CN113472732A

CN113472732A - Method, apparatus and storage medium for managing capabilities of a media streaming network

Info

Publication number: CN113472732A
Application number: CN202011578255.8A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 索达加伊拉吉
Original assignee: Tencent America LLC
Current assignee: Tencent America LLC
Priority date: 2020-03-30
Filing date: 2020-12-28
Publication date: 2021-10-01
Anticipated expiration: 2040-12-28
Also published as: CN113472732B

Abstract

Embodiments of the present application provide a method, an apparatus, and a storage medium for managing capabilities of a media streaming network. The method is performed by at least one processor, comprising: receiving a capability request of an external application server; transmitting an internal capability request to at least one streaming application server; receiving capability information from the at least one streaming application server; creating a capability list based on the capability information; and transmitting the capability list to the external application server.

Description

Method, apparatus and storage medium for managing capabilities of a media streaming network

Technical Field

The present application relates to media processing technology, and more particularly, to a method, apparatus, and storage medium for managing capabilities of a media streaming network.

Background

Network and cloud platforms are used to run various applications. However, no standard-based solution describes the characteristics of a network or cloud platform or elements thereof.

The 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3 GPP) TS26.501 defines the workflow of external application servers to establish network processing for uplink and downlink streaming applications in 5G networks.

Current 5GSMA designs do not include capability discovery. For any external application server requesting a network from the 5G network to handle the workflow, the capabilities of the network must be known. Since a network may have a different number of workflows at any one time, the network capabilities are typically not static and must be measured on request.

Disclosure of Invention

In accordance with at least one embodiment of the present application, a method performed by at least one processor for managing capabilities of a media streaming network is provided. The method comprises the following steps: receiving a capability request of an external application server; transmitting an internal capability request to at least one streaming application server; receiving capability information from the at least one streaming application server; creating a capability list based on the capability information; and transmitting the capability list to the external application server.

In accordance with at least one embodiment, an apparatus for managing a media system is provided. The device comprises: at least one processor; a memory storing computer code, the computer code comprising: first receiving code for causing the at least one processor to receive a capability request of an external application server; first transmitting code for causing the at least one processor to transmit an internal capability request to at least one streaming application server; second receiving code for causing the at least one processor to receive capability information from the at least one streaming application server; creating code for causing the at least one processor to create a capability list based on the capability information; and second transmitting code for causing the at least one processor to transmit the capability list to the external application server.

In accordance with at least one embodiment, a non-transitory computer-readable medium is provided. The non-transitory computer readable medium has stored therein instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the above-described method of managing the capabilities of a media streaming network.

By adopting the technical scheme of the application, the network processing capacity of the 5G network is discovered by the external application server, which allows the external application server to know the current capacity of the 5G network before requesting to establish any network-based processing.

Drawings

Further features, properties and various advantages of the disclosed subject matter will be more apparent from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is an illustration of an environment in which methods, apparatus, and systems described herein may be implemented according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of example components of at least one device of FIG. 1.

Fig. 3 is a block diagram of a media architecture for media uplink streaming according to an embodiment.

Fig. 4 is a block diagram of a media architecture 400 for media uplink streaming, according to an embodiment.

Fig. 5 is a block diagram of an example showing a workflow between an external application server and a media streaming application function and application server according to an embodiment.

Fig. 6 is a flow diagram of an example process for managing capabilities of a media streaming network, according to an embodiment.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of an environment 100 in which methods, apparatus, and systems described herein may be implemented, according to an embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, environment 100 may include user device 110, platform 120, and network 130. The devices of environment 100 may be interconnected by wired connections, wireless connections, or a combination of wired and wireless connections.

User device 110 includes one or more devices capable of receiving, generating, storing, processing, and/or providing information related to platform 120. For example, the user device 110 may include a computing device (e.g., a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a handheld computer, a smart speaker, a server, etc.), a mobile phone (e.g., a smartphone, a wireless phone, etc.), a wearable device (e.g., smart glasses or a smart watch), or similar device. In some implementations, user device 110 may receive information from platform 120 and/or transmit information to platform 120.

