Patent Abstract:
Playback and distribution systems and methods for multimedia files are provided. The multimedia files are encoded with indexes associated with the content data of the multimedia files. Through the use of the indexes, playback of the content is enhanced without significantly increasing the file size of the multimedia file.

Full Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE To RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/272,631 filed Nov. 17, 2008, which application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/988513, filed Nov. 16, 2007, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    The present invention relates generally to multimedia files and more specifically to the indexing of information within a multimedia file. 
         [0003]    In recent years, the playback of multimedia files has become an integrated part of the average consumer&#39;s daily life. Cellular telephones, DVD players, personal computers, and portable media players are all examples of devices that are capable of playing a variety of multimedia files. While each device may be tailored to a particular multimedia format, the extensive proliferation of these devices encourages a certain level of interoperability amongst the different device classes and categories. Likewise, there are certain features such as fast-forward, reverse, start, stop, play, and pause which are expected to behave similarly across all device categories, despite their performance capabilities and use-case application. 
         [0004]    One of the most common features of media playback devices is the support for random access, fast-forward and reverse playback of a multimedia file, which is sometimes referred to as “trick play”. Performing trick play functionality generally requires displaying the video presentation at a higher speed in forward and reverse direction, and resuming the overall presentation from a position close to where the viewer terminated the video trick play activity. The audio, subtitle, and other elements of the presentation are typically not used during trick play operations, even though that can be subject to a device&#39;s operating preference. In accommodating trick play functionality, multimedia files typically contain an index section used to determine the location of all frames, and specifically the video frames which can be independently decoded and presented to the viewer. When all index information is stored in a single location within a file and linearly references the multimedia information within the file, a player must seek to a specific index entry in order to be able to play a file. For example, a player that is instructed to play a multimedia presentation at the half-way point of the presentation typically processes the first half of the index data before being able to determine the set of data points required to commence playing. 
         [0005]    The index section has many other potential applications as well: it may be a necessary element in basic playback of multimedia files that exhibit poor multiplexing characteristics; the index section may also be used to skip over non-essential information in the file; also, an index is often required for the resumption of playback after the termination of trick play functions. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0006]    Embodiments of the invention utilize indexes that can increase the efficiency with which a player can perform a variety of functions including trick play functions. In several embodiments, the index is a hierarchical index. In many embodiments, the index is a reduced index and, in a number of embodiments, the index is expressed using bit field flags and associated data fields. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is a graphical representation of an index structure within a multimedia file in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2A  is a graphical representation of an index structure following the audio/video data of a multimedia file in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2B  is a graphical representation of an index structure interleaved within the audio/video data of a multimedia file in accordance with another embodiment of the invention. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2C  is a detailed graphical representation of an index structure relative to other portions of a multimedia file in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0011]      FIG. 2D  is a graphical representation of an index structure relative to cue data of a multimedia file in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a graphical representation of index structure detailing bit flags and associated data filed within a multimedia file in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is a graphical representation of index structure providing time codes and offset data fields within a multimedia file in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is a graphical representation of index structure with time codes and multiple offset data fields relative to a size data field within a multimedia file in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  is a graphical representation of index structure with time codes and primary offset data fields within a multimedia file in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 7  is a semi-schematic network diagram of playback system for streaming and fixed media file playback in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 8  is a flowchart of a process utilizing index structure within a multimedia file in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0018]      FIG. 9-11  are graphical representations with increasing detail of an index structure within a multimedia file in accordance with one embodiment of the invention and to further illustrate the process of  FIG. 8 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0019]    Turning now to the drawings, multimedia files including indexes in accordance with embodiments of the invention are described. In a number of embodiments, the index is a hierarchical index. A hierarchical index is a representation of index information in a form that provides a coarse index to a few predetermined locations within the multimedia file followed by a further refined representation of the portions of the multimedia file. In many embodiments, the lowest level of the index is sufficiently granular as to identify every frame in the multimedia file. When a hierarchical index is used, a player need only request a small amount of relevant index information in order to commence playing a multimedia file. As such, the hierarchical index lowers the memory footprint needed by playback devices to effectively seek and perform trick-play operations on a multimedia file. Additionally, file load times for playback are reduced and trick-track load performance enhanced. In one embodiment, the hierarchical index has index information that includes offsets into cue points within a multimedia file with timestamps allows lookups to be fast and efficient. 
