In adaptive streaming, video segments are available in one or more quality levels, and each video segment is delivered to the client (103) in a quality level specified in a request received from that client (103). In order to reduce the risk for buffer underrun, an adaptive streaming aware network node (101) comprises: —session monitoring means (111) for collecting buffer fill information indicative for a buffer volume at the client (101) occupied by a video session; —priority calculation means (112) for determining a priority level for video segments of the session in function of the buffer fill information; and —video segment marking means (113) for marking video segments of the session with the priority level.

A method and apparatus for rate adaption of HTTP stream media is disclosed in this invention. The method comprises: acquiring from a server a stream media with a selected video rate at a client adopting the TCP protocol at its transmission layer and the HTTP protocol at its application layer, wherein the selected video rate allows an amount of buffered data to be maintained in a predetermined range in a buffer for buffering the stream media under a current download rate speed. This invention may improve user experience.

A method and an apparatus are provided for evaluating media delivery quality that relate to the field of communications technologies and that can directly reflect a variation of media delivery quality and a variation of subjective experience of a user on media play quality. A method for evaluating media delivery quality includes: receiving media data, and measuring a data amount of the media data received within the period of time; parsing the media data, and acquiring a play rate of the media data; simulating, a decoding buffer in a process of playing the media data received within the period of time, to acquire a virtual decoding buffer and acquire a size of the virtual decoding buffer; and determining, according to the size of the virtual decoding buffer, whether a pause occurs in the process of playing the media data received within the period of time.

Technology for receiving media content is disclosed. Media content segments can be received on a broadcast channel via a multimedia broadcast multicast service (MBMS) client in a user equipment (UE) while the MBMS client is operating in a first streaming mode. The UE can determine that a MBMS decoder buffer level and a broadcast channel condition associated with the broadcast channel do not comply with a defined threshold. The UE can switch from operating in the first streaming mode to a second streaming mode based on the MBMS decoder buffer level and the broadcast channel condition not complying with the defined threshold.

A data processing method of a multimedia device is disclosed. The multimedia device pauses playback of multimedia data in response to a pause signal. The method includes: buffering the multimedia data before the pause signal is received to obtain prerecorded multimedia data; writing the prerecorded multimedia data into a storage unit in response to the pause signal; reading the prerecorded multimedia data from the storage unit in response to a playback signal; and playing the prerecorded multimedia data.

Systems and methods for implementing a Transport I/O system are described. Network encrypted content may be received by a device. The device may provide the network encrypted content to a secure processor, such as, for example, a smart card. The secure processor obtains a network control word that may be used to decrypt the network encrypted content. The secure processor may decrypt the network encrypted content to produce clear content. In embodiments, the secure processor may then use a local control word to generate locally encrypted content specific to the device. The device may then receive the locally encrypted content from the secure processor and proceed to decrypt the locally encrypted content using a shared local encryption key. The Transport I/O system ensures the protection of the network control word by maintaining the network control word on the secure processor.

Systems, apparatuses, and methods are described for encoding media content based on an ending delay of first media content and a startup delay of second media content. Second media content may be configured for transmission after first media content in a media content stream. The first media content may be associated with an ending delay corresponding to transmission and/or decoding of frames of the first media content. The second media content may be associated with a starting delay corresponding to transmission and/or decoding of frames of the second media content. The first media content and the second media content may be encoded using different encoding formats. Based on comparing the ending delay and starting delay to a threshold, encoding parameters may be selected, one or more frames may be removed from the first media content and/or the second media content, and/or buffers of one or more devices may be adjusted.

In various embodiments, a graph streaming application computes a first distance along a first potential playback path between a first playback position and a first media content block. The graph streaming application then computes a first score for the first media content block based on the first distance and a first probability associated with the first potential playback path. Similarly, the graph streaming application computes a second score for a second media content block based on a second playback position, a second potential playback path, and a second probability associated with the second potential playback path. The graph streaming application compares the first score and the second score to determine that the first media content block should be buffered by a client device. The graph streaming application then causes the first media content block to be stored in a playback buffer for subsequent playback on the client device.

There is provided a method for adaptive bitrate (ABR) adjustments in an IP network before making upshift of ABR level of media streams like video for live Over the Top (OTT) distribution. The invention is based on before upshifting of a current ABR level to a higher ABR level for one or more client devices, probing the network system with a higher bitrate of the data stream provided by e.g. replicating data in the data stream, and monitoring network conditions during probing. Based on the probing it is determined if the available resources in the network are sufficient to sustain an upshift of ABR-level for the client device.

A video data stream having a video encoded thereinto and is described. It includes first timing information on first coded picture buffer, CPB, removal times to be applied at decoder side in case of buffering a complete version of the video data stream, and second timing information on second CPB removal times to be applied at decoder side for buffering a reduced version of the video data stream, differing from the video data stream by removal of a portion of the video data stream from the complete version of the video data stream. Corresponding video encoders, video decoders, network nodes, apparatuses for managing the coded picture buffer, CPB, of a video decoder, and apparatuses for splicing together video data streams are also referred to.