CN111954068A

CN111954068A - Method and device for video definition switching and electronic device

Info

Publication number: CN111954068A
Application number: CN201910399578.1A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 卢泉鸿
Original assignee: Alibaba Group Holding Ltd
Current assignee: Alibaba Group Holding Ltd
Priority date: 2019-05-14
Filing date: 2019-05-14
Publication date: 2020-11-17
Anticipated expiration: 2039-05-14
Also published as: CN111954068B

Abstract

The invention discloses a method and equipment for video definition switching and electronic equipment. The method comprises the following steps: playing, by the current player, the current video in a first definition using a first rendering thread; and playing, by the new player, the current video at a second definition using the same first rendering thread at a switch time for video definition switching, wherein the second definition is a definition switched from the first definition.

Description

Method and device for video definition switching and electronic device

Technical Field

The present invention relates to the field of video processing technologies, and in particular, to a method and device for video sharpness switching, and a client electronic device.

Background

Currently, when a user watches videos through a player, video data with multiple definitions is often provided for the user to select for the same video. The player is for example a media player in a browser or a media player in a video application such as a short video application.

The user can select proper definition to play the video according to the current network condition of the user, so that the balance between the pause and the definition approved by the user is achieved.

In many cases, the user chooses to switch video sharpness while the current video is playing. When the user switches video definition, the current player playing the video is turned off and a new player is created again to play the video again at the switched definition. Some application software may record the play position of the current player when it is closed and move to that play position in the new player. In this process, the screen of the electronic device may be in a blank, stopped, or blank state, since no content is available for playback. In addition, since the new player cannot start playing from the time of switching, the new player often plays a piece of already played content repeatedly. These all bring a bad use experience to the user.

When the player plays the media data, the player can process the audio and the video in the media data through the rendering thread to play the audio and display the picture of the video.

In the prior art, switching of video sharpness may also be achieved, for example, by data in m3u8 format. However, this approach requires the server to encode the video data into data in the m3u8 format, and cannot perform a switching operation on data in other formats. Similarly, switching of video sharpness may also be achieved based on dynamic adaptive streaming over HTTP (DASH). However, it also requires the server to encode the video data into data in DASH format, and cannot perform switching operation on data in other formats. This poses challenges to the range of applications of the player.

Disclosure of Invention

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new solution for video sharpness switching.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for video sharpness switching, comprising: playing, by the current player, the current video in a first definition using a first rendering thread; and playing, by the new player, the current video at a second definition using the same first rendering thread at a switch time for video definition switching, wherein the second definition is a definition switched from the first definition.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for video sharpness switching, comprising means for performing the steps in the method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a client electronic device comprising a memory and a processor, wherein the memory stores executable instructions and the processor performs the steps in the method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure when the executable instructions are executed by the processor.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the switching of video definition can be made smoother.

Other features of the present invention and advantages thereof will become apparent from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments thereof, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Drawings

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

Fig. 1 is a schematic block diagram of an example of a hardware configuration of a computing system that may be used to implement embodiments of the present disclosure.

Fig. 2 is a schematic flow chart diagram of a method for video sharpness switching according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 3 is a schematic process of switching video sharpness according to one example of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a client-side electronic device according to one example of the present disclosure.

Detailed Description

Various exemplary embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that: the relative arrangement of the components and steps, the numerical expressions and numerical values set forth in these embodiments do not limit the scope of the present invention unless specifically stated otherwise.

The following description of at least one exemplary embodiment is merely illustrative in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its application, or uses.

Techniques, methods, and apparatus known to those of ordinary skill in the relevant art may not be discussed in detail but are intended to be part of the specification where appropriate.

In all examples shown and discussed herein, any particular value should be construed as merely illustrative, and not limiting. Thus, other examples of the exemplary embodiments may have different values.

It should be noted that: like reference numbers and letters refer to like items in the following figures, and thus, once an item is defined in one figure, further discussion thereof is not required in subsequent figures.

Various embodiments and examples according to the present invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

< hardware configuration >

Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of a computing system 1000 that may be used to implement an embodiment of the invention.