         [0020]    In several embodiments, the multimedia file includes a reduced index. Players in accordance with embodiments of the invention can utilize a reduced index to rapidly move between accesses or key-frames when performing trick play functions. The reduced index can be in conjunction with a hierarchical index. However, reduced indexes can be included in multimedia files that do not include a hierarchical index. A reduced index only provides the location of the accesses or key-frames within a multimedia file, along with a time-stamp value to indicate their corresponding time within the multimedia presentation. In a number of embodiments, bit field flags and associated data fields are used to represent index information. Such a representation can be used in accordance with embodiments of the invention to express index information, a hierarchical index and/or a reduced index. 
       Hierarchical Indexes 
       [0021]    A multimedia file containing a hierarchical index in accordance with an embodiment of the invention is shown in  FIG. 1 . The multimedia file  10  includes header information  12 , index information  14  interleaved amongst audio/video data  16  and a three layer hierarchical index. The coarsest layer  18  of the hierarchical index includes a small number of references to pieces of index information. The middle layer  20  and the finest layer  22  each include successively larger numbers of references to index information. 
         [0022]    In many embodiments, the index information  14  interleaved amongst the audio/video data  16  lists the location of encapsulated audio, video, subtitle, and/or other similar data. Typically, each block of interleaved index information lists the encapsulated media immediately following the block of interleaved index information. In several embodiments, the index information  14  contains information that describes the absolute or relative location of the start of each piece of encapsulated media. In a number of embodiments, the interleaved index information  14  includes the size of each indexed piece of encapsulated media, in addition to information indicating whether the indexed piece of encapsulated media can be used as an access or key-frame, its presentation time value, and other information, which may be helpful to a decoding device. 
         [0023]    Each layer in the hierarchical index includes references to the interleaved index information  14  within the multimedia file  10 . The implementation of the hierarchy structure can be inclusive or exclusive, meaning that the data in each layer can be repeated in the other layers or each layer may contain unique position information. In addition, the number of elements at each layer of a hierarchy and the total number of layers can be pre-determined, limited based on pre-determined values, or unbounded. 
         [0024]    Although a specific implementation of a hierarchical index is shown in  FIG. 1 , hierarchical indexes can be implemented in many different ways. For example, the index values can be stored in a single part of the file, or distributed in clusters in the file. Multimedia files containing different distributions of index information in accordance with embodiments of the invention are shown in  FIGS. 2A-B . For example, the index information could be appended or pre-pended to the audio/video data portion  16  of the multimedia file  10  as an entire unit  21 . Index clusters  22  shown in  FIG. 2B  can also be woven into the audio/video data portion. In addition to distributing index information in different ways, the hierarchy itself can be implemented as a structure that points to the actual frames in a file (as opposed to blocks of index information), which may or may not start with access or key-frame positions. 
         [0025]      FIG. 2C  further details the hierarchical index  21  within a larger hypothetical file structure MKV file  200 . This file structure is made of two primary sections, the EBML  24  and the Segment  26 . In this file structure, the Segment may host the Seek Head  201 , Segment Info  202 , Tracks  203 , Chapters  204 , Cluster  205 , Cues  29 , and a Hierarchical Index  21 . As shown, a plurality of hierarchical indexes  21  could be included with the multimedia file. Additionally, each hierarchical index can include multiple hierarchical index points  23 . These index points in various embodiments have a timestamp  25  and a track position  27 , specifying a specific media track  27   a  and a position or offset  27   b  from the timestamp  25 . Cues  29  are also shown and as will be explained in more detail below are utilized by the index points  23  to increase access to specific points within a multimedia file. This dynamic structure for example is shown in  FIG. 2D  where multiple hierarchical index points  23  reference or point to multiple cue points  28 . In various embodiments, the hierarchical index contains references to a fraction, e.g., one tenth, of cue points relative to the total number of cue points in a media file. One would appreciate that the references can increase to increase the granularity of pointers or references to the cue points. 
