Methods and devices for efficient adaptive bitrate streaming

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11032343-B2
Application number	US-201916594765-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 7, 2019
Priority date	Sep 24, 2012
Publication date	Jun 8, 2021
Grant date	Jun 8, 2021

Abstract

Methods and systems for a content server to select sets of video streams having different encoding parameters for transmitting the sets of video streams to a media device are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, a method for transmitting video streams for a media program from a server to a media device includes: selecting, by the server, first encoding parameters including a first bitrate for a first set of video streams for the media program based on a first estimated bandwidth capacity for a network linking the server and the media device, transmitting the first set of video streams from the server to the media device, determining, by the server, second encoding parameters including a second bitrate for a second set of video streams for the media program, and transmitting the second set of video streams from the server to the media device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for transmitting media streams for media programs, the method comprising:
calculating, using a hardware processor, a first bandwidth capacity for a first network connecting the hardware processor and a first media device;
calculating, using the hardware processor, a second bandwidth capacity for a second network connecting the hardware processor and a second media device;
selecting, using the hardware processor, first encoding parameters for a first set of media streams for a media program to be presented on the first media device based on the first bandwidth capacity and the second bandwidth capacity; and
transmitting the first set of media streams as a plurality of media streams based on the first encoding parameters to the first media device.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving, from the first media device, an indication of an amount of data corresponding to the first set of media streams remaining in a buffer of the first media device in connection with acknowledgement of receipt of the first set of media streams.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
determining updated encoding parameters based on the amount of data remaining in the buffer of the first media device; and
transmitting, to the first media device, a second set of media streams using the updated encoding parameters.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein transmitting the second set of media streams using the updated encoding parameters comprises selecting a playlist file corresponding to the second set of media streams, wherein the playlist file encodes the second set of media streams using a resolution corresponding to the updated encoding parameters and a bitrate corresponding to the updated encoding parameters.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the first encoding parameters include a first temporal length for the first set of media streams, and wherein each media stream in the second set of media streams has a second temporal length different than the first temporal length.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first encoding parameters are selected to be suitable for a bandwidth capacity lower than the first estimated bandwidth capacity.

7. A system for transmitting media streams for media programs, the system comprising:
a memory; and
a hardware processor that:
calculates a first bandwidth capacity for a first network connecting the hardware processor and a first media device;
calculates a second bandwidth capacity for a second network connecting the hardware processor and a second media device;
selects first encoding parameters for a first set of media streams for a media program to be presented on the first media device based on the first bandwidth capacity and the second bandwidth capacity; and
transmits the first set of media streams as a plurality of media streams based on the first encoding parameters to the first media device.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the hardware processor further receives, from the first media device, an indication of an amount of data corresponding to the first set of media streams remaining in a buffer of the first media device in connection with acknowledgement of receipt of the first set of media streams.

9. The system of claim 8 , further comprising:
determining updated encoding parameters based on the amount of data remaining in the buffer of the first media device; and
transmitting, to the first media device, a second set of media streams using the updated encoding parameters.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein transmitting the second set of media streams using the updated encoding parameters comprises selecting a playlist file corresponding to the second set of media streams, wherein the playlist file encodes the second set of media streams using a resolution corresponding to the updated encoding parameters and a bitrate corresponding to the updated encoding parameters.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the first encoding parameters include a first temporal length for the first set of media streams, and wherein each media stream in the second set of media streams has a second temporal length different than the first temporal length.

12. The system of claim 7 , wherein the first encoding parameters are selected to be suitable for a bandwidth capacity lower than the first estimated bandwidth capacity.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing computer executable instructions that, when executed by a hardware processor, cause the hardware processor to perform a method for transmitting media streams for media programs, the method comprising:
calculating a first bandwidth capacity for a first network connecting the hardware processor and a first media device;
calculating a second bandwidth capacity for a second network connecting the hardware processor and a second media device;
selecting first encoding parameters for a first set of media streams for a media program to be presented on the first media device based on the first bandwidth capacity and the second bandwidth capacity; and
transmitting the first set of media streams as a plurality of media streams based on the first encoding parameters to the first media device.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , further comprising receiving, from the first media device, an indication of an amount of data corresponding to the first set of media streams remaining in a buffer of the first media device in connection with acknowledgement of receipt of the first set of media streams.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14 , further comprising:
determining updated encoding parameters based on the amount of data remaining in the buffer of the first media device; and
transmitting, to the first media device, a second set of media streams using the updated encoding parameters.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein transmitting the second set of media streams using the updated encoding parameters comprises selecting a playlist file corresponding to the second set of media streams, wherein the playlist file encodes the second set of media streams using a resolution corresponding to the updated encoding parameters and a bitrate corresponding to the updated encoding parameters.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the first encoding parameters include a first temporal length for the first set of media streams, and wherein each media stream in the second set of media streams has a second temporal length different than the first temporal length.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the first encoding parameters are selected to be suitable for a bandwidth capacity lower than the first estimated bandwidth capacity.

Assignees

• Google Technology Holdings LLC

Inventors

• Ramamurthy Arjun
• Luthra Ajay

Classifications

• H04N21/234354 Primary

  by altering signal-to-noise ratio parameters, e.g. requantization · CPC title

• H04L65/762 Primary

  at the source  (reformatting of additional data in video distribution servers H04N21/2355) · CPC title

• H04L65/613

  for the control of the source by the destination (control signals issued by the client directed to the server or network components specially adapted for selective content distribution H04N21/637) · CPC title

• H04N21/234363

  by altering the spatial resolution, e.g. for clients with a lower screen resolution · CPC title

• H04L47/25

  with rate being modified by the source upon detecting a change of network conditions · CPC title