Platform 120 includes one or more devices as described elsewhere herein. In some implementations, the platform 120 may include a cloud server or a group of cloud servers. In some embodiments, the platform 120 may be designed to be modular such that software components may be swapped in and out according to particular needs. In this way, platform 120 may be easily and/or quickly reconfigured to have a different purpose.

In some implementations, as shown, the platform 120 may be hosted (hosted) in a cloud computing environment 122. Notably, although the embodiments described herein describe the platform 120 as being hosted in the cloud computing environment 122, in some embodiments the platform 120 is not cloud-based (i.e., may be implemented outside of the cloud computing environment) or may be partially cloud-based.

Cloud computing environment 122 comprises an environment hosting platform 120. The cloud computing environment 122 may provide computing, software, data access, storage, etc. services that do not require an end user (e.g., user device 110) to know the physical location and configuration of the systems and/or devices of the hosting platform 120. As shown, the cloud computing environment 122 may include a set of computing resources 124 (collectively referred to as "computing resources" 124 "and individually referred to as" computing resources "124").

Computing resources 124 include one or more personal computers, workstation computers, server devices, or other types of computing and/or communication devices. In some implementations, the computing resources 124 may host the platform 120. Cloud resources may include computing instances executing in computing resources 124, storage devices provided in computing resources 124, data transfer devices provided by computing resources 124, and so forth. In some implementations, the computing resources 124 may communicate with other computing resources 124 through wired connections, wireless connections, or a combination of wired and wireless connections.

As further shown in FIG. 1, the computing resources 124 include a set of cloud resources, such as one or more application programs ("APP") 124-1, one or more virtual machines ("VM") 124-2, virtualized storage ("VS") 124-3, one or more hypervisors ("HYP") 124-4, and so forth.

The application 124-1 includes one or more software applications that may be provided to or accessed by the user device 110 and/or the platform 120. The application 124-1 need not install and execute a software application on the user device 110. For example, the application 124-1 may include software related to the platform 120, and/or any other software capable of being provided through the cloud computing environment 122. In some embodiments, one application 124-1 may send/receive information to or from one or more other applications 124-1 through the virtual machine 124-2.

The virtual machine 124-2 comprises a software implementation of a machine (e.g., a computer) that executes programs, similar to a physical machine. The virtual machine 124-2 may be a system virtual machine or a process virtual machine, depending on the use and correspondence of any real machine by the virtual machine 124-2. The system virtual machine may provide a complete system platform that supports execution of a complete operating system ("OS"). The process virtual machine may execute a single program and may support a single process. In some implementations, the virtual machine 124-2 can execute on behalf of a user (e.g., the user device 110) and can manage the infrastructure of the cloud computing environment 122, such as data management, synchronization, or long-term data transfer.

Virtualized storage 124-3 includes one or more storage systems and/or one or more devices that use virtualization techniques within the storage systems or devices of computing resources 124. In some embodiments, within the context of a storage system, the types of virtualization may include block virtualization and file virtualization. Block virtualization may refer to the abstraction (or separation) of logical storage from physical storage so that a storage system may be accessed without regard to physical storage or heterogeneous structure. The separation may allow an administrator of the storage system to flexibly manage end-user storage. File virtualization may eliminate dependencies between data accessed at the file level and the location where the file is physically stored. This may optimize performance of storage usage, server consolidation, and/or uninterrupted file migration.

Hypervisor 124-4 may provide hardware virtualization techniques that allow multiple operating systems (e.g., "guest operating systems") to execute concurrently on a host computer, such as computing resources 124. Hypervisor 124-4 may provide a virtual operating platform to the guest operating systems and may manage the execution of the guest operating systems. Multiple instances of various operating systems may share virtualized hardware resources.

