of the video segments, and wherein the second presentation comprises a number of video files, each of the video files of the second presentation corresponding to a respective one of the video segments, such that the video files of the second presentation are temporally aligned with the video files of the first presentation, wherein the characteristics for the first presentation comprise at least one of an expected decoding capability for the first presentation, an expected rendering capability for the first presentation, and an average bitrate for the first presentation, and wherein the characteristics for the second presentation comprise at least one of an expected decoding capability for the second presentation, an expected rendering capability for the second presentation, and an average bitrate for the second presentation;
• means for receiving information indicating that the video files of the first presentation and the second presentation are temporally aligned with one another and information indicating file sizes of the video files of the first presentation and the second presentation;
• means for determining instantaneous bitrates for files of the first presentation and the second presentation corresponding to a temporal section of the video data using the information indicating the file sizes of the video files of the first presentation and the second presentation;
• means for selecting either the first presentation or the second presentation for the temporal section based on the determined instantaneous bitrates, the characteristics of the first presentation, the characteristics of the second presentation, and at least one of decoding capabilities of the client device and rendering capabilities of the client device;
• means for forming an HTTP partial GET request to retrieve one of the video files, wherein the request includes a file name for the one of the video files that specifies at least one of the first or the second presentation, a start time for the one of the video files, an end time for the one of the video files, and a byte range of the one of the video files such that the request specifies the temporal section of the video data and the selected one of the first presentation or the second presentation;
• means for submitting the request to a source device;
• means for receiving, in response to the request, one of the video files that has the start time and the end time specified in the request from the source device;
• and
• means for decoding and displaying the at least one of the video files.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a processor of a client device for retrieving encoded video data to:

• retrieve a media presentation description (MPD) comprising presentation description data that describes characteristics of two or more presentations of video data including a first presentation and a second presentation, wherein the video data comprises a number of video segments, wherein the presentation comprises a number of video files, each of the video files corresponding to a respective one of the video segments, and wherein the second presentation comprises a number of video files, each of the video files of the second presentation corresponding to a respective one of the video segments, such that the video files of the second presentation are temporally aligned with the video files of the first presentation, wherein the characteristics for the first presentation comprise at least one of an expected decoding capability for the first presentation, an expected rendering capability for the first presentation, and an average bitrate for the first presentation, and wherein the characteristics for the second presentation comprise at least one of an expected decoding capability for the second presentation, an expected rendering capability for the second presentation, and an average bitrate for the second presentation;
• receive information indicating that the video files of the first presentation and the second presentation are temporally aligned with one another and information indicating file sizes of the video files of the first presentation and the second presentation;
• determine instantaneous bitrates for files of the first presentation and the second presentation corresponding to a temporal section of the video data using the information indicating the file sizes of the video files of the first presentation and the second presentation;
• select either the first presentation or the second presentation for the temporal section based on the determined instantaneous bitrates, the characteristics of the first presentation, the characteristics of the second presentation, and at least one of decoding capabilities of the client device and rendering capabilities of the client device;
• forming an HTTP partial GET request to retrieve one of the video files, wherein forming the request comprises forming the request to include a file name for the one of the video files that specifies at least one of the first or the second presentation, a start time for the one of the video files, an end time for the one of the video files, and a byte range of the one of the video files such that the request specifies the temporal section of the video data and the selected one of the first presentation or the second presentation;
• submit the request to a source device;
• receive, in response to the request, one of the video files that has the start time and the end time specified in the request from the source device;
• cause a video decoder of the client device to decode the at least one of the video files;
• and
• cause a display of the client device to display the at least one of the decoded video files.