Bit rate stream switching
AssigneeNetflix, Inc.
InventorsChung-Ping Wu, Christian Kaiser, Yung-Hsiao Lai, James Mitch Zollinger, David Randall Ronca
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Embodiments for changing bit rates in streaming media are provided. As portions of a streaming media file are downloaded for playback, the size of the portion is compared with an expected size determined prior to initiating playback of streaming AV data. The portion of the media file may be padded such that the size of the portion matches the size specified prior to initiating playback of streaming AV data.
Claims20
A method, comprising:
- downloading from a content server a first clip file associated with a first encoded version of a media title encoded at a first bit rate, wherein the first clip file includes a first plurality of groups of pictures (GOPs);
- determining that a first GOP included in the first plurality of GOPs has a size that is less than a size indicated in a first clip information file corresponding to the first clip file, wherein the size comprises an expected length for GOPs included in the first clip file;
- padding the first GOP with one or more null packets to produce a first padded GOP that has a size equal to the size indicated in the clip information file;
- and
- playing back the first clip file, including the first padded GOP, to display a first portion of the media title.
The method of 8, wherein each clip information file included in the playlist information file stores an indication of the largest encoded size for one or more sequential portions of the media title.
A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform the steps of:
- downloading from a content server a first clip file associated with a first encoded version of a media title encoded at a first bit rate, wherein the first clip file includes a first plurality of groups of pictures (GOPs);
- for each GOP included in the first plurality of GOPs, determining whether the GOP has a size that is less than a size indicated in a first clip information file corresponding to the first clip file, wherein the size comprises an expected length for GOPs included in the first clip file;
- and
- for each GOP included in the first plurality of GOPs having a size that is less than the size indicated in the first clip information file, padding the GOP to produce a padded GOP that has a size equal to the size indicated in the clip information file,
- wherein the first clip file, including each padded GOP, is played back to display a first portion of the media title.
The non-transitory computer-readable medium of 17, wherein each clip information file included in the playlist information file stores an indication of the largest encoded size for one or more sequential portions of the media title across multiple encoded versions of the media title.
A system, comprising:
- a memory storing playback logic;
- a processor that is coupled to the memory and, when executing the playback logic, is configured to:
- download from a content server a first clip file associated with a first encoded version of a media title encoded at a first bit rate, wherein the first clip file includes a first plurality of groups of pictures (GOPs);
- for each GOP included in the first plurality of GOPs, determine whether the GOP has a size that is less than a size indicated in a first clip information file corresponding to the first clip file, wherein the size comprises an expected length for GOPs included in the first clip file;
- and
- for a first GOP included in the first plurality of GOPs having a size that is less than the size indicated in the first clip information file, pad the first GOP to produce a first padded GOP that has a size equal to the size indicated in the clip information file;
- and
- a decoder that decodes the first clip file, including the first padded GOP, when a first portion of the media title is being played back for display.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.