The network 130 includes one or more wired and/or wireless networks. For example, the Network 130 may include a cellular Network (e.g., a fifth generation (5G) Network, a Long Term Evolution (LTE) Network, a third generation (3G) Network, a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) Network, etc.), a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN), a Local Area Network (LAN), a Wide Area Network (WAN), a Metropolitan Area Network (MAN), a Telephone Network (e.g., a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN)), a private Network, an ad hoc Network, an intranet, the internet, a fiber-based Network, etc., and/or a combination of these or other types of networks.

The number and arrangement of devices and networks shown in fig. 1 are provided as examples. In practice, there may be more devices and/or networks, fewer devices and/or networks, different devices and/or networks, or a different arrangement of devices and/or networks than those shown in FIG. 1. Further, two or more of the devices shown in fig. 1 may be implemented within a single device, or a single device shown in fig. 1 may be implemented as multiple distributed devices. Additionally or alternatively, a set of devices (e.g., one or more devices) of environment 100 may perform one or more functions described as being performed by another set of devices of environment 100.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of example components of one or more of the devices of FIG. 1. Device 200 may correspond to user device 110 and/or platform 120. As shown in fig. 2, device 200 may include a bus 210, a processor 220, a memory 230, a storage component 240, an input component 250, an output component 260, and a communication interface 270.

Bus 210 includes components that allow communication among the components of device 200. The processor 220 is implemented in hardware, firmware, or a combination of hardware and software. Processor 220 is a Central Processing Unit (CPU), a Graphics Processing Unit (GPU), an Accelerated Processing Unit (APU), a microprocessor, a microcontroller, a Digital Signal Processor (DSP), a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), or another type of processing component. In some implementations, the processor 220 includes one or more processors that can be programmed to perform functions. Memory 230 includes a Random Access Memory (RAM), a Read Only Memory (ROM), and/or another type of dynamic or static storage device (e.g., flash memory, magnetic memory, and/or optical memory) that stores information and/or instructions for use by processor 220.

The storage component 240 stores information and/or software related to the operation and use of the device 200. For example, storage component 240 may include a hard disk (e.g., a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, and/or a solid state disk), a Compact Disc (CD), a Digital Versatile Disc (DVD), a floppy disk, a cassette tape, a magnetic tape, and/or another type of non-volatile computer-readable medium, and a corresponding drive.

Input components 250 include components that allow device 200 to receive information, such as through user input, for example, a touch screen display, a keyboard, a keypad, a mouse, buttons, switches, and/or a microphone. Additionally or alternatively, input component 250 may include sensors for sensing information (e.g., Global Positioning System (GPS) components, accelerometers, gyroscopes, and/or actuators). Output components 260 include components that provide output information from device 200, such as a display, a speaker, and/or one or more Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs).

Communication interface 270 includes transceiver-like components (e.g., a transceiver and/or a separate receiver and transmitter) that enable device 200 to communicate with other devices, e.g., over a wired connection, a wireless connection, or a combination of wired and wireless connections. Communication interface 270 may allow device 200 to receive information from another device and/or provide information to another device. For example, the communication interface 270 may include an ethernet interface, an optical interface, a coaxial interface, an infrared interface, a Radio Frequency (RF) interface, a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface, a Wi-Fi interface, a cellular network interface, and/or the like.

Device 200 may perform one or more processes described herein. Device 200 may perform these processes in response to processor 220 executing software instructions stored by a non-transitory computer-readable medium, such as memory 230 and/or storage component 240. A computer-readable medium is defined herein as a non-volatile memory device. The memory device includes storage space within a single physical storage device or storage space distributed across multiple physical storage devices.

The software instructions may be read into memory 230 and/or storage component 240 from another computer-readable medium or from another device via communication interface 270. When executed, software instructions stored in memory 230 and/or storage component 240 may cause processor 220 to perform one or more processes described herein. Additionally or alternatively, hardwired circuitry may be used in place of or in combination with software instructions to implement one or more processes described herein. Thus, implementations described herein are not limited to any specific combination of hardware circuitry and software.

