KR20030052844A - Method for supplying multimedia stream service in the internet - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A method for supplying a multimedia stream service on the Internet is provided to supply a high band width and high quality multimedia stream service for an Internet user without connecting to a server of a service supply company by storing one multimedia stream data file in a plurality of upper layer servers, accessing to the corresponding multimedia stream data file in parallel, and receiving the multimedia stream data file. CONSTITUTION: A multimedia stream data file is divided logically(S400). If a user requests a service with respect to multimedia stream data which are divided logically from an exterior(S401), an edge server or the user terminal receives multimedia stream data of an initial parallel access receiving section from an initial point(S402). If all divided blocks of the initial parallel access receiving section are received, a block size is decided again according as measured speed rates of the stream storing servers(S403). The stream storing servers are arranged and access to the multimedia stream data in parallel according to speed of the servers, and the multimedia stream data are received(S404). If the end of the multimedia stream data file is received(S405), a parallel access receiving procedure is terminated(S405). If a block to be reproduced is greater than the maximum receiving buffer size(S406), the parallel access receiving procedure is temporarily stopped(S407). If a block to be reproduced is smaller than the minimum receiving buffer size from a reproduction position of the multimedia stream data(S408), the block size is adjusted according to receiving speed rates(S403).

Description

Method for supplying multimedia stream service in the internet {Method for supplying multimedia stream service in the internet}

The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for providing multimedia stream data requested by a user in an Internet environment, wherein the multimedia stream data file is divided and stored in edge servers or cache servers of higher layers distributed in the Internet, and played back. The present invention relates to a method for accessing the edge servers or cache servers in parallel to receive high-speed mass multimedia stream data in parallel and to provide the same to Internet users.

Recently, with the explosive growth of the Internet user population, the rapid increase in the number of subscribers to the high-speed Internet, and the development of the Internet technology, the Internet users are increasingly demanding various services with reliable reliability. In other words, in the conventional Internet environment, low-quality free content services have become mainstream, but in recent years, a change in the direction of paid content to guarantee the QoS of the service, according to the various technologies for guaranteeing the QoS of the service to the Internet users Is being developed.

In particular, multimedia data is increasingly large in size and uses high bandwidth. In order to reliably serve such multimedia data to a large number of subscribers, the multimedia data stream can be reproduced even if only a part of it is received instead of using a method of receiving and playing all multimedia data. A method of providing multimedia data in a form to Internet users is used.

In general, the multimedia stream data has a structure in which an Internet user accesses a server of a service company and receives corresponding multimedia stream data. In addition, when using a content distribution network (CDN), the multimedia stream data may be stored in an edge server in advance or cached, so that the multimedia stream may not be directly connected to the service provider's server. It provides the data.

However, in the case of using the content distribution network (CDN), since the multimedia stream data must be stored and serviced in advance at all edge servers around the Internet user, or the multimedia stream service must be provided using a cache, a large storage medium for each server. There arises a problem that is required.

In order to solve this problem, conventionally, only specific popular multimedia stream data is selected and stored or cached at the edge server, so that the multimedia stream data stored at the edge server can be accessed at high speed, and the other multimedia stream data is provided with the original service. It uses a structure that allows service directly from the server of the company.

When multimedia stream data is directly received from the service provider's server, it is impossible to service high-speed multimedia stream data exceeding the speed limit from end to end due to bottlenecks and congestion on the Internet. The interruption frequently occurs during service, and the bandwidth is limited, which causes a problem of deterioration of quality.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems of the prior art, and stores one multimedia stream data file in a plurality of higher layer servers, respectively, and parallels the corresponding multimedia stream data file stored in the higher layer servers. In order to provide a method of providing a high bandwidth and high quality multimedia stream service to an Internet user without directly accessing a server of a service provider by accessing and receiving.

1 is a block diagram showing an example of a multimedia stream data providing system to which the present invention is applied;

2 is a block diagram showing another example of a multimedia stream data providing system to which the present invention is applied;

3 is a detailed view of dividing a file that logically divides a service target file of a multimedia stream data providing system for carrying out the present invention;

4 is a flowchart illustrating a method of providing multimedia stream data according to the present invention.