         [0026]    A player attempting to decode a multimedia file that includes a hierarchical index in accordance with an embodiment of the invention typically uses the hierarchical index as necessitated by the functions the player is requested to perform. When trick play functions are requested, the player can locate an index in the hierarchy corresponding to a specific speed and decode each of the frames indicated by the index. The manner in which a specific frame is located using the index depends upon the nature of the index. In embodiments where each index in the hierarchy points directly to video frames, then the process is simple. In embodiments where the index points to additional index information within the multimedia file, the additional index information is accessed and used to locate a desired frame. 
       Reduced Indexes 
       [0027]    Many multimedia files in accordance with embodiments of the invention use reduced index information. Reduced indexes can be used in conjunction with a hierarchical index or in multimedia files that do not include a hierarchical index. A reduced index does not include information concerning every piece of multimedia information within a multimedia file. A reduced index typically is restricted to information concerning the location of access or key-frames and the time stamp of the access or key-frames. Access frames are generally video frames that can be independently decoded, although the reduced index can be used to point to any other type of key-frame for other streams stored in the multimedia file. The reduced index can enable a player to rapidly skip between key frames when performing trick play functions. 
         [0028]    In a number of embodiments, a reduced index is only provided for a single or primary data type and offsets are provided for each of the other streams of data contained within the file which may be related to the primary data type. The offsets can be used by a player to facilitate synchronized playback of different media. In several embodiments, each piece of index information also includes the size of the access or key-frame and the data-type of the access or key-frame. A player decoding a multimedia file that contains a reduced index in accordance with an embodiment of the invention can use the reduced index to perform trick play functions in a similar fashion to the way in which a player uses a hierarchical index. The player can sequence through the reduced index inspecting the Timestamps of access or key frames to ascertain which frames to render in order to achieve a desired speed. 
       Expressing Index Information Using Bit Fields 
       [0029]    Multimedia files in accordance with a number of embodiments of the invention utilize bit field flags and associated data fields to express index information. In many embodiments, the bit field flags are used to signal the presence of a set of corresponding variable length data fields that contain index information. Bit field flags  31  and data fields  32  that can be used to express index information concerning a piece of multimedia information in accordance with an embodiment of the invention are shown in  FIG. 3 . In the illustrated embodiment, a set of bit-field flags signals the presence of additional data following the flags. The bit-field flags are specified as 8-bits in their entirety, but that is not necessarily a requirement for other implementations. The first bit of the flag may indicate an Absolute/Fixed Size field  31   a,  which determines whether the size of the frame is read from a pre-determined set of sizes stored in a separate section of the file, or whether they are available as a series of bytes following the flags field. Two additional bits, Fixed Size Index/Byte Numbers field  31   b,  are used to determine the index-position of the size value or the total number of bytes used to represent the value, depending on the setting of the Absolute/Fixed Size bit or field  31   a.  The next bit, a Primary Offset field  31   c,  determines the size of the offset value, which may be the location of the frame. This bit is selected amongst two pre-determined byte numbers, for example either a 4-byte value or 8-byte value. Likewise, a flag may indicate the presence of another predetermined offset, e.g., a Secondary Offset  33 , which can be 4 bytes and represents a relative offset from the Primary Offset value. A bit  31   e  indicating the presence of a timecode byte sequence may also be present, along with another bit, Key Frame Flag bit  31   f,  which can be used to determine the presence of access or key frames. In many embodiments, bit field flags and data fields similar to those shown in  FIG. 3  are used to index the location of all frames in a multimedia file. 
         [0030]    The number of flags that can be represented via the structure shown in  FIG. 3  is infinitely extensible using a “Flags Extension” bit  31   g  which signals the presence of a follow-on flag. Here, one bit  31   h  may be referred to as “Associated Offsets”. Associated offsets may then signal the presence of a byte value, which is used to determine the number of streams which correspond to the current frame. These relative offsets may use the same flag and subsequent index information for other frames in the stream, to be used for synchronization purposes. The frames identified by the relative offsets, when played back correctly, may provide a synchronized presentation of audio, video, subtitles, and other related data. The stream number value  32  often corresponds to the actual stream numbers stored in the file. 