The number and arrangement of components shown in fig. 2 are provided as examples. In practice, the device 200 may include more components, fewer components, different components, or a different arrangement of components than those shown in FIG. 2. Additionally or alternatively, a set of components (e.g., one or more components) of device 200 may perform one or more functions described as being performed by another set of components of device 200.

Fig. 3 is an illustration of a media architecture 300 for media uplink streaming. 5G media streaming uplink (5G media streaming uplink, 5GMSu) application provider 301 may use 5GMSu for the uplink streaming service. The 5GMSu Application provider 301 may provide a 5 GMSu-aware Application 302 at the UE 303 to utilize the 5GMSu client 304 and network functions using an Application Program Interface (API) and an Interface defined in the 5 GMSu. The 5GMSu Application Server (AS) may be an Application Server dedicated to 5G media uplink streaming. The 5GMSu client 304 may be an internal function of the UE 303 dedicated to 5G media uplink streaming.

The 5GMSu Application Function (AF) 306 and the 5GMSu AS 305 may be functions of a Data Network (DN) 307. The operator's network may trust functions in the trusted data network. Thus, application functions in the trusted data network can communicate directly with all 5G core functions. Functions in the external data Network can only communicate with the 5G core functions via Network Expose Function (NEF) 308 using link 320.

The media architecture 300 may connect internal functions of the UE 303 and related network functions for 5G media uplink streaming. Thus, the media architecture 300 may include multiple functionalities. For example, the 5GMSu client 304 may be an initiator on the UE 303 accessing the 5GMSu service through an interface/API. The 5GMSu client 304 may comprise two sub-functions, a media session handler 309 and a media streamer 310. The media session handler 309 may communicate with the 5GMSu AF 306 to establish, control, and support delivery of the media session. The media session handler 309 may expose APIs that may be used by the 5GMSu aware application 302. The media streamer 310 may communicate with the 5GMSu AS 305 to stream media content and provide services for media capture and streaming to the 5 GMSu-aware application 302 and services for media session control to the media session processor 309. The 5GMSu aware application 302 may control the 5GMSu client 303 by implementing external application or content service provider specific logic and allowing a media session to be established. The 5GMSu AS 305 may host 5G media functions. The 5GMSu application provider 301 may be an external application or a content specific media function, such as media storage, consumption, transcoding and redistribution using 5GMSu to stream media from the 5GMSu aware application 302. The 5GMSu AF 306 may provide various control functions to the media session processor 309 of the UE 303 and/or to the 5GMSu application provider 301. The 5GMSu AF 306 may relay or initiate requests for different Policy or Charging Function (PCF) 311 processes or interacts with other network functions.

The media architecture 300 may include a number of different interfaces. For example, link 321 may involve M1u, and M1u may be a 5GMSu provisioning API exposed by 5GMSu AF 306 to provide usage of media architecture 300 and obtain feedback. Link 322 may involve M2u, M2u may be a 5GMSu publishing API exposed by the 5GMSu AS 305, and M2u is used when selecting the 5GMSu AS 305 in the trusted data network (e.g., DN307) to receive the content of the streaming service. Link 323 may involve M3u and M3u may be an internal API for exchanging information content hosted on the 5GMSu AS 305 in a trusted data network (e.g., DN 307). Link 324 may involve M4u and M4u may be a media uplink streaming API that is exposed by the 5GMSu AS 323 to the media streamer 310 for streaming media content. Link 325 may involve M5u and M5u may be a media session handling API exposed by the 5GMSu AF 305 to the media session handler, which may perform media session handling, control and assistance, wherein the control and assistance also includes appropriate security mechanisms, such as authorization and authentication. The link 326 may involve M6u, and M6u may be a media session handling API of the UE 303 exposed by the media session handler 309 to the 5GMSu aware application 302, which may use the functionality of 5 GMSu. The link 327 may relate to M7u, M7u may be a UE media streamer API exposed by the media streamer 310 to the 5GMSu aware application 302 and the media session handler 309, the media streamer 310 may be used. The link 328 may involve M8u and M8u may be an application API for exchanging information between the 5 GMSu-aware application 302 and the 5GMSu application provider 301, e.g., providing service access information to the 5 GMSu-aware application 302.