※ Explanation of code about main part of drawing ※

11, 21: stream storage servers 12: edge server

13: user terminal 22: user terminal

The method for providing a multimedia stream service in the Internet of the present invention for achieving the above object is a method of accessing a plurality of stream storage servers storing the same multimedia stream data in parallel to receive the multimedia stream data in parallel.

Recognizing the stream storage servers, determining an initial parallel access reception section for starting the multimedia data service while determining the size of a parallel access reception unit block, and pausing the parallel access reception after the multimedia data service starts. A preparation step of determining the size of the receiving buffer and the size of the minimum receiving buffer for restarting parallel access reception; When the multimedia stream reproduction request signal is received from the user, the multimedia stream data of the unit block is received by accessing the plurality of stream storage servers in parallel until all the multimedia stream data of the first parallel access reception section are received. An initial parallel access reception step of allowing the stream to be reproduced; A unit block size adjusting step of adjusting the size of the unit block according to the speed of the plurality of stream storage servers; And a parallel access receiving step of accessing the plurality of stream storage servers in parallel to receive the multimedia stream data of the adjusted size block.

In addition, according to the present invention, the system for accessing a plurality of stream storage servers storing the same multimedia stream data in parallel to receive the multimedia stream data in parallel, the method for providing a multimedia stream service in the Internet as described above A computer readable recording medium having recorded thereon a program is provided.

The above objects, features and advantages will become more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a system for providing a multimedia stream service to which the present invention is applied. This accesses a plurality of stream storage servers 11 which divides and stores multimedia stream data, and an edge server 12 which accesses the plurality of stream storage servers 11 in parallel and receives the divided and stored multimedia stream data in parallel. And a user terminal 13 which receives and reproduces multimedia stream data from the edge server 12.

2 is a schematic diagram illustrating another example of a system for providing a multimedia stream service to which the present invention is applied. This includes a plurality of stream storage servers 21 which divide and store multimedia stream data, and a user terminal which accesses the plurality of stream storage servers 21 in parallel to receive and reproduce the multimedia stream data in parallel. 22). Here, the plurality of stream storage servers 21 storing the multimedia stream data may be a server of a client-server structure or a general terminal using peer-to-peer technology.

When the edge server 12 of FIG. 1 and the user terminal 22 of FIG. 2 request multimedia stream data, the edge server 12 of FIG. 1 accesses a plurality of servers 11 and 21 storing the data in parallel to the corresponding multimedia. By receiving stream data in parallel, it provides a multimedia stream service over the Internet.

The operation of providing multimedia stream data of the edge server 12 of FIG. 1 and the user terminal 22 of FIG. 2 will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4 as follows.

FIG. 3 is a detailed view of file division in which the edge server 12 of FIG. 1 and the user terminal 22 of FIG. 2 logically distinguish a service target file in order to carry out the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a multimedia stream data of the present invention. It is an operation flowchart showing a providing method.

First, the edge server 12 or the user terminal 22 recognizes a plurality of stream storage servers 11 and 21 for dividing and storing the multimedia stream data file in the initial step 100, and the multimedia stream data file. Prepare to logically divide the partition, with reference to Figure 3 in detail with respect to the preparation step (S400) for logically partitioning the multimedia stream data file as follows.

