Streaming and downloading of content

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11888917-B2
Application number	US-202218070075-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 28, 2022
Priority date	Mar 1, 2013
Publication date	Jan 30, 2024
Grant date	Jan 30, 2024

Abstract

Methods, apparatuses, systems, and software are described for providing content to a device comprising streaming content and sending content in a non-streaming manner (e.g., by downloading a file containing the content). In some aspects, switching between streaming and downloading may be performed in a dynamic manner during presentation of the content, and may be seamless to the user's viewing experience.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A first computing device comprising:
one or more processors; and
memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the first computing device to:
receive, at a first time, and via streaming from a second computing device, a content item;
determine, at a second time, that a quality of the streaming falls below a threshold quality;
receive, based on the determining and via downloading from the second computing device, at a same level of video quality as the streaming at the first time, the content item; and
stop, based on determining that a threshold amount of the content item has been downloaded, the streaming.

2. The first computing device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the first computing device to:
output, for display, the content item.

3. The first computing device of claim 1 , wherein the streaming is via a communications link, wherein the downloading is via the communications link, and wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the first computing device to:
determine a usage of the communications link; and
initiate, based on the determined usage, the downloading.

4. The first computing device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the first computing device to stop by:
stopping, during the downloading, the streaming; and
continuing the downloading after stopping the streaming.

5. The first computing device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the first computing device to:
receive via streaming by receiving a first portion of the content item; and
receive via downloading by receiving a second portion of the content item.

6. The first computing device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the first computing device to:
request, from the second computing device, the content item.

7. The first computing device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the first computing device to:
receive via streaming by receiving via multicast transmission; and
receive via downloading by receiving via unicast transmission.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed, cause:
receiving, by a first computing device, at a first time, and via streaming from a second computing device, a content item;
determining, at a second time, that a quality of the streaming falls below a threshold quality;
receiving, based on the determining and via downloading from the second computing device, at a same level of video quality as the streaming at the first time, the content item; and
stopping, based on determining that a threshold amount of the content item has been downloaded, the streaming.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause:
outputting, for display, the content item.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the streaming is via a communications link, wherein the downloading is via the communications link, and wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause:
determining a usage of the communications link; and
initiating, based on the determined usage, the downloading.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the stopping by:
stopping, during the downloading, the streaming; and
continuing the downloading after stopping the streaming.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause:
the receiving via streaming by receiving a first portion of the content item; and
the receiving via downloading by receiving a second portion of the content item.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause:
requesting, from the second computing device, the content item.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause:
the receiving via streaming by receiving via multicast transmission; and
the receiving via downloading by receiving via unicast transmission.

15. A second computing device comprising:
one or more processors; and
memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the second computing device to:
send, at a first time, and via streaming to a plurality of computing devices, a content item;
receive, at a second time, and from a first computing device of the plurality of computing devices, an indication that a quality of the streaming falls below a threshold quality; and
send, based on the indication, via uploading to the first computing device, and at a same level of video quality as the streaming at the first time, the content item.

16. The second computing device of claim 15 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the second computing device to stop, based on determining that a threshold amount of the content item has been uploaded, the streaming.

17. The second computing device of claim 16 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the second computing device to stop by:
stopping, during the uploading, the streaming; and
continuing the uploading after stopping the streaming.

18. The second computing device of claim 15 , wherein the streaming is via a communications link, wherein the uploading is via the communications link, and wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the second computing device to:
determine a usage of the communications link; and
initiate, based on the determined usage, the uploading.

19. The second computing device of claim 15 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the second computing device to:
send via streaming by sending a first portion of the content item; and
send via uploading by sending a second portion of the content item.

20. The second computing device of claim 15 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the second computing device to:
send via streaming by sending via multicast transmission; and
send via uploading by sending via unicast transmission.

21. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed, cause:
sending, by a second computing device, at a first time, and via streaming to a plurality of computing devices, a content item;
receiving, at a second time, and from a first computing device of the plurality of computing devices, an indication that a quality of the streaming falls below a threshold quality; and
sending, based on the indication, via uploading to the first computing device, and at a same level of video quality as the streaming at the first time, the content item.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 21 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause stopping, based on determining that a threshold amount of the content item has been uploaded, the streaming.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable storage me

Assignees

• Comcast Cable Comm Llc

Inventors

• Bradley Bruce
• Knee Robert

Classifications

• H04L65/762 Primary

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

• H04L65/80 Primary

  Responding to QoS · CPC title

• H04N21/2407

  Monitoring of transmitted content, e.g. distribution time, number of downloads (arrangements for monitoring programmes for broadcast or for distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/14) · CPC title

• H04N21/26216

  involving the channel capacity, e.g. network bandwidth (admission control, resource allocation in open networks H04L12/5692; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; establishing a schedule or organising the servicing of application requests taking into account QoS H04L67/61) · CPC title

• H04N21/472

  End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content {(end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612)} · CPC title