Fig. 4 is a diagram of a media architecture 400 for media downlink streaming. 5G media streaming downlink (5G media streaming downlink, 5GMSd) application provider 401 may use 5GMSd for a downlink streaming service. The 5GMSd application provider 401 may provide a 5GMSd aware application 402 at the UE 403 to use the 5GMSd client 404 and network functions that use the interfaces and APIs defined in 5 GMSd. The 5GMSd Application Server (AS) may be an AS dedicated to 5G media downlink streaming. The 5GMSd client 404 may be a UE 403 internal function dedicated to 5G media downlink streaming.

The 5GMSd Application Function (AF) 406 and the 5GMSd AS 405 may be functions of a Data Network (DN) 407. The operator's network may trust the functionality of the trusted data network. Thus, AFs in a trusted data network can communicate directly with all 5G core functions. Functions in the external data Network can only communicate with the 5G core functions via Network Expose Function (NEF) 408 using link 420.

The media architecture 400 may connect internal functions of the UE 403 and related network functions for 5G media downlink streaming. Thus, the media architecture 400 may include multiple functionalities. For example, the 5GMSd client 404 in the UE 403 may be a recipient of 5GMSd services, where the 5GMSd services may be accessed through an interface/API. The 5GMSd client 404 may include two sub-functions, a media session handler 409 and a media player 410. The media session handler 409 may communicate with the 5GMSd AF 406 to establish, control, and support delivery of the media session. Media session processor 409 may expose the APIs used by 5GMSd aware application 402. The media player 410 may communicate with the 5GMSd AS 405 to stream media content and provide media playback services to the 5GMSd aware application 402 and media session control services to the media session processor 409. The 5GMSd aware application 402 may control the 5GMSd client 403 by implementing external application, or content service provider specific logic, and allowing a media session to be established. The 5GMSd AS 405 may host 5G media functions. The 5GMSd application provider 401 may be an external application or content specific media function, such as media creation, encoding, and formatting using 5GMSd to stream media to the 5GMSd aware application 402. The 5GMSd AF 406 may provide various control functions to the media session processor 409 of the UE 403 and/or to the 5GMSd application provider 401. The 5GMSd AF 406 may relay, or initiate, a request for a different Policy or Charging Function (PCF) 411 to handle or interact with other network functions.

The media architecture 400 may include a number of different interfaces. For example, the link 421 may involve M1d, and M1d may be a 5GMSd provisioning API disclosed by the 5GMSd AF 406 to provide for use of the media architecture 400 and to obtain feedback. Link 422 may involve M2d, M2d may be a 5GMSd extraction API exposed by the 5GMSd AS 405, and M2d is used when selecting the 5GMSd AS 405 in a trusted data network (e.g., DN407) to receive content for a streaming service. Link 423 may involve M3d and M3d may be an internal API for exchanging information content hosted on the 5GMSd AS 405 in a trusted data network (e.g., DN 407). The link 424 may involve M4d, and M4d may be a media downlink streaming API that is exposed by the 5GMSd AS 423 to the media player 410 to stream the media content. The link 425 may involve M5d and M5d may be a media session handling API that is exposed by the 5GMSd AF 405 to the media session handler and may perform media session handling, control and assistance, where the control and assistance also includes appropriate security mechanisms, such as authorization and authentication. The link 426 may involve M6d, M6d may be a media session handling API of the UE 403 disclosed by the media session handler 409 to the 5GMSd aware application 402, which may use the functionality of 5 GMSd. The link 427 may involve M7d, M7d may be the UE media player API exposed by the media player 410 to the 5GMSd aware application 402 and the media session processor 409, which may use the media player 410. Link 428 may involve M8d and M8d may be an application API for exchanging information between 5 GMSd-aware application 402 and 5GMSd application provider 401, e.g., providing service access information to 5 GMSd-aware application 402.

