Transcode Matrix

Abstract

A transcode architecture determines if a media source file needs to be transcoded for playback on a target playback device, and if so, the proper format needed for transcoding the source file. A transcode architecture includes a transcode manager, a transcode matrix, a transcode engine and a cache for storing transcoded media files. A media library stores media source files and device capabilities information. The transcode manager controls a transcode process in which the transcode matrix generates a profile for a media source file and accesses device capabilities that indicate playback capabilities for a target playback device. The transcode matrix compares parameters of the source profile with the device capabilities to decide whether the source file must be transcoded to enable playback of the file on the target playback device, and if so, the proper format needed for transcoding the source file.

1 . A transcoding method comprising:
 accessing, by a source device, a source file stored at a media library of the source device when the source file is to be transferred to a target device;   generating, by the source device, a source profile for the source file by searching for parameters of the source file in the media library;   generating, by the source device, the source profile for the source file by inspecting the source file to access the parameters of the source file when searching for the parameters in the media library is unsuccessful;   generating, by the source device, the source profile for the source file by assigning an artificial source profile to the source file when obtaining the parameters from inspecting the source file fails; and   determining, by the source device, whether the source file needs to be transcoded by comparing device capabilities of the target device with the source profile.   
   
   
       2 . The transcoding method of  claim 1 , further comprising transcoding the source file when a user preference for a parameter of the source profile does not match a corresponding parameter of the device capabilities. 
   
   
       3 . The transcoding method of  claim 1 , further comprising modifying the source profile by substituting a closest match of a user preferred value for a parameter of the source profile when the user preferred value for the parameter of the source profile does not match a current value of the parameter of the source profile. 
   
   
       4 . The transcoding method of  claim 1 , further comprising identifying a device profile of the target device, the device profile including a total audio bitrate and video bitrate that does not exceed a total bitrate restriction of the target device. 
   
   
       5 . The transcoding method of  claim 1 , further comprising transcoding the source file when a total bitrate of each of a plurality of device profiles of the target playback device is greater than the total bitrate restriction of the target device. 
   
   
       6 . The transcoding method of  claim 1 , further comprising imposing an artificial restriction on a parameter of the device capabilities when a restriction for the parameter is not indicated in the device capabilities. 
   
   
       7 . The transcoding method of  claim 1 , further comprising serializing the device capabilities of the target device into an XML format. 
   
   
       8 . A system comprising:
 a processor; and   a system memory storing:
 a media library including a media source file; 
 a device profile of a target playback device, the device profile indicating playback parameters of the target playback device; and 
 a transcode matrix executable by the processor to:
 determine whether the media source file is to be transferred to the target playback device; 
 generate a source profile of the media source file by searching for playback parameters of the source file in the media library; 
 generate the source profile of the media source file by inspecting the media source file to access the playback parameters of the media source file when searching for the playback parameters in the media library is unsuccessful; 
 generate the source profile of the media source file by assigning an artificial source profile to the media source file when obtaining the playback parameters of the media source file by inspecting the media source file fails; and 
 determine whether the media source file needs to be transcoded by comparing the playback parameters of the device profile with the playback parameters of the source profile. 
 
   
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the system memory stores a media source application executable by the processor to receive media content from a media content source. 
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the system memory stores a transcode manager executable by the processor to monitor for newly acquired media source files. 
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the transcode manager is executable by the processor to retrieve the device profile from the target playback device. 
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the playback parameters of the source profile and the playback parameters of the device profile include audio codec, audio bitrate, sample rate, number of channels, audio bit depth, or a combination thereof. 
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the playback parameters of the source profile and the playback parameters of the device profile include video codec, video bitrate, a height, a width, a frame rate, or a combination thereof. 
   
   
       14 . One or more processor-readable storage media of a source device, the one or more processor-readable storage media comprising processor-executable instructions that when executed by the processor perform acts comprising:
 generating a source profile from a media file stored at the source device;   retrieving a device capabilities report from a target playback device, the device capabilities report including a profile collection having a plurality of device profiles specifying capabilities of the target playback device;   identifying a particular device profile of the plurality of device profiles that best matches the source profile;   comparing the source profile with the particular device profile to determine whether the media file needs to be transcoded to enable playback of the media file on the target playback device; and   transcoding the media file to produce a transcoded media file when the media file needs to be transcoded.   
   
   
       15 . The one or more processor-readable storage media of  claim 14 , further comprising processor-executable instructions that when executed by the processor perform acts comprising:
 selecting the profile collection from a plurality of profile collections when a format code of the profile collection matches a format code of the source profile.   
   
   
       16 . The one or more processor-readable storage media of  claim 14 , wherein the media file is transcoded to produce the transcoded media file before a content synchronization process between the source device and the target playback device. 
   
   
       17 . The one or more processor-readable storage media of  claim 14 , wherein the media file is transcoded to produce the transcoded media file concurrently with a content synchronization process between the source device and the target playback device. 
   
   
       18 . The one or more processor-readable storage media of  claim 14 , further comprising processor-executable instructions that when executed by the processor perform acts comprising:
 transferring the transcoded media file to the target playback device.   
   
   
       19 . The one or more processor-readable storage media of  claim 14 , further comprising processor-executable instructions that when executed by the processor perform acts comprising:
 storing a copy of the transcoded media file at the source device.   
   
   
       20 . The one or more processor-readable storage media of  claim 19 , further comprising processor-executable instructions that when executed by the processor perform acts comprising:
 transferring the copy of the transcoded media file to an additional target playback device when capabilities of the additional target playback device are suitable with respect to the source profile of the transcoded media file.