Nonessential input, output and task signaling in workflows on cloud platforms

1. A method performed by at least one processor, the method comprising:

deriving a network based media processing (NBMP) workflow;

obtaining at least one first syntax element indicating that at least one task included in the NBMP workflow, at least one input received by the at least one task, or at least one output generated by the at least one task, is nonessential;

determining a plurality of essential tasks based on the at least one first syntax element;

assigning the plurality of essential tasks to at least one from among a media sink, a media source, and a media processing entity included in the NBMP workflow; and

obtaining a step descriptor including at least one second syntax element indicating parallel processing information of at least one media segment associated with the NBMP workflow,

wherein the assigning comprises assigning the plurality of essential tasks based on the parallel processing information, and

wherein the at least one second syntax element comprises a second flag indicating that durations of media segments may vary, and a second parameter indicating a maximum duration of the durations.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one first syntax element comprises a first flag included in a general descriptor of the at least one task, and

wherein the first flag indicates that the at least one task is nonessential.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of essential tasks are determined based on the first flag.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one first syntax element comprises a first parameter included in an output descriptor of the at least one output, and

wherein the first parameter indicates that the at least one output is nonessential.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of essential tasks are determined based on the first parameter.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one second syntax element comprises a third parameter that indicates at least one of a temporal overlap of the at least one media segment, a number of dimensions of the at least one media segment, a description of the dimensions of the at least one media segment, or an overlap of the dimensions of the at least one media segment.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising obtaining a function restrictions list corresponding to an instance of a function included in the NBMP workflow,

wherein the function restrictions list includes a blacklist array that specifies descriptors excluded for the instance of the function in a workflow description document corresponding to the NBMP workflow.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the function restrictions list is a first function restrictions list, and the instance of the function is a first instance of the function, and

wherein a second function restrictions list corresponding to a second instance of the function does not include the blacklist array.

9. A workflow manager of a media system, the workflow manager comprising:

at least one processor; and

memory comprising computer code, the computer code comprising:

workflow deriving code configured to cause the at least one processor to derive a network based media processing (NBMP) workflow;

first obtaining code configured to cause the at least one processor to obtain at least one first syntax element indicating that at least one task included in the NBMP workflow, at least one input received by the at least one task, or at least one output generated by the at least one task, is nonessential;

determining code configured to cause the at least one processor to determine a plurality of essential tasks based on the at least one first syntax element;

assigning code configured to cause the at least one processor to assign the plurality of essential tasks to at least one from among a media sink, a media source, and a media processing entity included in the NBMP workflow; and

second obtaining code configured to cause the at least one processor to obtain a step descriptor including at least one second syntax element indicating parallel processing information of at least one media segment associated with the NBMP workflow,

wherein the assigning code is further configured to cause the at least one processor to assign the plurality of essential tasks based on the parallel processing information, and

wherein the at least one second syntax element comprises a second flag indicating that durations of media segments may vary, and a second parameter indicating a maximum duration of the durations.

10. The workflow manager of claim 9 , wherein the at least one first syntax element comprises a first flag included in a general descriptor of the at least one task, and

wherein the first flag indicates that the at least one task is nonessential.

11. The workflow manager of claim 10 , wherein the determining code is further configured to cause the at least one processor to determine the plurality of essential tasks based on the first flag.

12. The workflow manager of claim 9 , wherein the at least one first syntax element comprises a first parameter included in an output descriptor of the at least one output, and

wherein the first parameter indicates that the at least one output is nonessential.

13. The workflow manager of claim 12 , wherein the determining code is further configured to cause the at least one processor to determine the plurality of essential tasks based on the first parameter.

14. The workflow manager of claim 9 , wherein the at least one second syntax element comprises a third parameter that indicates at least one of a temporal overlap of the at least one media segment, a number of dimensions of the at least one media segment, a description of the dimensions of the at least one media segment, or an overlap of the dimensions of the at least one media segment.

15. The workflow manager of claim 9 , wherein the computer code further comprises third obtaining code configured to cause the at least one processor to obtain a first function restrictions list corresponding to a first instance of a function included in the NBMP workflow,

wherein the first function restrictions list includes a blacklist array that specifies descriptors excluded for the first instance of the function in a workflow description document corresponding to the NBMP workflow, and

wherein a second function restrictions list corresponding to a second instance of the function does not include the blacklist array.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer code that is configured to, when executed by at least one processor that implements a workflow manager of a media system, cause the at least one processor to:

derive a network based media processing (NBMP) workflow;

obtain at least one first syntax element indicating that at least one task included in the NBMP workflow, at least one input received by the at least one task, or at least one output generated by the at least one task, is nonessential;

determine a plurality of essential tasks based on the at least one first syntax element;

assign the plurality of essential tasks to at least one from among a media sink, a media source, and a media processing entity included in the NBMP workflow; and

obtain a step descriptor including at least one second syntax element indicating parallel processing information of at least one media segment associated with the NBMP workflow,

wherein the computer code is configured to, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to assign the plurality of essential tasks based on the parallel processing information, and

wherein the at least one second syntax element comprises a second flag indicating that durations of media segments may vary, and a second parameter indicating a maximum duration of the durations.