Embodiments may relate to workflows and steps for discovering capabilities of a 5G network by an external entity. However, before media processing is established, the external media application server AS must have knowledge of the media processing capabilities of the Mobile Network Operation (MNO) network. These capabilities may include:

1. available hardware resources including processing units, memory and network elements

2. Throughput and delay spread that a network can provide

3. Libraries of media processing functions, function descriptions and input/output formats for various functions, e.g. for

a. Encoding, transcoding and multi-rate encoding into different formats

b. Inventory generation

c. Encryption and content protection

d. Content replacement, e.g. advertisement insertion

e. Added media, e.g. closed captioning, object detection, content filtering

MNO network resources may vary in different areas and the availability of resources also varies according to the current load on the network. Therefore, MNO networks must measure the availability of resources on request and may not be able to prepare capabilities ahead of time at deployment.

Fig. 5 shows a block diagram of an example of a workflow 500. Wherein the workflow 500 is a workflow between an external application server (e.g. external media AS 503) and a media streaming application function and application servers (e.g. media AS 501 and media AF 502). In an embodiment, the media AS 501 may correspond to, for example, the 5GMSu AS 305 and/or the 5GMSd AS 405. In an embodiment, the media AF 502 may correspond to, for example, the 5GMSu application function AF 306 and/or the 5GMSd AF 406.

According to the workflow 500, the external media AS 503 may request media processing capabilities at operation 5100. At operation 5200, the media AF 502 may request existing hardware resources from at least one media AS 501. In an embodiment, the response from the at least one media AS 501 may vary depending on the availability of resources at the time of the request. In embodiments, the response may be in an internal format or included in a Capability Description Document (CDD). At operation 5300, the media AF 502 collects the responses of the media AS 501, adds functional support and creates a total capability list. At operation 5400, the media AF 502 sends the total capability list to the external media AS 503.

In an embodiment, the workflow 500 may further comprise operations 5500, wherein the external media AS 503 may request processing of the media AF 502. At operation 5600, the media AF 502 may provision at least one media AS 501. At operation 5700, at least one media AF 501 may report readiness. At operation 5800, the media AF 502 may confirm the processing workflow using the external media AS 503.

In an embodiment, the following information may be included in the network capabilities:

1. list of available function libraries and their properties

2. Pre-built media processing workflow list

3. Hardware resource limitations and maximum throughput

Table 1 shows a set of descriptors describing the network capabilities. For example, table 1 may correspond to the Network Based Media Processing (NBMP) standard Based on the Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) Network.

TABLE 1-capability Description (Capabilities Description, CD)

Each row in table 1 may be a descriptor. Each descriptor may comprise a set of parameters, or a set of parameter objects. Each parameter has an exact definition, data type, unit, and scope. These descriptors may be used to describe characteristics of the network capabilities.

As shown in Table 1, the repository descriptor lists the repositories that are supported. Each repository includes a list of supported functions. Alternatively, the function description may be included in the capability description as an array of function descriptions.

Thus, a list of supported functions and their characteristics may be retrieved. These characteristics may include:

1. supported input formats, codecs and codec profiles/levels, resolutions, frame rates

2. Transcoding with format, output codec, codec profile/level, bit rate, etc

3. Is reformatted in the output format and,

4. combinations of streaming of incoming media, such as network-based splicing, mixing,

5. identification or composition of media

In an embodiment, the Capability Description Document (CDD) may be a Document containing a capability Description JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) Object. In an embodiment, the Capability Resource (CR) may be a Representative (REST) Resource that contains the CDD.