As shown in fig. 1, the computing system includes a computing device 1110. Computing device 1110 includes a processor 1120, a system memory 1130, a non-removable non-volatile memory interface 1140, a removable non-volatile memory interface 1150, a user input interface 1160, a network interface 1170, a video interface 1190, and an output peripheral interface 1195, which are connected by a system bus 1121.

The system memory 1130 includes a ROM (read only memory) 1131 and a RAM (random access memory) 1132. A BIOS (basic input output system) 1133 resides in ROM 1131. Operating system 1134, application programs 1135, other program modules 1136, and some program data 1137 reside in RAM 1132.

Non-removable non-volatile memory 1141, such as a hard disk, is connected to non-removable non-volatile memory interface 1140. For example, non-removable, nonvolatile memory 1141 may store an operating system 1144, application programs 1145, other program modules 1146, and some program data 1147.

Removable nonvolatile memory, such as a floppy disk drive 1151 and a CD-ROM drive 1155, is connected to the removable nonvolatile memory interface 1150. For example, a floppy disk may be inserted into the floppy disk drive 1151, and a CD (compact disk) may be inserted into the CD-ROM drive 1155.

Input devices such as a mouse 1161 and keyboard 1162 are connected to the user input interface 1160.

The computing device 1110 may be connected to a remote computing device 1180 through the network interface 1170. For example, the network interface 1170 may connect to the remote computing device 1180 via the local network 1171. Alternatively, the network interface 1170 may connect with a modem (modulator-demodulator) 1172, and the modem 1172 connects with a remote computing device 1180 through a wide area network 1173.

The remote computing device 1180 may include memory 1181, such as a hard disk, that stores remote application programs 1185.

The video interface 1190 is connected to a monitor 1191.

The output peripheral interface 1195 is connected to a printer 1196 and speakers 1197.

The computing system shown in FIG. 1 is illustrative only and is not intended to limit the invention, its application, or uses in any way.

< method >

As shown in fig. 2, in step S2100, a current video is played by a current player in a first definition using a first rendering thread.

At step S2200, at a switch time for video definition switching, the current video is played by the new player with a second definition using the same first rendering thread, wherein the second definition is the definition after switching from the first definition.

Here, switching from the current player to the new player is performed, thereby achieving the switching of the definition. In the switching process, the current player and the new player reuse the same set of rendering threads, so that the switching process is smoother. In this way, seamless switching can be achieved so that the user does not perceive changes in sharpness.

Here, no specific video format is required, and no server involvement is required. The switching of video sharpness may be achieved only by the player of the client. The video playing is not interrupted in the whole switching process. In addition, the resolution switching can be accomplished more precisely at a specific switching time.

Before the switching is performed, a setting operation of the switching may be performed to switch the play definition of the current video from the first definition to the second definition. The desired sharpness may be selected manually by the user; and the proper definition can be automatically selected according to the current network state in a self-adaptive mode without user operation. For example,

for example, in the android system, the play definition of the current video is switched from the first definition to the second definition by the switchVideoPath setting.

In one example, the switching time may also be determined based on the current progress of the current player.

For example, a first current progress of a current player playing a current video is obtained. A new player is initialized. The new player will search for a time after the first current schedule as the desired time to switch. Setting the desired time to the switch time by the current player.

Determining the switching time based on the current progress of the current player further comprises: the new player acquires video data of the current video from the network and decodes the video data to finish preparation processing before rendering; the new player notifies the current player of a preparation completion signal indicating completion of the preparation process and the desired timing; and comparing, by the current player, the second current progress at the time of receipt of the preparation completion signal with the expected time. In this way, the continuity of the switching can be ensured directly, avoiding the situation of repeated playing.

And setting the expected time as the switching time by the current player under the condition that the second current progress is smaller than the expected time.

For example, in the android system, the ready completion signal is the onSwitchVideoReady signal. The desired time may be set to the switching time by a prepareshuttered method.

