Global approach to buffering media content

One or more non-transitory computer-readable media including instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to stream media content to a client device by performing the steps of:

• computing a first distance along a first potential playback path between a first playback position and a first media content block, the first potential playback path being associated with a first playback graph representing a first streaming use case;
• computing a first score for the first media content block based on the first distance and a first probability that the first potential playback path is to be followed during a playback session, wherein the first probability is based on a product of one or more local weights associated with the first potential playback path and a global weight that corresponds to a third probability that the first playback graph that includes the first potential playback path is to be followed during the playback session;
• computing a second distance along a second potential playback path between a second playback position and a second media content block, the second potential playback path being associated with a second playback graph different from the first playback graph, and the second playback graph representing a second streaming use case different from the first streaming use case;
• computing a second score for the second media content block based on the second distance;
• comparing the first score to the second score to determine that the first media content block, instead of the second media content block, should be buffered by the client device;
• and
• causing, based on the comparison of the first score to the second score, the first media content block to be stored in the playback buffer for subsequent playback on the client device.

A system, comprising:

• one or more memories storing instructions;
• and
• one or more processors that are coupled to the one or more memories and, when executing the instructions, are configured to:
• compute a first distance along a first potential playback path between a current frame and a first media content block, wherein the first potential playback path is included in a first playback graph;
• compute a first score for the first media content block based on the first distance and a first probability that the first potential playback path is to be followed during a current playback session, wherein the first probability is based on a product of one or more local weights associated with the first potential playback path and a global weight that corresponds to a third probability that the first playback graph that includes the first potential playback path is to be followed during the current playback session;
• compute a second distance along a second potential playback path between the current frame or a start frame of the second potential playback path and a second media content block;
• compute a second score for the second media content block based on the second distance and a second probability that the second potential playback path is to be followed during the current playback session;
• determine that the first media content block should be buffered based on the first score and the second score;
• and
• cause the first media content block to be stored in the playback buffer for subsequent playback.