Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Hong-Hui Sun

Jin Li

Qian Zhang

Hu Li

Heung-Yeung Shum

Xianoning Ling

Min-Sheng Wu

Shipeng Li

Regis J Crinon

Guobin Shen

Hua Cai

Guangping Gao

Baogang Yao

Xiaoning Ling

Ze-wen Zhang

Methods and systems for providing random access of structured media content are described. One aspect provides a novel file structure or 'Vfile', and method of using the same, for organizing and managing portions of a structured media content file that are or can be downloaded from a content provider such as a multimedia content server. The Vfile is configured to emulate a server file structure that a server uses to store structured media content files. The Vfile is established at a client location when a client accesses a structured media content file and is used to buffer and cache structured media content file portions. In addition, the Vfile includes one or more media management tags. The tags are used by the client to manage a cache of structured media content file portions that are downloaded from the server.

Methods and systems for providing random access to structured media content

The techniques and mechanisms described herein are directed at transmitting elementary streams in a broadcast environment. The mechanisms provide a buffer controller and packet scheduler that allow a media format to be transmitted through the broadcasting environment in a manner resulting in a low channel switch delay. A buffer-fullness indicator allows the operation with various types of decoders. A lower bound and an upper bound are calculated for each frame within the elementary stream. The lower bound corresponds to an earliest time for sending the frame without causing an overflow condition within a decoder buffer. The upper bound corresponds to a latest time for sending the frame without causing an underflow condition within the decoder buffer. A send time is then scheduled based on the lower bound and the upper bound that determines when a packet associated with the frame is transmitted over a channel in a broadcast environment.

Mechanism for transmitting elementary streams in a broadcast environment

With an image-based rendering (IBR) system based on linear interpolated concentric mosaics, an observer is able to wander through a real or synthesized scene and have new view images (optionally including stereo images) of the scene rendered as the observer moves. According to one embodiment, multiple viewing rays are extended in a viewing direction from the image to be rendered at a view point. For viewing rays that do not coincide with captured images, an image is generate based on the captured images. The image is generated by interpolating between at least two captured images based on a constant distance to objects in the scene. The view images that are displayed can be mono or stereo (e.g., simulating a pair of eyes of the observer).

Method and system for rendering concentric mosaics

Methods and systems for providing random access to structured media content are described. The described methods and systems implement one or more of an importance evaluator module, a priority evaluator module, and a preemptive loader module. The importance evaluator assigns importance values to different portions of a structured media content file. The importance values are used to determine whether to remove individual portions of the structured media content file from a client cache file to make room for other more important file portions. The priority evaluator assigns priority values to different portions of a structured media content file. The priority values are used to determine an order in which the portions are to be provided from a server to a client. The preemptive loader preemptively facilitates provision of one or more portions of a structured media content file to a client, without the client specifically requesting so.

With an image-based rendering (IBR) system based on linear interpolated concentric mosaics, an observer is able to wander through a real or synthesized scene and have new view images (optionally including stereo images) of the scene rendered as the observer moves. According to one embodiment, multiple viewing rays are extended in a viewing direction from the image to be rendered at a view point. For viewing rays that do not coincide with captured images, an image is generated based on the captured images. The image is generated by interpolating between at least two captured images based on a constant distance to objects in the scene. The view images that are displayed can be mono or stereo (e.g., simulating a pair of eyes of the observer).

Methods and systems for providing random access of structured media content are described. One aspect provides a novel file structure or &ldquo;Vfile&rdquo;, and method of using the same, for organizing and managing portions of a structured media content file that are or can be downloaded from a content provider such as a multimedia content server. The Vfile is configured to emulate a server file structure that a server uses to store structured media content files. The Vfile is established at a client location when a client accesses a structured media content file and is used to buffer and cache structured media content file portions. In addition to having an infrastructure that emulates the server's file structure, the Vfile includes one or more media management tags. The tags are used by the client to manage a cache of structured media content file portions that are downloaded from the server. Exemplary tags include, but are not limited to (1) a validity tag that indicates whether a particular portion of a structured media content file is available in the Vfile cache, (2) a hit count tag that gives an indication of how many times a particular portion has been accessed, (3) an importance tag that gives a weight to the hit count and determines how long the portion can stay in cache, and (4) a lock tag that indicates whether or not to lock selected structured media content file portions in the Vfile. Cache management strategies make use of the management tags to ensure that relevant portions of the media file are maintained by the client for as long as they are needed. Those file portions that are needed, but which are not present in the Vfile, can be streamed to the client by the server while those file portions that are present are used to render a view for the user.

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Beijing, China

Hong-Hui Sun