Method and apparatus for the adaptation of multimedia content in telecommunication networks

Abstract

An apparatus for adapting media content in one or more networks includes a controller module, one or more network interface modules, and one or more protocol interface modules coupled to the controller module. The apparatus also includes a script interpretation module coupled to the controller module and one or more media adaptation modules coupled to the controller module. The one or more media adaptation modules may support audio, video, or meta data. The apparatus further includes a management interface module coupled to the controller module. Media may be received at the apparatus as streaming media and be provided from the apparatus as a download or a progressive download. Additionally, media may be received at the apparatus as a download or progressive download and be provided from the apparatus as streaming media.

1 .- 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A method for adapting media content in one or more networks, the method comprising:
 receiving from a requesting terminal, a client request for media content;   determining based on information received in the client request, at least one data encoding attribute required in output media data corresponding to the client request;   determining based on
 (i) available source media data from at least one media source, and 
 (ii) the determined at least one data encoding attribute, 
   
       at least one required alteration to coding of the available source media data corresponding to the client request, wherein the at least one required alteration to coding enables re-encoding the available source media data to output media data corresponding to the client request and having the at least one data encoding attribute; and
 re-encoding using a processor, the available source media data corresponding to the client request by applying the at least one required alteration to coding of said available source media data for obtaining output media data corresponding to the client request and having the determined at least one data encoding attributes. 
 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the output media data is transmitted to the requesting terminal. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the client request for media content is received at, and the output media data is transmitted from, a network element comprising at least one processor. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein re-encoding the available source media data comprises one or more of transcoding, transrating, transizing, filtering or pass-through of said available source media data. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the client request or the source media data is received through one or more of Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), Real Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP), Real Time Messaging Protocol(RTMP), Skype, direct file access, Hyper Text Markup Language (HTML), and Digital video Broadcasting (DVB). 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the available source media data is received from the at least one media source as streaming media, and is transmitted to the requesting terminal as a download or a progressive download, or the available source media is received from the at least one media source as a download or progressive download and is transmitted to the requesting terminal as streaming media data. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the network element receives a first request for media content from the requesting terminal using a first protocol, and transmits a second request for media content to the at least one media source using a second protocol. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) includes HTTP download, progress download, and live streaming paradigms. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the first protocol is selected from the group consisting of HTTP, RTSP, SIP, RTMP, direct file access, DVB, and HTML and the second protocol is selected from the group consisting of HTTP, RTSP, SIP, RTMP, FTP, DVB, and HTML. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the first protocol comprises HTTP and the second protocol comprises RTSP or the first protocol comprises RTSP and the second protocol comprises HTTP. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the output media data is obtained from a first set of source media data from a first media source and a second set of source media data from a second media source wherein one or more attributes of size, rate and codec are different between the output media data, the first set of source media data and the second set of source media data. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein re-encoding the available source media data corresponding to the client request comprises re-encoding one or more of audio, video, or meta data. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising caching media data at a data cache within the network element. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein caching media data at a data cache is managed by an algorithm which takes into account popularity, aging, cost, weighting, a cache accounting facility, and control commands. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein caching media data at a data cache performs off-line content adaptation. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising estimating a load prior to determination of one or more session characteristics and updating the load after determining the one or more session characteristics. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the available source media data is stored on a server. 
     
     
         33 . A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer usable medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein for adapting media content in one or more networks, the computer program product comprising program instructions for:
 receiving from a requesting terminal, a client request for media content;   determining based on information received in the client request, at least one data encoding attribute required in output media data corresponding to the client request;   determining based on
 (i) available source media data from at least one media source, and 
 (ii) the determined at least one data encoding attribute, 
   
       at least one required alteration to coding of the available source media data corresponding to the client request, wherein the at least one required alteration to coding enables re-encoding the available source media data to output media data corresponding to the client request and having the at least one data encoding attribute; and
 re-encoding using a processor, the available source media data corresponding to the client request by applying the at least one required alteration to coding of said available source media data for obtaining output media data corresponding to the client request and having the determined at least one data encoding attributes. 
 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein re-encoding the available source media data comprises one or more of transcoding, transrating, transizing, filtering or pass-through of said available source media data. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the client request or the source media data is received through one or more of Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), Real Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP), Real Time Messaging Protocol(RTMP), Skype, direct file access, Hyper Text Markup Language (HTML), and Digital video Broadcasting (DVB).