First, the edge server 12 or the user terminal 22 determines the size of the block 31, which is a parallel access reception unit, as an integer multiple of the amount of the segment 32 that is the minimum data unit that can be stored / instructed. The first parallel access reception section 33 is determined by a positive integer multiple of. The number of blocks 31 in this initial parallel access reception section 33 is set not to be smaller than the number of stream storage servers 11 and 21. In this preparation step (S400), the size of the minimum receive buffer 34 and the maximum receive buffer 35, which are calculated from the reproduction position 37 of the multimedia stream data, are determined. Here, the method of recognizing the stream storage servers 11 and 21 is implemented using a content routing technology when using a content distribution network (CDN) as shown in FIG. 1, and the user terminal 22 directly as shown in FIG. 2. When performing parallel access, peer-to-peer technology may be used or a user may directly search the stream storage servers 21 and input the location of the corresponding stream storage servers 21. . The method of recognizing such a server is a technical matter currently provided by technologies of a content distribution network (CDN) and a peer-to-peer network, and thus a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

Next, when a user requests a service for multimedia stream data logically divided and separated from the outside (S401), the edge server 12 or the user terminal 22 approaches the stream storage servers 11 and 21 in parallel. In order to receive multimedia stream data in units of blocks, first, multimedia stream data of an initial parallel access reception section 33 is received from an initial time point 36 (S402). Looking at the process (S402) for receiving the multimedia stream data of the first parallel access section 33 in more detail, the edge server 12 or the user terminal 22 is the right block of the first parallel access section 33 ( Starting from a block to be reproduced later, a request is made to transmit a single block to a plurality of stream storage servers for the left block (the block to be reproduced first). After receiving a request for transmission of a block and receiving the corresponding block, the edge server 12 or the user terminal 22 requests a transmission of the divided block that has not been requested to be transmitted to the stream storage server that transmitted the block. That is, each time a block is received, the stream storage server that sends the block is requested to transmit a block that has not been requested in the initial parallel access receiving section. This transmission request operation is performed by all the divided blocks in the initial parallel access receiving section. Until the send request is made.

Subsequently, when all the divided blocks of the first parallel access receiving section are received, the block size is determined again as a ratio of the measured speeds of the stream storage servers (S403). Among the plurality of stream storage servers, the slowest server is allocated the size of the initially determined block, and the rest of the servers are determined by adjusting the block size in proportion to the speed value of the server. At this time, the size of the newly adjusted block is to be an integer multiple of the amount of the segment 32 that is the minimum data unit that can be stored / directed.

After adjusting the size of blocks that can be received at one time by the stream storage servers, the servers are arranged in high-speed order in parallel to receive multimedia stream data. Receive a block located first (block to be reproduced first), and allows the server at a slow speed to receive a block (replayed later) located to the right of the transmission section (S404). If it is recognized that the multimedia stream data file is received until the end of the parallel access reception process (S405), the parallel access reception procedure is finished and the process returns to the preparation step 400.

On the other hand, when the block to be received exceeds the maximum reception buffer size 35 from the playback position 37 of the stream data, it is detected (S406), and the parallel access reception process is temporarily stopped (S407). If the minimum reception buffer size 34 is not reached from the playback position 37 at (S408), the process returns to the step S403 at which the block size is adjusted according to the reception speed.

On the other hand, if the event of changing the search slider position or restarting the play occurs during the series of steps S402 to S408 above (S409), the parallel access receiving procedure is stopped and the user according to the event is stopped. The parallel access reception procedure is performed again from the playback request point.

As described above, the present invention is connected to an origin server of a multimedia stream service provider and receives the multimedia stream service, and only a few high-level stream storage servers or cache servers have a large capacity of multimedia stream data files in advance. And the same multimedia stream data files are accessed in parallel to reduce the network investment cost by reducing the traffic of the Internet backbone, and in constructing a content distribution network (CDN) By eliminating the need for storage on the edge server, the investment in storage devices can be minimized and a reliable Internet can be constructed, which can attract more Internet subscribers and content providers (CP).

The technical advantages of the present invention will be described in more detail. The multimedia stream data files are logically divided and received in parallel from a plurality of servers, so that the multimedia stream data is higher than that of the conventional multimedia stream service. It can serve with bandwidth and multimedia stream service while receiving blocks in parallel. In addition, by resizing the block size according to the speed, the number of negotiations about block access and reception with the server can be reduced, thereby reducing the burden on the network, and when receiving the initial parallel access section, each server receives the first one block for each block. Receives the block from the right (the last block to be played), and after receiving the block, requests the server that sent the block to transmit the next block, thereby starting the service due to a server that is much slower than other servers. This has the advantage of reducing the time delay.

