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, by a receiver, a request from a user for a unit of video information;
receiving, by the receiver, a plurality of video information streams from a transmitter of an information source, each of which represents the requested unit of video information;
identifying, by the receiver, 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, by the receiver, the identified video information stream to present the unit of video information to the user.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein access points of a first video information stream of the plurality of video information streams are generally more frequent than access points of a second video information stream of the plurality of video information streams.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein access points of a first video information stream of the plurality of video information streams temporally alternate with access points of a 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, and each of the plurality of video information streams is encoded at a same quality level.
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 7 , wherein the information of access point timing comprises information indicating expected time of access point arrival.
9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the information of access point timing comprises information indicating which of at least the first video information stream and the second video information stream is expected to provide the next access point.
10. 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.
11. 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.
12. A system for receiving video information, the system comprising:
at least one hardware module of a receiver device operable to, at least:
receive a request from a user for a unit of video information;
relay the request for the unit of video information to an information source;
responsive to the request, receive a plurality of video information streams from a transmitter of the information source, 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.
13. The system of claim 12 , where access points of a first video information stream of the plurality of video information streams are generally more frequent than access points of a second video information stream of the plurality of video information streams.
14. The system of claim 12 , where access points of a first video information stream of the plurality of video information streams temporally alternate with access points of a second video information stream of the plurality of video information streams.
15. The system of claim 12 , where each of the plurality of video information streams corresponds to a same video channel, and each of the plurality of video information streams is encoded at a same quality level.
16. The system of claim 12 , where the request for a unit of video information comprises a channel change request.
17. The system of claim 12 , wherein the at least one hardware 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.
18. The system of claim 12 , wherein the at least one hardware 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 hardware 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.
19. The system of claim 18 , where the information of access point timing comprises information indicating expected time of access point arrival.
20. The system of claim 18 , where the information of access point timing comprises information indicating which of at least the first video information stream and the second video information stream is expected to provide the next access point.
21. The system of claim 12 , wherein the at least one hardware 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.
22. The system of claim 12 , wherein the at least one hardware module is operable to process a second of the plurality of video information streams to present the unit of video information to the user.
23. The system of claim 12 , wherein the at least one hardware module comprises an interface module, a receiver module and a processor module.