Systems and methods for quick start-up of playback

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10075292-B2
Application number	US-201615085598-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 30, 2016
Priority date	Mar 30, 2016
Publication date	Sep 11, 2018
Grant date	Sep 11, 2018

Abstract

Systems and methods for quick start-up of playback in accordance with embodiments of the invention are disclosed. Media content may be encoded in a plurality of alternative streams and a quick start-up stream. The quick start-up stream may include media content that is encoded at a lower quality that the alternative streams and may be encrypted with a different, less secure encryption process than that of the alternative streams. During a start-up of playback, the playback device streams the media content from a quick start-up stream until a metric, such as a decryption key for the alternative streams is met. The device then streams the media content from the alternative streams in response to the metric being met.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A method for fast startup of video playback of encoded media content using at least two video streams, where the media is encoded as at least a first video stream and a second video stream, the method comprising:
receiving information for a plurality of encrypted alternative streams and a quick start-up stream of media content in the playback device from a content provider system over a network, where the plurality of encrypted alternative streams are encoded at various bitrates, resolutions, and frame rates and the media content in each particular stream of the plurality of encrypted alternative streams has a particular quality based upon at least one of the bitrate, resolution of, and frame rate of the particular stream and the quality of media content in the quick start-up stream has a lesser quality than the video content of each of the plurality of encrypted alternative streams;
requesting a decryption key for decrypting at least one encrypted alternative stream of the plurality of encrypted alternative streams from an authentication system over the network using the playback device in response to receiving the information for the plurality of encrypted alternative streams;
commencing streaming of the media content in the quick start-up stream from the content provider system over the network using the playback device;
determining a metric has been met using the playback device upon receiving the decryption key for the decryption process from the authentication system; and
commencing streaming of media content in one of the plurality of encrypted alternative streams from the content provider system over the network using the playback device in response to a determination that the metric has been met.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one stream of the plurality of encrypted alternative streams is encrypted using a first encryption process and the quick start-up stream is encrypted using a second encryption process that is less secure than the first encryption process and the method further comprises:
obtaining a decryption key for the second encryption process in response to receiving the information for the quick start-up stream using the playback device; and
decoding the media content from the quick start-up stream with the second decryption key using the playback device in response to receiving the media content in the quick start-up stream.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the second decryption key is read from the information received for the quick start-up stream by the playback device.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein obtaining the second decryption key comprises:
reading decryption information for the second encryption process from the information received for the quick start-up key using the playback device;
requesting the decryption key from the second encryption process from a content provider system over the network using the playback device; and
receiving the decryption key for the second decryption process from the content provider system in the playback device.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining that the metric is met further comprises determining at least one of a specified amount of video content is received using the quick start-up stream, and a certain amount of time has elapsed.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
determining a specific portion of the media content is a start position for playback of the media content using the playback device; and
wherein the playback device commences streaming the media content from the determined specific portion in the quick start-up stream.

7. A playback device comprising:
a memory;
a network interface; and
a processor that reads instructions stored in the memory that direct the processor to:
request information for media content from a content provider system over the network;
receive information for a plurality of encrypted alternative streams and a quick start-up stream of media content from the content provider system over the network where the plurality of encrypted alternative streams are encoded at various bitrates, resolutions, and frame rates and the media content in each particular stream of the plurality of encrypted alternative streams has a particular quality based at least one of the bitrate, resolution of, and frame rate of the particular stream and the quality of media content in the quick start-up stream has a lesser quality than the video content of each of the plurality of encrypted alternative streams, wherein the plurality of encrypted alternative streams are encrypted using an encryption process;
request a decryption key for an encryption process from an authentication system over the network using the playback device in response to receiving the information for the plurality of encrypted alternative streams;
commence streaming of the media content in the quick start-up stream from a content provider system over the network;
determine a metric has been met upon receiving the decryption key for the decryption process from the authentication system; and
commence streaming of media content in one of the plurality of encrypted alternative streams from a content provider system over the network using the playback device in response to a determination that the metric has been met.

8. The playback device of claim 7 , wherein at least one stream of the plurality of encrypted alternative streams is encrypted using a first encryption process and the quick start-up stream is encrypted using a second encryption process that is less secure than the first encryption process and the method further comprises:
obtaining a decryption key for the second encryption process in response to receiving the information for the quick start-up stream; and
decoding the media content from the quick start-up stream using the second decryption key in response to receiving the media content in the quick start-up stream.

9. The playback device of claim 8 , wherein the second decryption key is read from the information received for the quick start-up stream.

10. The playback device of claim 8 , wherein the instructions direct the processor to obtain the second decryption key by:
reading decryption information for the second encryption process from the information received for the quick start-up key;
requesting the decryption key from the second encryption process from a content provider system over the network; and
receiving the decryption key for the second decryption process from the content provider system.

11. The playback device of claim 7 , wherein determining that the metric is met further comprises determining at least one of a specified amount of video content is received using the quick start-up stream, and a certain amount of time has elapsed.

12. The playback device of claim 7 wherein the instructions further direct the processor to:
determine a specific portion of the media content is a start position for playback of the media content; and
wherein the playback device commences streaming the media content from the determined specific portion in the quick start-up stream.

13. A non-transitory machine readable medium containing processor instructions, where execution of the instructions by a processor causes the processor to perform a process comprising:
receiving information for a plurality of encrypted alternative streams and a quick start-up stream of media content from a content provider system over a network, where the plurality of encrypted alternative streams are encoded at various bitrates, resolutions, and frame rates and the media content in each particular stream of the plurality of encrypted alter

Assignees

• Sonic Ip Inc
• Divx Llc

Inventors

• Amidei William David
• Braness Jason
• Dobrin Cristina

Classifications

• H04L9/0819 Primary

  Key transport or distribution, i.e. key establishment techniques where one party creates or otherwise obtains a secret value, and securely transfers it to the other(s) (network architectures or network communication protocols for key distribution in a packet data network H04L63/062) · CPC title

• H04L65/601

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04L67/02 Primary

  based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP] · CPC title

• H04L65/756

  adapting media to device capabilities · CPC title

• H04L65/752

  adapting media to network capabilities · CPC title