Harmonic, Inc.

Eric Le Bars

Arnaud Mahe

Christophe Berthelot

David Henry

Jeremy Cole Rosenberg

Neven Haltmayer

Samuel Vermeulen

Benoit Oger

Dynamically allocating virtual or physical CPU cycles for use in processing a video stream. Video complexity information for two or more digital video streams actively being processed by one or more video encoders is determined at periodic intervals. Video complexity information describes the complexity of digital video carried by the digital video streams across a bounded number of consecutive digital frames which includes digital frames not yet processed by the one or more video encoders. A determination is made as to whether a number of CPU cycles allocated for processing a particular digital video stream should be adjusted based on the determined video complexity information. The number of CPU cycles allocated for processing the particular digital video stream may be dynamically adjusted by changing an amount of CPU cycles allocated to a virtual machine in which the stream is processed or by processing the stream in a different virtual machine.

Dynamic allocation of virtual and/or physical resources vis-a-vis virtual machines in video stream processing

A scheduler of computer processes. The scheduler obtains predictions of a computing load of at least one multimedia process comprising real time video encoding or transcoding of a video in real time, including predictions of a target index of video quality to deliver the video over a period of time. Predictions of available computing capacities of a cluster are also retrieved. A determination is made, based on the predictions of the computing load and the predictions of the available computing capacities, of a processing capability to allocate the at least one multimedia process during the period of time. At least one virtual environment is created for the at least one multimedia process. The computing capacity of the at least one virtual environment is adapted to the predictions of the computing load of the at least one multimedia process during the period of time.

Scheduler of processes having timed predictions of computing loads

Approaches for dynamically allocating CPU cycles for use in processing a video stream. Video complexity information for two or more digital video streams actively being processed by one or more video encoders is determined at periodic intervals. Video complexity information describes the complexity of digital video carried by the digital video streams across a bounded number of consecutive digital frames which includes digital frames not yet processed by the one or more video encoders. A determination is made as to whether a number of CPU cycles allocated for processing a particular digital video stream should be adjusted based on the determined video complexity information. The number of CPU cycles allocated for processing the particular digital video stream may be dynamically adjusted by changing an amount of CPU cycles allocated to a virtual machine in which the stream is processed or by processing the stream in a different virtual machine.

Dynamic allocation of CPU cycles vis-a-vis virtual machines in video stream processing

A video splicer combines a first video stream, encoded in accordance with a block based coding algorithm, with a second video stream. A header processor detects a key position picture in each of a plurality of sequential GOPs of the first stream and determines a presentation time for each key position picture in each GOP in the first stream. A timing mapper identifies a respective image in the second stream having a presentation time corresponding to a key position picture of the first stream. An encoder encodes the second stream in accordance with the block based coding algorithm. A new GOP is started with the respective image in the second stream having a presentation time corresponding to the key position picture of the first stream. A switcher switches between outputting the first stream and the encoded second stream by a signal from the timing mapper.

Video stream splicing

A scheduler of computer processes. The scheduler comprises first processing logic configured to obtain predictions of a computing load of a computer process to allocate. Predictions are associated with a period of time. The processing logic retrieves predictions of available computing capacities for the period of time, and determines, based on the predictions, a processing capability to allocate at least one computer process during the period of time. The scheduler may comprise second processing logic configured to create at least one Operating-System-Level virtual environment, for a computer program, that has a computing capacity equal to or higher than the predicted computing load of at least one computer process to allocate at a start of the period of time. The second processing logic may adapt the computing capacity of an Operating-System-Level virtual environment to the predictions of the computing load of at least one computer process during the period of time.

The estimation of a computing capacity of a machine. The computing capacity is estimated by iteratively adding and removing calibrated computer processes on the machine, and performing a sum of computing loads of processes that execute on the machine. In order to characterize the ability of a machine to run in parallel a number of processes having a defined computing load, the processes are associated to a condition of success.

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Geveze, France

Eric Le Bars