Patent ID: 7975063

Claim:
A method of informative data streaming, implemented by a streaming server computer, the method comprising: encoding, using an encoder coupled to the streaming server computer, each signal of a multimedia signal having a plurality of signals of different signal types according to a signal-specific encoding rate, initially set to a respective predefined value, to produce multimedia data comprising a plurality of data components having a one-to-one correspondence to said plurality of signals; transmitting said multimedia data from said streaming server computer to a client over a telecommunication channel; receiving feedback information from said client; determining quality metrics of said telecommunication channel according to said feedback information; determining, for said each signal, a permissible bit rate according to said quality metrics; adjusting said signal-specific encoding rate to a value not exceeding said permissible bit rate; producing a notification signal indicating said quality metrics and said signal-specific encoding rate for said each signal; and superimposing said notification signal on a selected signal among said plurality of signals; determining an additional notification-display interval; observing said each signal over distinctly defined successive time intervals; examining said feedback information over distinctly defined successive time intervals; extracting, from said feedback information: a current data-loss fraction; and a current transfer delay between said streaming server computer and said client; determining a first relative difference between said current data-loss fraction and a previous data-loss fraction; determining a second relative difference between said current transfer delay and a previous transfer delay; wherein an absolute value of one of said first relative difference and said second relative difference exceeds a predetermined variation threshold: superimposing on said selected signal, during said additional notification-display interval, indications of said current data-loss fraction, said first relative difference, said current transfer delay and said second relative difference; equating said previous data-loss fraction to said current data-loss fraction; and equating said previous transfer delay to said current transfer delay.