In addition, preferred embodiments of the present invention are disclosed for the purpose of illustration, those skilled in the art will be able to various modifications, changes, additions, etc. within the spirit and scope of the present invention, these modifications, changes, additions, etc. are the patent of the present invention It should be regarded as belonging to the claims.

Claims (9)

In the multimedia stream service providing method in a system for receiving the multimedia stream data in parallel by accessing a plurality of stream storage servers storing the same multimedia stream data in parallel, Recognizing the stream storage servers, determining an initial parallel access reception section for starting the multimedia data service while determining the size of a parallel access reception unit block, and pausing the parallel access reception after the multimedia data service starts. A preparation step of determining the size of the receiving buffer and the size of the minimum receiving buffer for restarting parallel access reception; When the multimedia stream reproduction request signal is received from the user, the multimedia stream data of the unit block is received by accessing the plurality of stream storage servers in parallel until all the multimedia stream data of the first parallel access reception section are received. An initial parallel access reception step of allowing the stream to be played back; A unit block size adjusting step of adjusting the size of the unit block according to the speed of the plurality of stream storage servers; And a parallel access receiving step of accessing the plurality of stream storage servers in parallel to receive the multimedia stream data of the adjusted size block. The parallel access reception according to claim 1, wherein, during the parallel access reception step after the unit block size adjustment step, if the amount of parallel stream received multimedia stream data waiting to be reproduced from the current playback position exceeds the size of the maximum reception buffer. Pausing the step; And returning to the unit block size adjusting step when the amount of parallel-received multimedia stream data waiting to be played is less than the minimum size of the receiving buffer while the parallel access receiving step is paused. Method for providing a multimedia stream service in the. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein when an event requiring reproduction from a specific location occurs during the execution of each step, the current step is stopped and the initial parallel access reception step is performed at the specific location. And parallel access to the multimedia stream data from the specific location. The method of claim 3, wherein the initial parallel access reception step, The unit blocks constituting the initial parallel access reception section are received in parallel to the stream storage servers in the reverse order of the playback order, and when the multimedia stream data of the block requested from any stream storage server is transmitted, the next stream is transmitted to the corresponding stream storage server. Method for providing a multimedia stream service on the Internet, characterized in that the reception request for the block to be received. The method of claim 1, wherein the size of the unit block in the preparation step is set to an integer multiple of the amount of segments that is the minimum data unit that can be stored / directed, The initial parallel access reception interval is set to a positive integer multiple of the unit block, And the number of unit blocks constituting the initial parallel access section is greater than the number of the stream storage servers. The method of claim 1, wherein the parallel approach receiving step, And receiving the multimedia stream data in blocks scaled in parallel from the stream storage servers in the order of playing the multimedia stream data. The method of claim 6, wherein the parallel access receiving step, And receiving a block of multimedia stream data having a rapid reproduction order in order of speed of the stream storage servers. The method according to claim 1, wherein when the multimedia stream data is received, the parallel access reception step is terminated and the process returns to the preparation step. In a system for parallel access to a plurality of stream storage servers storing the same multimedia stream data in parallel to receive the multimedia stream data, Recognizing the stream storage servers, determining an initial parallel access reception section for starting the multimedia data service while determining the size of a parallel access reception unit block, and pausing the parallel access reception after the multimedia data service starts. A preparation step of determining the size of the receiving buffer and the size of the minimum receiving buffer for restarting parallel access reception; When the multimedia stream reproduction request signal is received from the user, the multimedia stream data of the unit block is received by accessing the plurality of stream storage servers in parallel until all the multimedia stream data of the first parallel access reception section are received. An initial parallel access reception step of allowing the stream to be played back; A unit block size adjusting step of adjusting the size of the unit block according to the speed of the plurality of stream storage servers; A computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a program for executing a parallel access receiving step of accessing the plurality of stream storage servers in parallel to receive multimedia stream data of the adjusted size block.