When the second current progress is larger than the expected time, the current player informs the new player to search again; and the new player will re-search for another time after the second current schedule as the updated expected time. And the current player takes the updated expected time as the switching time. For example, the interval between the updated desired time and the second current schedule is larger than the interval between the original desired interval and the first current schedule. For example, the former is twice as much as the latter. By increasing the size of the interval, the probability of success in determining the switching instant a second time may be increased. It should be noted that the updated desired time is still a time after the first current schedule.

And when the current video played by the current player reaches the switching moment, the current player informs the new player to switch. Playing, by the new player, the current video at the second definition using the same first rendering thread upon receipt of the notification to switch. For example, the notification to switch is an onSwitchVideo signal.

Closing the current player after the new player begins playing the current video. The new player may then be set as the new current player. In this way, the steps described above can be re-performed as necessary to perform the switching of the sharpness again. For example, in the android system, the current player may be turned off after the new player signals an onSwitchVideoDone.

Here, since the same rendering thread is used to perform the sharpness switching, continuity in switching can be ensured, and bad experience brought to a user by interruption or repetition in switching can be avoided.

< apparatus >

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that in the field of electronics, the above-described methods may be embodied in articles of manufacture by software, hardware, and combinations of software and hardware. A person skilled in the art will readily produce an apparatus for video sharpness switching based on the above disclosed method, comprising means for performing the steps in the method according to the above described embodiment. The device may for example be in the form of software. Furthermore, the apparatus may also be implemented using dedicated hardware. Specialized hardware may be specifically designed for sharpness switching and may improve the operating efficiency of the process.

Further, for example, the technical solution according to the present disclosure may be implemented by an electronic device such as a general purpose computing system described in fig. 1. For example, the technical solution may be embodied by a program written based on a language such as C language, Java language. Instructions of the program are stored, for example, in the non-removable, non-volatile memory 1141 or the removable, non-volatile memory, and when executed by the computing system, are read into the system memory 1130, which when executed by the processor 1120, cause the processor 1120 to implement the described techniques.

The described solution may be implemented in one computing device or may be distributed among a plurality of computing devices.

Therefore, here, an electronic device for video sharpness switching may also be implemented. The device comprises a memory and a processor, wherein the memory stores executable instructions and the processor performs the steps in the method according to the above embodiments when the executable instructions are executed by the processor. The electronic device is a client-side electronic device, such as a smart phone, a tablet computer, a smart television, a laptop computer, a desktop computer, and the like.

< example >

Fig. 3 is a schematic process of switching video sharpness according to one example of the present disclosure. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a client-side electronic device according to one example of the present disclosure. For example, the flow shown in FIG. 3 may be performed in the client electronic device shown in FIG. 4 to effect a switch in clarity.

The client electronic device 3000 shown in fig. 4 is, for example, a smartphone. For example, smartphone 3000 is playing current video 3100 using a current player. The current resolution 3201 is 360P. As shown by reference numeral 3202 in fig. 4, the user may also select the definition of 480P, 720P, 1080P. In addition, the smartphone 3000 may also automatically switch to an appropriate definition according to the network condition. The player may be a dedicated player of the client electronic device, or may be a player embedded in a browser webpage of the client electronic device, or may be a player of a media application in the client electronic device.

For example, when the user selects switching from the current resolution 360P to the resolution 720P, the process illustrated in fig. 3 may be performed in the client electronic device 3000. For example, the operating system of the client electronic device 3000 is the android operating system.

As shown in fig. 3, the entry indicates an entry for performing switching control. Media player a represents the current player. Media player B represents the new player. The video player a represents a player for rendering and playing video among the media players a. The video player B represents a player for rendering and playing a video among the media players B. The video consumer represents the video data to be played in the cache.

As shown in fig. 3, in operation 1, at the entry, the external calls switchVideoPath to set the paths of different definition videos, thereby initiating the switching of the definition.

In operation 2, the media player B is initialized.

In operation 3, the portal requests the media player a, which is playing a video, to acquire a current progress. In operation 4, the media player a returns the current progress to the portal.

