Scalable video coding (svc) file format

Abstract

The currently existing ISO/AVC file format is modified by providing extensions to store and access video content currently being defined by the SVC standard. Specifically, extensions to the AVC file format are made to provide a new SVC file format that enables the storage and access of scalable video data. The scalable video data is stored as a single track within a media data section of the SVC file format. New extensions are defined for description entries and boxes within a metadata section of the SVC file format. These extensions provide means for extracting sub-streams or layers from the single track of scalable video data stored in the media data section.

1 . A modified file format stored in a memory, the modified file format comprising:
 a. a media data section to store a scalable data stream; and   b. a metadata section including at least one track associated with the scalable data stream stored in the media data section, wherein each track comprises one or more metadata boxes to define and group a sub-layer data stream of the scalable data stream.   
   
   
       2 . The modified file format of  claim 1  wherein the scalable data stream comprises a scalable video stream. 
   
   
       3 . The modified file format of  claim 2  wherein the scalable video stream comprises a Scalable Video Coding (SVC) elementary stream. 
   
   
       4 . The modified file format of  claim 1  wherein the modified file format comprises a modified Scalable Video Coding (SVC) file format. 
   
   
       5 . The modified file format of  claim 1  wherein the scalable data stream comprises a single encoded track. 
   
   
       6 . The modified file format of  claim 1  wherein the scalable data stream comprises a series of access units. 
   
   
       7 . The modified file format of  claim 6  wherein the one or more metadata boxes are configured to define the sub-layer data stream according to one or more device requirements received from an end user device capable of processing the sub-layer data stream. 
   
   
       8 . The modified file format of  claim 7  wherein the one or more metadata boxes are further configured to define one of a plurality of description entries according to the one or more device requirements. 
   
   
       9 . The modified file format of  claim 8  wherein the one or more metadata boxes are further configured to define a sub-set of access units according to the selected description entry, wherein the defined sub-set of access units comprises the sub-layer data stream. 
   
   
       10 . The modified file format of  claim 9  wherein the one or more metadata boxes comprise a SVC Sample Group Description Box configured to define the one description entry. 
   
   
       11 . The modified file format of  claim 10  wherein the one or more metadata boxes comprise a SVC Sample To Group Box to define and group the sub-set of access units. 
   
   
       12 . The modified file format of  claim 1  wherein the one or more metadata boxes comprise extensions to the Scaling Video Coding (SVC) standards. 
   
   
       13 . The modified file format of  claim 1  wherein the scalable data stream comprises a plurality of sub-layer data streams. 
   
   
       14 . The modified file format of  claim 1  wherein the one or more metadata boxes are configured to define a hint track associated with the sub-layer data stream. 
   
   
       15 . The modified file format of  claim 14  wherein the sub-layer data stream comprises an Advanced Video Coding (AVC) compatible base layer stream. 
   
   
       16 . A file server configured to utilize a modified file format, the file server comprising:
 a. a memory configured to store and extract data according to the modified file format, wherein the modified file format comprises:
 i. a media data section to store a scalable data stream; and 
 ii. a metadata section including at least one track associated with the scalable data stream stored in the media data section, wherein each track comprises one or more metadata boxes to define and group a sub-layer data stream of the scalable data stream; and 
   b. a processing module configured to provide control instruction to the memory and to extract the sub-layer data stream from the scalable data stream.   
   
   
       17 . The file server of  claim 16  wherein the scalable data stream comprises a series of access units. 
   
   
       18 . The file server of  claim 17  further comprising a network interface module configured to receive one or more device requirements from an end user device and to transmit the defined sub-layer data stream. 
   
   
       19 . The file server of  claim 18  wherein the one or more metadata boxes are configured to define one of a plurality of description entries according to the one or more device requirements. 
   
   
       20 . The file server of  claim 19  wherein the one or more metadata boxes are further configured to define a sub-set of access units according to the selected description entry, wherein the defined sub-set of access units comprises the sub-layer data stream. 
   
   
       21 . The file server of  claim 20  wherein the one or more metadata boxes comprise a SVC Sample Group Description Box configured to define the one description entry. 
   
   
       22 . The file server of  claim 21  wherein the one or more metadata boxes comprise a SVC Sample To Group Box to define and group the sub-set of access units. 
   
   
       23 . The file server of  claim 16  wherein the scalable data stream comprises a scalable video stream. 
   
