MULTIPLE NETWORK TRANSPORT SESSIONS TO PROVIDE CONTEXT ADAPTIVE VIDEO STREAMING

摘要

Methods, apparatus, systems, and software for implementing context adaptive video streaming using multiple streaming connections. Original video content is split into multiple bitstreams at a video streaming server and streamed to a video streaming client. Higher-importance video content, such as I-frames and the base layer for scalable video coder (SVC) content are streamed over a high-priority streaming connection, while lower-importance video content is streamed over a low-priority streaming connection. The high-priority streaming connection may employ a reliable connection protocol such as TCP protocol, while the lower-priority connection may employ UDP or a modified TCP protocol under which some portions of the bitstream may be dropped. Cross-layer context adaptive streaming may be implemented under which context data such as network context and video application context information may be considered to adjust parameters associated with implement one or more streaming connections.

主权项

1. A method for streaming video content from a video streaming server to a video streaming client, comprising;
splitting video content into a plurality of encoded video bitstreams having at least two priority levels including a high priority bitstream and a low priority bitstream; transmitting the plurality of encoded video bitstreams using a plurality of streaming connections, wherein the high priority bitstream is transmitted over a first streaming connection using a reliable transport mechanism, and wherein the low priority bitstream is transmitted using a second streaming connection under which content that is not successfully received may or may not be retransmitted; reassembling the plurality of encoded video bitstreams that are received at the video streaming client into a reassembled encoded video bitstream; and decoding the reassembled encoded video bitstream to playback the video content as a plurality of video frames.