US 10,771,824 B1Granted

System for managing video playback using a server generated manifest/playlist

AssigneeGoogle Inc.

InventorsIsmail R. Haritaoglu, Oztan Harmanci

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Abstract

An apparatus and method for managing video playback for users during video streaming is disclosed. In one aspect, a server may be used to generate manifest files and updates to video players requesting video content. As a result, instead of relying on each video player to enforce logic rules for distribution of the video content, the manifest files and updates may be used to enforce the logic rules on a wider variety of video player configurations. In addition, the manifest files and updates may be provided unique to each video player. Consequently, the manifest files and updates may further provide customized user experiences despite the same video content being requested.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A system for managing video playback comprising:

a manifest server configured to communicate with a plurality of video players and a content delivery network (CDN), the manifest server to:
(a) receive a request from a first video player of the plurality of video players to play a video stream, wherein the video stream is associated with a first manifest file created by an encoder for the video stream and distributed to CDN along with the video stream;
(b) upon receiving the request, communicate with the CDN to request, from the CDN, the first manifest file previously stored at the CDN, the first manifest file containing information to allow any of the plurality of video players to play the video stream;
(c) receive the first manifest file from the CDN;
(d) modify, using a session identifier that identifies the connection between the manifest server and the first video player, the first manifest file previously stored at and received from the CDN to produce a second manifest file unique to the first video player having the request,
wherein to modify the first manifest file to produce the second manifest file unique to the first video player, the manifest server is further to:
determine at least one rule associated with the connection between the manifest server and the first video player,
determine a view history of a user of the video player, and
modify a playlist to specify a combination of segments of the video stream and segments of alternative content in a modified video stream, the combination created based on the rule and the view history of the user,
(e) transmit the second manifest file to the first video player, the second manifest file including (i) information identifying at least one of the video player or the user of the video player, (ii) the at least one rule added to the second manifest file, and (iii) the modified playlist to allow the first video player to play the combination of segments of the video stream and the segments of alternative content in the modified video stream according to the rule added to the second manifest file and the view history of the user of the video player;
and
(f) in response to a second request of the user to seek forward or backward in the modified video stream, create an updated second manifest file based on (i) the rule associated with the connection between the manifest server and the first video player and (ii) recent view history of the user.

9 more elements

A method to manage video playback using a manifest server configured to communicate with a plurality of video players and a content delivery network (CDN), the method comprising:

(a) receiving a request from a first video player of the plurality of video players to play a video stream, wherein the video stream is associated with a first manifest file created by an encoder for the video stream and distributed to CDN along with the video stream;
(b) upon receiving the request, communicating with the CDN to request, from the CDN, the first manifest file previously stored at the CDN, the first manifest file containing information to allow any of the plurality of video players to play the video stream;
(c) receiving the first manifest file from the CDN;
(d) modifying, using a session identifier that identifies the connection between the manifest server and the first video player, the first manifest file previously stored at and received from the CDN to produce a second manifest file unique to the first video player having the request,
wherein modifying the first manifest file to produce the second manifest file unique to the first video player comprises:
determining at least one rule associated with the connection between the manifest server and the first video player,
determining a view history of a user of the video player;
and
modifying a playlist to specify a combination of segments of the video stream and segments of alternative content in a modified video stream, the combination created based on the rule and the view history of the user,
(e) transmitting the second manifest file to the first video player, the second manifest file including (i) information identifying at least one of the video player or the user of the video player, (ii) the at least one rule added to the second manifest file, and (iii) the modified playlist to allow the first video player to play the combination of segments of the video stream and the segments of alternative content in the modified video stream according to the rule added to the second manifest file and the view history of the user of the video player;
and
(f) in response to a second request of the user to seek forward or backward in the modified video stream, creating an updated second manifest file based on (i) the rule associated with the connection between the manifest server and the first video player and (ii) recent view history of the user.

9 more elements

A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions, which when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method to manage video playback using a manifest server configured to communicate with a plurality of video players and a content delivery network (CDN), the method comprising:

(a) receiving a request from a first video player of the plurality of video players to play a video stream, wherein the video stream is associated with a first manifest file created by an encoder for the video stream and distributed to CDN along with the video stream;
(b) upon receiving the request, communicating with the CDN to request, from the CDN, the first manifest file previously stored at the CDN, the first manifest file containing information to allow any of the plurality of video players to play the video stream;
(c) receiving the first manifest file from the CDN;
(d) modifying, using a session identifier that identifies the connection between the manifest server and the first video player, the first manifest file previously stored at and received from the CDN to produce a second manifest file unique to the first video player having the request,
wherein modifying the first manifest file to produce the second manifest file unique to the first video player comprises:
determining at least one rule associated with the connection between the manifest server and the first video player,
determining a view history of a user of the video player;
and
modifying a playlist to specify a combination of segments of the video stream and segments of alternative content in a modified video stream, the combination created based on the rule and the view history of the user,
(e) transmitting the second manifest file to the first video player, the second manifest file including (i) information identifying at least one of the video player or the user of the video player, (ii) the at least one rule added to the second manifest file, and (iii) the modified playlist to allow the first video player to play the combination of segments of the video stream and the segments of alternative content in the modified video stream according to the rule added to the second manifest file and the view history of the user of the video player;
and
(f) in response to a second request of the user to seek forward or backward in the modified video stream, creating an updated second manifest file based on (i) the rule associated with the connection between the manifest server and the first video player and (ii) recent view history of the user.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/590,955Filed 9 May 2017 · us provisional application
Priority: 10 May 2016
Granted: 8 Sep 2020
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification12 codes

H04N 21/23424
Processing of video elementary streams, e.g. splicing of video streams or manipulating encoded video stream scene graphs: involving splicing one…
H04N 21/25891
Management of end-user data: being end-user preferences
H04N 21/232
Processing of content or additional data; Elementary server operations; Server middleware: content retrieval operation locally within server, e.g.…
H04N 21/23439
Involving reformatting operations of video signals for distribution or compliance with end-user requests or end-user device requirements: for…

Family

Application62/334,157Us provisional application · filed 10 May 2016
US 10,771,824 B1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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