Method for initiating a transmission of a streaming content delivered to a client device and access point for implementing this method

Abstract

A method for initiating a transmission of a program stream for delivery from a local access point to a client device, said program stream being structured as a plurality of regular segments relating to a single event. This method comprises the steps of: processing at least one of the regular segments into a set of particular segments, where the at least one regular segment carries a payload of a first playback duration and the payload of said set represents a second playback duration that is greater than that of the first playback duration, and where the second playback duration is sufficient to comply with a client device requirement for initiating a rendering of the event, and transmitting, during an initial period, from the local access point said set of particular segments.

1 . A method for initiating a transmission of a program stream for delivery from a local access point to a client device, said program stream being structured in regular segments, comprising:
 processing, by the local access point, at least one of the regular segments into a set of second type of segments, wherein the at least one regular segment carries a payload of a first playback duration and the payload of said set represents a second playback duration that is greater than the first playback duration, and wherein said set comprises a number of second type of segments at least equivalent to a predetermined number of segments required by the client device for initiating a rendering of the event; and   transmitting, during an initial period, said set of second type of segments from the local access point to the client device.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said second playback duration is obtained by modifying or by applying a slowdown rate factor to at least one timestamp defined within said program stream. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said second playback duration is obtained by consecutively rendering at least twice elementary entities of said payload. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein consecutively rendering at least twice elementary entities of said payload is achieved by performing at least once the following steps:
 duplicating one elementary entity so as to obtain a copy, and   inserting said copy next to the duplicated elementary entity in said payload.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said second playback duration is obtained by performing at least once the following steps applied to said payload:
 calculating at least one additional elementary entity, compliant with said payload, on the basis of two consecutive elementary entities of said payload, and   inserting said at least one additional elementary entity between said two successive elementary entities of said payload.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said additional payload elementary entity results from an interpolation of said two successive elementary entities. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each of said second type of segments carries a payload which represents a playback duration substantially equal to the first playback duration. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said payload relates to video content or audio-video content and said elementary entity is a frame of said video or audio-video content. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said regular segments are carried by content files compliant with an adaptative live streaming protocol. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein modifying said program stream is performed, by the local access point, between a decoding operation and an encoding operation of said program stream, said operations being carried out before the rendering of said program stream. 
     
     
         11 . A local access point, that supports coupling to a client device, for initiating a transmission of a program stream structured in regular segments, said access point comprising:
 a transmitter; and   a processing unit configured to
 process at least one of the regular segments into a set of second type of segments wherein the at least one regular segment carries a payload of a first playback duration and wherein the payload of said set represents a second playback duration greater than the first playback duration; said set comprising a number of second type of segments at least equivalent to a predetermined number of segments required by the client device for initiating a rendering of the event; and 
   output said set of second type of segments via the transmitter during an initial period for initiating the transmission of said program stream.   
     
     
         12 . The local access point of  claim 11 , wherein said program stream further comprises at least one timestamp and said processing unit being further configured to modify said timestamp or to apply a slowdown rate factor to said timestamp in order to obtain said second playback duration. 
     
     
         13 . The local access point of  claim 11 , wherein said processing unit is further configured to consecutively render at least two times elementary entities of said payload so as to obtain said second playback duration. 
     
     
         14 . The local access point of  claim 13 , wherein said processing unit is further configured to modify said payload by inserting, at least once, at least one copy of an elementary entity next to said elementary entity. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein each of said second type of segments carries a payload which represents a playback duration substantially equal to the first playback duration.