System and method for packetizing data stream in peer-to-peer (P2P) based streaming service

A method that uses a processor to packetize a data stream generated by an encoder, the method comprising:

• generating, using the processor, data pieces of the data stream by determining sizes for each of the data pieces based on a variable bit rate of the encoder such that the data pieces have different sizes set such that each of the data pieces are generated at a first constant rate during an equal time interval;
• generating, using the processor, as at least one of the data pieces of the data stream, an empty piece corresponding to a time interval during which the data stream is not received;
• and
• transmitting the pieces of the data stream at a second constant rate such that a sharing ratio is one of maintained and increased, the sharing ratio being based on a server usage of a channel and a number of pieces transmitted over the channel, the server usage being based on an influx rate of peer clients and a number of concurrently connected ones of the peer clients.

A system to packetize data pieces from a data stream generated by an encoder in a peer-to-peer based streaming service, comprising:

• a processor configured to,
• packetize a first data piece in a first time interval, and
• packetize a second data piece in a second time interval, the first time interval and the second time interval being an equal duration, the first data piece and the second data piece are packetized by determining sizes thereof based on a variable bit rate of the encoder such that the first data piece and the second data piece have different sizes set such that the first data piece and the second data piece are packetized at a first constant rate during the equal time interval regardless of a rate at which the data stream is received, and
• generate, as at least one of the data pieces of the data stream, an empty piece corresponding to a time interval during which the data stream is not received;
• and
• a transmitter configured to transmit the first data piece and the second data piece to a peer client at a second constant rate such that a sharing ratio is one of maintained and increased, the sharing ratio being based on a server usage of a channel and a number of pieces transmitted over the channel, the server usage being based on an influx rate of peer clients and a number of concurrently connected ones of the peer clients.

A method for processing a data stream generated by an encoder by a first peer in a peer-to-peer based streaming service, comprising:

• receiving, by a processor, data pieces of the data stream from a packetizing server, the packetizing server generating the data pieces by determining sizes for each of the data pieces based on a variable bit rate of the encoder such that the data pieces have different sizes set such that each of the data pieces are generated at a first constant rate and transmitting the data pieces to the first peer at a second constant rate such that a sharing ratio is one of maintained and increased, the sharing ratio being based on a server usage of a channel and a number of data pieces transmitted over the channel, the server usage being based on an influx rate of peer clients and a number of concurrently connected peer clients;
• storing, by the processor, the data pieces in assigned locations of a buffer;
• and
• processing, by the processor, the stored pieces based on a processing time interval, wherein
• the processing time interval is associated with a packetizing time interval in which the data pieces of the data stream are generated by the packetizing server, the packetizing time interval being the first constant rate for each of the data pieces such that the packetizing time interval is an equal time period for each of the data pieces generated regardless of a rate at which the data stream was received by the packetizing server, and
• an empty piece is generated that corresponds to a time interval during which the data stream is not received.