In operation 5, the entry instructs the media player B to search for a time after the current progress as a desired time to prepare for rendering, for example, a time after 5s from the current progress.

In operation 6, the portal instructs the media player B to play. Next, in operation 7, the media player B instructs the video player B among them to play.

The media player B acquires media data from the network and separates the media data to obtain a video stream, an audio stream, and the like. The video stream is passed to video player B for decoding. In fig. 3, a media player A, B and a video player A, B are shown separately for the purpose of illustrating the process of media data processing in detail. However, embodiments disclosed herein are directed to the processing of video, and thus, a player may represent a portion of the video processing in a media player or a video player.

After the video player B decodes the video stream, the video player B completes the preparation process before rendering. Next, in operation 8, video player B sends a signal to the portal of onSwitchVideoReady and the desired time to prepare for rendering.

Media player a may compare the desired time with the current playing schedule. If the current playing progress is larger than the expected time, the media player B will continue to search forward for a period of time as the expected time.

If the current progress is greater than the desired time, the media player a sets the desired time to its own video player a as a switching time by the preparestopchplayer method in preparation for the switching of the sharpness in

operations

9, 10.

And when the video player A plays to the switching moment, starting to execute the switching of the video playing. In operation 11, the video player a issues an onSwitchVideo signal. In

operations

12, 13, the video player B starts switching of video playback. Here, the rendering object in the original video player a is set in the video player B. In operation 14, the video player B starts playing using the video data in the video consumer.

In operation 15, video player B signals an onSwitchVideoDone that video player B has completed the switch and begins playing the video.

In operation 16, the media player A (and its video player A) is turned off.

In operation 17, settings of the media player are updated. Here, the media player B is set as the new media player a.

Thereafter, when the user selects a new definition again, the above operation may be re-performed to switch to the new definition.

The present invention may be an apparatus, method and/or computer program product. The computer program product may include a computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program instructions embodied therewith for causing a processor to implement various aspects of the present invention.

The computer readable storage medium may be a tangible device that can hold and store the instructions for use by the instruction execution device. The computer readable storage medium may be, for example, but not limited to, an electronic memory device, a magnetic memory device, an optical memory device, an electromagnetic memory device, a semiconductor memory device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. More specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of the computer readable storage medium would include the following: a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, a Random Access Memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), a Static Random Access Memory (SRAM), a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), a Digital Versatile Disc (DVD), a memory stick, a floppy disk, a mechanical coding device, such as punch cards or in-groove projection structures having instructions stored thereon, and any suitable combination of the foregoing. Computer-readable storage media as used herein is not to be construed as transitory signals per se, such as radio waves or other freely propagating electromagnetic waves, electromagnetic waves propagating through a waveguide or other transmission medium (e.g., optical pulses through a fiber optic cable), or electrical signals transmitted through electrical wires.

The computer-readable program instructions described herein may be downloaded from a computer-readable storage medium to a respective computing/processing device, or to an external computer or external storage device via a network, such as the internet, a local area network, a wide area network, and/or a wireless network. The network may include copper transmission cables, fiber optic transmission, wireless transmission, routers, firewalls, switches, gateway computers and/or edge servers. The network adapter card or network interface in each computing/processing device receives computer-readable program instructions from the network and forwards the computer-readable program instructions for storage in a computer-readable storage medium in the respective computing/processing device.

The computer program instructions for carrying out operations of the present invention may be assembler instructions, Instruction Set Architecture (ISA) instructions, machine-related instructions, microcode, firmware instructions, state setting data, or source or object code written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including an object oriented programming language such as Smalltalk, C + + or the like and conventional procedural programming languages, such as the "C" programming language or similar programming languages. The computer-readable program instructions may execute entirely on the user's computer, partly on the user's computer, as a stand-alone software package, partly on the user's computer and partly on a remote computer or entirely on the remote computer or server. In the case of a remote computer, the remote computer may be connected to the user's computer through any type of network, including a Local Area Network (LAN) or a Wide Area Network (WAN), or the connection may be made to an external computer (for example, through the Internet using an Internet service provider). In some embodiments, aspects of the present invention are implemented by personalizing an electronic circuit, such as a programmable logic circuit, a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), or a Programmable Logic Array (PLA), with state information of computer-readable program instructions, which can execute the computer-readable program instructions.

