Strategies for Configuring Media Processing Functionality Using a Hierarchical Ordering of Control Parameters

Abstract

Strategies for effectively discovering, selecting, configuring, and controlling components used in media processing applications are described. According to one exemplary implementation, the strategies described configure the components based on profile information, configuration information, and a hierarchical ordering of configuration parameters. The hierarchical ordering may combine different coding paradigms, where one or more high level nodes in the ordering may define configuration parameters which are common to multiple coding paradigms. In this ordering, selection of a configuration parameter may cascade down to affect lower-ranking dependent parameters in the hierarchical ordering. According to one advantage, the hierarchical ordering provides a more uniform, extensible, and problem-free approach to configuring components than unstructured approaches to configuration. Moreover, applications can utilize the hierarchical ordering at different levels of granularity.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for building media processing functionality, comprising:
 identifying a task to be performed;   identifying at least one profile that provides predetermined information used to implement the task;   establishing at least one component to perform the task using:
 said at least one profile; 
 capability information which describes the capabilities of a pool of available components; and 
 a hierarchical organization of configuration parameters; and 
   building the media processing functionality in a defined order based on said established at least one component.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one component includes one or more of: a component implemented by machine-readable instructions; a component implemented by hardware; or a component implemented by a combination of machine-readable instructions and hardware. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one component comprises at least one of the following types of components: a video encoder; an audio encoder; a packet-forming component; or a multiplexing component. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein said at least one component comprises a set of components comprising at least one member from each of said types of components. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the establishing of said at least one component comprises:
 creating said at least one component;   configuring said at least one component; and   logically associating said at least one component with at least one downstream component.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the building in the defined order comprises:
 first, establishing at least one multiplexing component;   second, establishing at least one packet-forming component per multiplexer input stream; and   third, establishing at least one media encoder.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one component is a logical sub-division of a larger, more complex component. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the capability information contains configuration values or ranges of values to be used in the selection of compatible components. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the hierarchical organization of configuration parameters comprises at least one node that specifies configuration parameters that apply to two or more different kinds of components. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the hierarchical organization of configuration parameters comprises at least one node that specifies configuration parameters that apply to two or more different coding paradigms. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the hierarchical organization of configuration parameters comprises:
 a first level which specifies configuration parameters that apply to an entire pool of components;   a second level, which depends from the first level, which specifies groups of configuration parameters that apply to different respective classes of components within the pool of components; and   a third level, which depends from the second level, which specifies groups of configuration parameters that apply to different respective general coding paradigms used within the pool of components.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising a fourth level, which depends from the third level, which specifies groups of configuration parameters that apply to different respective species of the general coding paradigms identified in the third level. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , further including extending the hierarchical organization of parameters to include at least one new node, or to remove at least one existing node in the organization. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a first application uses a more detailed level of the hierarchical organization of parameters compared to a second application. 
     
     
         15 . One or more machine-readable media containing machine readable instructions for implementing the method of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         16 . A method for building media processing functionality, comprising:
 identifying a task to be performed;   establishing a plurality of components to perform the task using a hierarchical organization of configuration parameters; and   building the media processing functionality in a defined back-to-front order based on the established components, wherein the back-to-front order establishes at least one downstream component prior to another component which is upstream relative to said at least one downstream component.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the building in the defined back-to-front order comprises:
 first, establishing at least one multiplexing component;   second, establishing at least one packet-forming component per multiplexer input stream; and   third, establishing at least one media encoder.   
     
     
         18 . One or more machine-readable media containing machine readable instructions for implementing the method of  claim 16 . 
     
     
         19 . An apparatus for building media processing functionality, comprising:
 a profile store for storing a plurality of profiles, wherein each profile provides predetermined information used to implement a task;   a capability store for storing capability information which describes the capabilities of a pool of available components; and   interface functionality for establishing at least one component to perform an identified task using:
 at least one profile associated with the identified task, stored in the profile store; 
 the capability information, stored in the capability store; and 
 a hierarchical organization of configuration parameters, 
   wherein the interface functionality is also configured to build the media processing functionality in a defined order based on said established at least one component.   
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the hierarchical organization of configuration parameters comprises:
 a first data field level which specifies configuration parameters that apply to an entire pool of components;   a second data field level, which depends from the first data field level, which specifies groups of configuration parameters that apply to different respective types of components within the pool of components; and   a third data field level, which depends from the second data field level, which specifies groups of configuration parameters that apply to different respective general coding paradigms used within the pool of components.