Multistream video communication with staggered access points
View Patent ↗A system and method that provide reduced latency in a video signal processing system. Various aspects of the present invention may comprise transmitting a first video information stream representative of a unit of video information. For example, the transmitted first video information stream may correspond to a video channel. A second video information stream representative of the unit of video information may be transmitted simultaneously with the first video information stream. The second video information stream may also, for example, correspond to the video channel. Various aspects of the present invention may comprise receiving a plurality of simultaneously transmitted video information streams. A video information stream of the plurality of received video information streams may be identified that, when processed, is expected to result in the lowest latency in presenting the unit of video information to the user. The identified video information stream may then be so processed.
1. A method in a video receiving system for receiving video information, the method comprising:
receiving a request from a user for a unit of video information;
receiving a plurality of video information streams, each of which represents the requested unit of video information;
identifying which of the plurality of video information streams, when processed, is expected to result in the lowest latency in presenting the unit of video information to the user; and
processing the identified video information stream to present the unit of video information to the user,
wherein the plurality of video information streams comprises a first video information stream and a second video information stream, where the second video information stream is time-shifted relative to the first video information stream by an amount of time that is less than the average time between access points in the first video information stream.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein access points of the first video information stream of the plurality of video information streams are generally more frequent than access points of the second video information stream of the plurality of video information streams.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein access points of the first video information stream of the plurality of video information streams temporally alternate with access points of the second video information stream of the plurality of video information streams.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of video information streams corresponds to a same video channel.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the request for a unit of video information comprises a channel change request.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving a plurality of video information streams comprises receiving the plurality of video information streams simultaneously over a single multi-stream channel.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving information of access point timing for at least one of the plurality of video information streams, and wherein identifying which of the plurality of video information streams is expected to result in the lowest latency comprises analyzing the received information of access point timing to determine which of the plurality of video information streams is expected to communicate the next access point.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying which of the plurality of video information streams is expected to result in the lowest latency comprises analyzing at least one of the plurality of video information streams to determine access point timing.
9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising processing a second of the plurality of video information streams to present the unit of video information to the user.
10. A system for receiving video information, the system comprising:
at least one module operable to, at least:
receive a request from a user for a unit of video information;
receive a plurality of video information streams, each of which represents the requested unit of video information;
identify which of the plurality of video information streams, when processed, is expected to result in the lowest latency in presenting the unit of video information to the user; and
process the identified video information stream to present the unit of video information to the user,
where the plurality of video information streams comprises a first video information stream and a second video information stream, where the second video information stream is time-shifted relative to the first video information stream by an amount of time that is less than the average time between access points in the first video information stream, and
wherein the at least one module comprises hardware.
11. The system of claim 10 , where access points of the first video information stream of the plurality of video information streams are generally more frequent than access points of the second video information stream of the plurality of video information streams.
12. The system of claim 10 , where access points of the first video information stream of the plurality of video information streams temporally alternate with access points of the second video information stream of the plurality of video information streams.
13. The system of claim 10 , where each of the plurality of video information streams corresponds to a same video channel.
14. The system of claim 10 , where the request for a unit of video information comprises a channel change request.
15. The system of claim 10 , wherein the at least one module is operable to receive a plurality of video information streams by, at least in part, operating to receive the plurality of video information streams simultaneously over a single multi-stream channel.
16. The system of claim 10 , wherein the at least one module is operable to receive information of access point timing for at least one of the plurality of video information streams, and wherein the at least one module is operable to identify which of the plurality of video information streams is expected to result in the lowest latency by, at least in part, operating to analyze the received information of access point timing to determine which of the plurality of video information streams is expected to communicate the next access point.
17. The system of claim 10 , wherein the at least one module is operable to identify which of the plurality of video information streams is expected to result in the lowest latency by, at least in part, operating to analyze at least one of the plurality of video information streams to determine access point timing.
18. The system of claim 10 , wherein the at least one module is operable to process a second of the plurality of video information streams to present the unit of video information to the user.
19. The system of claim 10 , wherein the at least one module comprises an interface module, a receiver module and a processor module.