Embodiments may relate to a method of discovering 5G network capabilities by an external application server, and a workflow, where the 5G network collects currently available resources from various media servers and describes the total capabilities to the external application server.

Embodiments may relate to a method of describing 5G network capabilities to an external application server, wherein the capabilities are described as a set of descriptors, wherein each descriptor comprises a plurality of parameters describing characteristics of the network including throughput and latency capabilities, processing, storage and network capabilities, lists, and descriptions of supported function repositories and functions.

Embodiments may relate to a method of using a descriptive document that exchanges information between 5G application functions and external application servers using REST APIs.

Fig. 6 is a flow diagram of an example process 600 for decoding an encoded video bitstream. In some embodiments, at least one of the process blocks in fig. 6 may be performed by the media AF 502. In some embodiments, at least one of the process blocks of fig. 6 may be performed by another device or group of devices, wherein the other device or group of devices is separate from the media AF 502 or includes other elements of the media AF 502, such as the 5GMSu AF 306, the 5GMSd AF 406, or the DN307 and DN 407.

As shown in FIG. 6, process 600 may include receiving a capability request from an external application server (step 602). In an embodiment, the external application server may correspond to the external media AS 503.

As further shown in fig. 6, process 600 may include sending an internal capability request to at least one streaming application server (step 604). In an embodiment, the at least one streaming application server may correspond to at least one of the media AS 501, the 5GMSu AS 305 or the 5GMSd AS 405.

As further shown in fig. 6, process 600 may include receiving capability information from at least one streaming application server (step 606).

As further shown in FIG. 6, process 600 may include creating a capability list based on the capability information (step 608).

As further shown in fig. 6, process 600 may include transmitting the capability list to an external application server (step 610).

In an embodiment, the capability information may indicate a media streaming capability of the at least one streaming application server when the at least one streaming application server receives the internal capability request.

In an embodiment, the streaming capability may relate to at least one of available hardware resources, a current throughput, a current delay range, a library of available media processing functions, a functional description of the at least one function and a characteristic of the at least one function.

In an embodiment, the at least one function may include at least one of manifest generation, encryption, content protection, content replacement, closed captioning, object detection, and content filtering.

In an embodiment, the characteristics of the at least one function may include supported input formats, codecs, codec profiles, codec levels, resolutions, frame rates, transcoding formats, bitrates, splicing characteristics, mixing characteristics, media identification characteristics, and media composition characteristics.

In an embodiment, the capability information may be received from at least one streaming application server, wherein the receiving may use an internal format, or a capability description document, or an internal format and capability description document.

In an embodiment, the capability list may be transmitted to the external application server as a set of capability descriptors.

In an embodiment, a capability descriptor set may be included in the capability description document.

In an embodiment, a capability description document may be included in the capability resource.

Although fig. 6 shows example steps of process 600, in some embodiments, process 600 may include more steps, fewer steps, different steps, or a different arrangement of steps than shown in fig. 6. Additionally, or alternatively, at least two steps of process 600 may be performed in parallel.

Furthermore, the proposed method may be implemented by a processing circuit (e.g. at least one processor or at least one integrated circuit). In one example, at least one processor executes a program stored in a non-transitory computer readable medium to perform at least one of the methods set forth.

The techniques described above may be implemented as computer software using computer readable instructions and physically stored on at least one computer readable medium.

The embodiments in this application may be used alone or combined in any order. Further, each embodiment may be implemented by a processing circuit (e.g., at least one processor or at least one integrated circuit). In one example, at least one processor executes a program stored in a non-transitory computer readable medium.

The foregoing disclosure provides illustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the embodiments to the precise form disclosed. Modifications and variations are possible in light of the above disclosure or may be acquired from practice of the implementations.

