Segmented metadata and indexes for streamed multimedia data

A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing program code portions therein, the program code portions being configured to, upon execution, cause an apparatus to at least:

• cause streamed data to be stored in a file, wherein the file consists of media data and metadata enclosed separately, wherein causing the streamed data to be stored in a file includes storing in a reception hint track;
• identifying metadata applicable to two or more samples of the streamed data;
• cause at least one timed metadata track to be created based on the identified metadata, the at least one timed metadata track describing a referred media track and the reception hint track, wherein the hint track refers to samples comprising instructions for constructing packets for transmission over an indicated communication protocol, wherein the media track refers to samples formatted according to a media compression format;
• and
• form at least one group from the two or more samples of the streamed data, each sample in a group having identical metadata content for a metadata type;
• select each sample to group box associated with the reception hint track and the media track;
• and
• find a sample group description index of a particular reception hint sample or media sample.

An apparatus comprising a processor and a memory storing program code, the memory and program code being configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to at least:

• cause streamed data to be stored in a file, wherein the file consists of media data and metadata enclosed separately, wherein causing the streamed data to be stored in a file includes storing in a reception hint track;
• identifying metadata applicable to two or more samples of the streamed data;
• cause at least one timed metadata track to be created based on the identified metadata, the at least one timed metadata track describing a referred media track and the reception hint track, wherein the hint track refers to samples comprising instructions for constructing packets for transmission over an indicated communication protocol, wherein the media track refers to samples formatted according to a media compression format;
• form at least one group from the two or more samples of the streamed data, each sample in a group having identical metadata content for a metadata type;
• select each sample to group box associated with the reception hint track and the media track;
• and
• find a sample group description index of a particular reception hint sample or media sample.

An apparatus, comprising:

• means for causing streamed data to be stored in a file, wherein the file consists of media data and metadata enclosed separately, wherein causing the streamed data to be stored a file includes storing a reception hint track;
• means for identifying metadata applicable to two or more samples of the streamed data;
• means for causing at least one timed metadata track to be created based on the identified metadata, the at least one timed metadata track describing a referred media track and the reception hint track, wherein the hint track refers to samples comprising instructions for constructing packets for transmission over an indicated communication protocol, wherein the media track refers to samples formatted according to a media compression format;
• means for forming at least one group from the two or more samples of the streamed data, each sample in a group having identical metadata content for a metadata type;
• means for selecting each sample to group box associated with the reception hint track and the media track;
• and
• means for finding a sample group description index of a particular reception hint sample or media sample.