Aspects of the present invention are described herein with reference to flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems) and computer program products according to embodiments of the invention. It will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer-readable program instructions.

These computer-readable program instructions may be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. These computer-readable program instructions may also be stored in a computer-readable storage medium that can direct a computer, programmable data processing apparatus, and/or other devices to function in a particular manner, such that the computer-readable medium storing the instructions comprises an article of manufacture including instructions which implement the function/act specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.

The computer readable program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other devices to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer, other programmable apparatus or other devices to produce a computer implemented process such that the instructions which execute on the computer, other programmable apparatus or other devices implement the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.

The flowchart and block diagrams in the figures illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present invention. In this regard, each block in the flowchart or block diagrams may represent a module, segment, or portion of instructions, which comprises one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical function(s). In some alternative implementations, the functions noted in the block may occur out of the order noted in the figures. For example, two blocks shown in succession may, in fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality involved. It will also be noted that each block of the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, can be implemented by special purpose hardware-based systems which perform the specified functions or acts, or combinations of special purpose hardware and computer instructions. It is well known to those skilled in the art that implementation by hardware, by software, and by a combination of software and hardware are equivalent.

Having described embodiments of the present invention, the foregoing description is intended to be exemplary, not exhaustive, and not limited to the embodiments disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments. The terminology used herein is chosen in order to best explain the principles of the embodiments, the practical application, or improvements made to the technology in the marketplace, or to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed herein. The scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method for video sharpness switching, comprising:

playing, by the current player, the current video in a first definition using a first rendering thread; and

at a switch time for video sharpness switching, the current video is played by the new player at a second sharpness using the same first rendering thread, where the second sharpness is the sharpness after switching from the first sharpness.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

and switching the playing definition of the current video from the first definition to the second definition.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the play sharpness of the current video is switched from the first sharpness to the second sharpness by a switchVideoPath setting.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining the switching time based on the current progress of the current player.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein determining the switch time based on a current progress of a current player further comprises:

acquiring a first current progress of a current player playing a current video;

initializing a new player, wherein the new player takes a moment after the first current progress is searched as an expected moment for switching; and

setting the desired time to the switch time by the current player.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein determining the switch time based on a current progress of a current player further comprises:

the new player acquires video data of the current video from the network and decodes the video data to finish preparation processing before rendering;

the new player notifies the current player of a preparation completion signal indicating completion of the preparation process and the desired timing;

comparing, by the current player, a second current schedule at the time of receipt of the preparation complete signal with the expected time; and

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the ready signal is an onSwitchVideoReady signal.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein setting, by a current player, the desired time to the switch time further comprises: the desired time is set to the switching time by a prepareShortPlayer method.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein determining the switch time based on a current progress of a current player further comprises:

when the second current progress is larger than the expected time, the current player informs the new player to search again;

the new player searches for another moment after the second current progress as an updated expected moment; and

and the current player takes the updated expected time as the switching time.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein playing, by the new player, the current video at the second definition using the same first rendering thread further comprises:

when the current video played by the current player reaches the switching moment, the current player informs a new player to switch; and

playing, by the new player, the current video at the second definition using the same first rendering thread upon receipt of the notification to switch.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the notification to switch is an onSwitchVideo signal.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

closing the current player after the new player starts playing the current video; and

the new player is set as the new current player.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein closing the current player after the new player begins playing the current video further comprises:

turning off the current player after the new player signals an onSwitchVideoDone.

14. An apparatus for video sharpness switching, comprising means for performing the steps in the method according to any one of claims 1-13.

15. A client electronic device comprising a memory and a processor, wherein the memory stores executable instructions and the processor performs steps in the method of any one of claims 1-13 when the executable instructions are executed by the processor.