Packet transmission protocol supporting downloading and streaming

Abstract

A method and apparatus generate and process transport packets. A method of processing a transport packet at receiving entity includes identifying, in response to receiving the transport packet, a payload type based on a field indicating the payload type in a packet header for the transport packet. The method also includes identifying, in response to identifying that the payload type is a streaming mode payload type, a delivery data unit type of DU data in the transport packet based on a field indicating the delivery data unit type in a streaming mode payload header for the DU data. Additionally, the method includes processing the DU data according to the identified delivery data unit type.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of processing a transport packet by a receiving entity, the method comprising:
 in response to receiving the transport packet, identifying a payload type based on a field indicating the payload type in a packet header for the transport packet;   in response to identifying that the payload type is a streaming mode payload type, identifying a delivery data unit type of data unit (DU) data in the transport packet based on a field indicating the delivery data unit type in a streaming mode payload header for the DU data; and   processing the DU data according to the identified delivery data unit type.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 when the payload type is a download mode payload type, processing the transport packet using a same protocol as used in processing packets having the streaming mode payload type.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the transport packet is processed according to a moving picture experts group (MPEG) media transport packet (MMT) protocol (MMTP). 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the transport packet includes one or more fragments of a media processing unit (MPU) arranged as media fragment units (MFUs). 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein identifying the delivery data unit type of the DU data in the transport packet comprises determining whether the DU data includes one of: a complete media processing unit (MPU), MPU metadata, movie fragment metadata, a timed media fragment unit (MFU), a non-timed MFU, a signaling message, or recovery symbols based on a value included in the field indicating the delivery data unit type. 
     
     
         6 . A method of generating a transport packet by a sending entity, the method comprising:
 generating the transport packet to include an identifier of a payload type in a field indicating the payload type in a packet header for the transport packet;   when the payload type is a streaming mode payload type, including an identifier of a delivery data unit type of data unit (DU) data for the transport packet in a field indicating the delivery data unit type in a streaming mode payload header for the DU data; and   sending the transport packet.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 when the payload type is a download mode payload type, processing the transport packet using a same protocol as used in processing packets having the streaming mode payload type.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the transport packet is processed according to a moving picture experts group (MPEG) media transport packet (MMT) protocol (MMTP). 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the transport packet includes one or more fragments of a media processing unit (MPU) arranged as media fragment units (MFUs). 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein including the identifier of the delivery data unit type of the data unit data for the transport packet in the field indicating the delivery data unit type comprises indicating that the DU data includes one of: a complete media processing unit (MPU), MPU metadata, movie fragment metadata, a timed media fragment unit (MFU), a non-timed MFU, a signaling message, or recovery symbols based on a value included in the field indicating the delivery data unit type. 
     
     
         11 . An apparatus in a receiving entity capable of processing a transport packet, the apparatus comprising:
 a receiver configured to receive the transport packet; and   processing circuitry configured to:
 identify a payload type based on a field indicating the payload type in a packet header for the transport packet, 
 identify, in response to identifying that the payload type is a streaming mode payload type, a delivery data unit type of data unit (DU) data in the transport packet based on a field indicating the delivery data unit type in a streaming mode payload header for the DU data, and 
 process the DU data according to the identified delivery data unit type. 
   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to process the transport packet using a same protocol as used in processing packets having the streaming mode payload type when the payload type is a download mode payload type. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the transport packet is processed according to a moving picture experts group (MPEG) media transport packet (MMT) protocol (MMTP). 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the transport packet includes one or more fragments of a media processing unit (MPU) arranged as media fragment units (MFUs). 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to determine whether the DU data includes one of: a complete media processing unit (MPU), MPU metadata, movie fragment metadata, a timed media fragment unit (MFU), a non-timed MFU, a signaling message, or recovery symbols based on a value included in the field indicating the delivery data unit type. 
     
     
         16 . An apparatus in a sending entity capable of generating a transport packet, the apparatus comprising:
 processing circuitry configured to:
 generate the transport packet to include an identifier of a payload type in a field indicating the payload type in a packet header for the transport packet, and 
 include, when the payload type is a streaming mode payload type, an identifier of a delivery data unit type of data unit (DU) data for the transport packet in a field indicating the delivery data unit type in a streaming mode payload header for the DU data; and 
   a transmitter configured to send the transport packet.   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to process the transport packet using a same protocol as used in processing packets having the streaming mode payload type when the payload type is a download mode payload type. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the transport packet is processed according to a moving picture experts group (MPEG) media transport packet (MMT) protocol (MMTP). 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the transport packet includes one or more fragments of a media processing unit (MPU) arranged as media fragment units (MFUs). 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to indicate that the DU data includes one of: a complete media processing unit (MPU), MPU metadata, movie fragment metadata, a timed media fragment unit (MFU), a non-timed MFU, a signaling message, or recovery symbols based on a value included in the field indicating the delivery data unit type.