         [0031]    Index information represented using the two relative offset values  41   a,b  is shown in  FIG. 4 . In many embodiments, the data type for each frame is indicated for an entire group of frames, or alternatively is indicated on a frame-by-frame basis, in which case a “Data Type” field  35  is added to the index-structure. The presence of a Timecode value  37  to indicate the exact time of a frame in an overall presentation may be done via a set of pre-determined specifications. For example, the Timecode value could be required for all video access frames; alternatively, the presence of a Timecode could be mandatory on a periodic basis for audio samples. It is only important to note that the Timecode value is optionally present and is indicated by a corresponding bit-flag. 
         [0032]    Through a set of pre-determined rules, structures similar to those described above can be applied for the representation of hierarchical indexing in accordance with embodiments of the invention. For example, the “Primary Offset” value  50  can point to a specific index position, along with the Timecode value  52  indicating the exact time-stamp of the index. An additional bit-field  39 , the “Subindex”, can point to a relative offset from the position indicated by the “Primary Offset”. This “Subindex” position  54  is a refinement from the beginning of a larger index cluster. Use of various values to construct a hierarchical index in accordance with an embodiment of the invention is shown in  FIG. 5 . 
         [0033]    Bit field flags and associated data fields can also be used to represent a reduced index structure pointing to a series of access or key frames for a particular stream in a file. A reduced index in accordance with an embodiment of the invention is shown in  FIG. 6 . In the illustrated embodiment, the “flags” field  602  is followed by a corresponding set of size bytes  604 , a “Primary Offset” value  606 , and a Timecode  608 . The access frames may typically be related to video frames in a file, though again this field could be defined for all stream types in a file. The structure  600  shown in  FIG. 6  stores the location of all access or key-frames, and can contain the location of all related offsets for the encapsulated tracks in the file. 
         [0034]    It is important to note that the use of flexible bit field flags enables the implementation of multiple data structures which may appear in the hierarchical, reduced, and conventional indexing schemes. The use of bit fields as flags indicating variable length data can help optimize the size of an overall index because not all members are in general required by all frames. 
         [0035]    Referring now to  FIG. 7 , a progressive playback system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention is shown. The playback system  190  includes a media server  192  connected to a network  194 . Media files are stored on the media server  194  and can be accessed by devices configured with a client application. In the illustrated embodiment, devices that access media files on the media server include a personal computer  196 , a consumer electronics device such as a set top box  18  connected to a playback device such as a television  200 , and a portable device such as a personal digital assistant  202  or a mobile phone handset. The devices and the media server  192  can communicate over a network  194  that is connected to the Internet  204  via a gateway  206 . In other embodiments, the media server  192  and the devices communicate over the Internet. 
         [0036]    The devices are configured with client applications that can request portions of media files from the media server  192  for playing. The client application can be implemented in software, in firmware, in hardware or in a combination of the above. In many embodiments, the device plays media from downloaded media files. In several embodiments, the device provides one or more outputs that enable another device to play the media. When the media file includes an index, a device configured with a client application in accordance with an embodiment of the invention can use the index to determine the location of various portions of the media. Therefore, the index can be used to provide a user with “trick play” functions. When a user provides a “trick play” instruction, the device uses the index to determine the portion or portions of the media file that are required in order to execute the “trick play” function and requests those portions from the server. In a number of embodiments, the client application requests portions of the media file using a transport protocol that allows for downloading of specific byte ranges within the media file. One such protocol is the HTTP 1.1 protocol published by The Internet Society or BitTorrent available from www.bittorrent.org. In other embodiments, other protocols and/or mechanisms can be used to obtain specific portions of the media file from the media server. 