   
       24 . The file server of  claim 23  wherein the scalable video stream comprises a Scalable Video Coding (SVC) elementary stream. 
   
   
       25 . The file server of  claim 16  wherein the modified file format comprises a modified Scalable Video Coding (SVC) file format. 
   
   
       26 . The file server of  claim 16  wherein the scalable data stream comprises a single encoded track. 
   
   
       27 . The file server of  claim 16  wherein the scalable data stream comprises a plurality of sub-layer data streams. 
   
   
       28 . A system configured to utilize a modified file format, the system comprising:
 a. an end user device to transmit one or more device requirements; and   b. a file server configured to receive the one or more device requirements and to utilize the modified file system, the file server comprising:
 i. a memory configured to store and extract data according to the modified file format, wherein the modified file format comprises:
 A. a media data section to store a scalable data stream; and 
 B. a metadata section including at least one track associated with the scalable data stream stored in the media data section, wherein each track comprises one or more metadata boxes to define and group a sub-layer data stream of the scalable data stream according to the one or more device requirements; and 
 
 ii. a processing module configured to provide control instruction to the memory and to extract the sub-layer data stream from the media data section. 
   
   
   
       29 . The system of  claim 28  wherein the file server further comprises a network interface module configured to receive the one or more device requirements from the end user device and to transmit the defined sub-layer data stream. 
   
   
       30 . The system of  claim 28  wherein the scalable data stream comprises a series of access units. 
   
   
       31 . The system of  claim 30  wherein the one or more metadata boxes are configured to define one of a plurality of description entries according to the one or more device requirements. 
   
   
       32 . The system of  claim 31  wherein the one or more metadata boxes are further configured to define a sub-set of access units according to the selected description entry, wherein the defined sub-set of access units comprises the sub-layer data stream. 
   
   
       33 . The system of  claim 32  wherein the one or more metadata boxes comprise a SVC Sample Group Description Box configured to define the one description entry. 
   
   
       34 . The system of  claim 33  wherein the one or more metadata boxes comprise a SVC Sample To Group Box to define and group the sub-set of access units. 
   
   
       35 . The system of  claim 28  wherein the scalable data stream comprises a scalable video stream. 
   
   
       36 . The system of  claim 35  wherein the scalable video stream comprises a Scalable Video Coding (SVC) elementary stream. 
   
   
       37 . The system of  claim 28  wherein the modified file format comprises a modified Scalable Video Coding (SVC) file format. 
   
   
       38 . The system of  claim 28  wherein the one or more metadata boxes comprise extensions to the Scaling Video Coding (SVC) standards. 
   
   
       39 . The system of  claim 28  wherein the one or more metadata boxes comprise extensions to the Scaling Video Coding (SVC) standards. 
   
   
       40 . The system of  claim 28  wherein the scalable data stream comprises a single encoded track. 
   
   
       41 . The system of  claim 28  wherein the scalable data stream comprises a plurality of sub-layer data streams. 
   
   
       42 . The system of  claim 28  wherein the one or more metadata boxes are configured to define a hint track associated with the sub-layer data stream. 
   
   
       43 . The system of  claim 42  wherein the sub-layer data stream comprises an Advanced Video Coding (AVC) compatible base layer stream. 
   
   
       44 - 62 . (canceled) 
   
   
       63 . A modified file format comprising a modified Scalable Video Coding (SVC) file format stored in a memory, the modified file format comprising:
 a. a media data section to store a scalable data stream, wherein the scalable data stream comprises a series of access units and a plurality of sub-layer data streams; and   b. a metadata section including at least one track associated with the scalable data stream stored in the media data section, wherein each track comprises one or more metadata boxes to define and group a sub-layer data stream of the scalable data stream, wherein the one or more metadata boxes define the sub-layer data stream according to one or more device requirements received from an end user device capable of processing the sub-layer data stream and further wherein the one or more metadata boxes define one of a plurality of description entries according to the one or more device requirements, wherein the one or more metadata boxes define a sub-set of access units according to the selected description entry, the defined sub-set of access units comprising the sub-layer data stream, the one or more metadata boxes comprising a SVC Sample Group Description Box defining the one description entry and the one or more metadata boxes define a hint track associated with the sub-layer data stream, the sub-layer data stream comprising an Advanced Video Coding (AVC) compatible base layer stream.