As used herein, the term "component" is intended to be broadly interpreted as hardware, firmware, or a combination of hardware and software.

Although combinations of features are recited in the claims and/or disclosed in the specification, these combinations are not intended to limit the disclosure of possible embodiments. In fact, many of these features may be combined in ways not specifically recited in the claims and/or disclosed in the specification. Although each dependent claim listed below may be directly dependent on only one claim, the disclosure of possible embodiments includes each dependent claim in combination with every other claim in the set of claims.

No element, act, or instruction used herein should be construed as critical or essential unless explicitly described as such. In addition, as used herein, the articles "a" and "an" are intended to include one or more items and may be used interchangeably with "one or more. Further, as used herein, the term "set" is intended to include one or more items (e.g., related items, unrelated items, combinations of related and unrelated items, etc.) and may be used interchangeably with "one or more. Where only one item is desired, the term "one" or similar language is used. In addition, as used herein, the terms "having", and the like are intended to be open-ended terms. Further, the phrase "based on" is intended to mean "based, at least in part, on" unless explicitly stated otherwise.

Claims

1. A method of managing capabilities of a media streaming network, the method comprising:

receiving a capability request of an external application server;

transmitting an internal capability request to at least one streaming application server;

receiving capability information from the at least one streaming application server;

creating a capability list based on the capability information; and

transmitting the capability list to the external application server.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the capability information indicates media streaming capabilities of the at least one streaming application server when the at least one streaming application server receives the internal capability request.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the streaming capability comprises at least one of: available hardware resources, current throughput, current delay range, available library of media processing functions, a functional description of at least one function, and a characteristic of the at least one function.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the at least one function comprises at least one of: manifest generation, encryption, content protection, content replacement, closed captioning, object detection, and content filtering.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the characteristics of the at least one function include supported input formats, codecs, codec profiles, codec levels, resolutions, frame rates, transcoding formats, bitrates, splicing characteristics, mixing characteristics, media identification characteristics, and media composition characteristics.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the capability information from the at least one streaming application server using an internal format, or a capability description document, or an internal format and capability description document.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting the capability list as a set of capability descriptors to the external application server.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the set of capability descriptors is included in a capability description document.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the capability description document is included in a capability resource.

10. An apparatus for managing capabilities of a media streaming network, the apparatus comprising:

at least one memory for storing program code; and the number of the first and second groups,

at least one processor configured to read the program code and operate according to the instruction of the program code, wherein the program code includes:

first receiving code for causing the at least one processor to receive a capability request of an external application server;

first transmitting code for causing the at least one processor to transmit an internal capability request to at least one streaming application server;

second receiving code for causing the at least one processor to receive capability information from the at least one streaming application server;

creating code for causing the at least one processor to create a capability list based on the capability information; and the number of the first and second groups,

second sending code for causing the at least one processor to transmit the capability list to the external application server.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the capability information indicates media streaming capabilities of the at least one streaming application server when the at least one streaming application server receives the internal capability request.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the streaming capability comprises at least one of: available hardware resources, current throughput, current delay range, available library of media processing functions, a functional description of at least one function, and a characteristic of the at least one function.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the at least one function comprises at least one of: manifest generation, encryption, content protection, content replacement, closed captioning, object detection, and content filtering.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the characteristics of the at least one function comprise supported input formats, codecs, codec profiles, codec levels, resolutions, frame rates, transcoding formats, bitrates, splicing characteristics, mixing characteristics, media identification characteristics, and media composition characteristics.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the at least one processor, when executing the program code, is further configured to receive the capability information from the at least one streaming application server using an internal format, or a capability description document, or an internal format and capability description document.

16. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the at least one processor, when executing the program code, is further configured to transmit the capability list to the external application server as a set of capability descriptors.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the set of capability descriptors is included in a capability description document.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the capability description document is included in a capability resource.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored therein instructions, which when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the method of any one of claims 1 to 9.