         [0037]    Referring to  FIGS. 8-11 , one embodiment of a process of utilizing the index structure is shown. A media file, e.g., MFile  120 , is received from, for example, a media server based on a media file request from a playback device or in particular a playback engine of the playback device ( 111 ). Upon locating the requested media file, the media server transmits all or some portions at a time of the media file to the playback device. The playback device in one embodiment decodes the transmitted media file to locate the hierarchical index ( 112 ). In one such embodiment, referring to  FIG. 9 , the playback device traverses or parses the file starting from EBML (Extensible Binary Meta Language) element  128 , the Segment element  129  and then the contents of the Seek Head  121  to locate the Hierarchical Index  127 . As such, the Segment information  122 , Tracks  123 , Chapters  124 , Clusters  125  and Cues  126 , although could be also parsed, can be bypassed to quickly locate the Hierarchical Index. The located Index is then loaded into memory ( 113 ). Loading the Index into memory facilitates access to locate a desired packet or frame to be displayed or accessed by the playback device. 
         [0038]    The Hierarchical Index is small enough for many low memory playback devices, e.g., low level consumer electronic devices, to hold the entire Index in memory and thus avoiding a complex caching scheme. In cases, where the Index is too large to store in memory or generally more feasible, no loss in seek accuracy occurs. With the Index being a lookup table or mechanism into the cues or defined seek points for each of the tracks and not the actual seek points, the dropping of portions of the Index can cause a few additional reads when searching the cues for a desired seek point. The playback device accesses the bit stream packets or frames of the transmitted media file to play the audio, video, and/or subtitles of the media file ( 114 ). 
         [0039]    Upon a user request, e.g., a trick-play request, the playback device searches the loaded or cached Hierarchical Index to find an entry or hierarchical point equal to or nearest and preceding to the desired time or seek point ( 115 ). In one embodiment, the particular hierarchical point is located based on the presentation time or timestamp of the content being played and the user request, e.g., the speed and/or direction of trick-play function. In the illustrated case,  FIGS. 10-11 , the desired timestamp is  610  seconds within the bit stream. 
         [0040]      FIG. 10  demonstrates a total of  6  hierarchical access points  130 , starting from Index Time zero (Hierarchical Index Time  131 ) to Index Time  600  (Hierarchical Index Time  132 ), where five of the Hierarchical Points on this diagram have not been shown. After locating the closest hierarchical point to the desired seek time (in this case Index Time  600 ), an Index Position or offset  134  is retrieved from Track Position  133  to locate a portion of cues that contains the desired seek point ( 116 ). The playback device seeks to the located portions of cues ( 117 ) and the cues are read through until an entry equal to, or nearest and preceding to the desired time or seek point is located ( 118 ). 
         [0041]    Utilizing the located cue, the playback device retrieves an offset value to seek and find the desired cluster ( 119 ). A block in the desired cluster that has a corresponding timestamp as the desired timestamp, e.g.,  610 , is located and decoded ( 120 ) for display by the playback device. The process continues until a user request stops playback of the media file. 
         [0042]    This concept is further clarified in  FIG. 11 . The Hierarchical Index time of  600  is identified from the Hierarchical Index structure  127  as previously described in reference to  FIG. 10 . In this particular example, the Index position within the Cues structure  151  is used to access the particular Cue Point  152  which corresponds to time  610  (Cue Time  153 ). The Cue Point  152  through data in Track Position  154  and Cluster Position  155  generally points to the Cluster structure  160  which may host several seconds&#39; worth of multimedia data. 
         [0043]    The multimedia data within a Cluster  160  may be stored as a Block Group  163 , where individual Blocks of data corresponding to one or more access units of the elementary audio, video, subtitle, or other multimedia information exist. As such, Clusters contain block groups but can also contain only simple blocks. In the absence of a Block Group, it may be possible that a Cluster can host individual Blocks or a Simple Block. The corresponding Cluster Position  155  from the Cue Point  152  is used to locate the Cluster  160  and the desired Block  161  can be identified based on its time stamp (Block Time  162 ). In case where an exact time stamp is not matched, the Block with the closest time stamp can be identified. 
         [0044]    The procedure for locating a Block according to a particular time may be repeated for multiple tracks of multimedia data such that all of the data in the corresponding Blocks are presented in a synchronized manner. 
         [0045]    While the above description contains many specific embodiments of the invention, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the invention, but rather as an example of one embodiment thereof. Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be determined not by the embodiments illustrated, but by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Technology Classification (CPC): 6