# US 11,910,045 B2 · Methods and systems for managing content quality in a storage medium > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,910,045 B2 - Document ID: US11910045B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/087,377 - Filed: 2020-11-02 - Published: 2021-05-06 - Granted: 2024-02-20 - Earliest claimed: 2019-11-04 - Assignees: Comcast Cable Communications, LLC - Applicants: Comcast Cable Communications, LLC - Inventors: Eric Stobbart - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11910045B2 ## CPC - H04N 21/2662: Controlling the complexity of the video stream, e.g. by scaling the resolution or bitrate of the video stream based on the client capabilities - H04N 21/234363: {by altering the spatial resolution, e.g. for clients with a lower screen resolution} - H04N 21/23439: {for generating different versions} - H04N 21/2402: {Monitoring of the downstream path of the transmission network, e.g. bandwidth available (traffic monitoring in data switching networks H04L43/00; monitoring data switching networks utilization H04L43/0876)} - H04N 21/4331: {Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback} - H04N 21/44004: {involving video buffer management, e.g. video decoder buffer or video display buffer} - H04N 21/44209: {Monitoring of downstream path of the transmission network originating from a server, e.g. bandwidth variations of a wireless network (arrangements for maintenance or administration in data switching networks involving bandwidth and capacity management H04L41/0896)} - H04N 21/8456: {by decomposing the content in the time domain, e.g. in time segments} - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract The quality of stored content may be managed prior to output. A computing device may request and receive content segments for output via the computing device. The content segments may comprise content encoded at a first bit rate selected by the computing device. The first content segments may be stored in a memory of the computing device, such as a buffer, until output at their respective presentation times. If network conditions improve, the computing device may improve the quality of at least one of the first content segments stored in the memory. The quality may be improved by requesting a higher bit rate version of the content segment and replacing, in the memory, the first content segment with the higher bit rate version of the content segment. The quality of the first content segment may be improved by adding data to the first content segment. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: receiving a first version of a content segment, wherein the first version of the content segment comprises content encoded at a first bit rate; based on a change in a network condition, sending a request for a quantity of data associated with the content segment; determining a second version of the content segment, wherein the second version of the content segment comprises an addition of the quantity of data to the first version of the content segment, and wherein the content of the second version of the content segment is encoded at a second bit rate higher than the first bit rate; and causing output, at an output time associated with the content segment, of the second version of the content segment. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the sending is further based on determining that a difference between a current output time and the output time associated with the content segment satisfies a threshold. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the current output time is ahead of the output time associated with the content segment. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, based on the request, the quantity of data. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: storing the first version of the content segment in a memory for output. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein the memory comprises a content buffer. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the change in the network condition comprises at least one of: a change in bandwidth associated with the network; a change in throughput associated with the network; or a change in data rate associated with the network. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the second version of the content segment is associated with a higher quality than the first version of the content segment. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the content comprises at least one of linear content, non-linear content, video content, audio content, multi-media content, recorded content, or stored content. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the quantity of data comprises a difference between a quantity of data corresponding to the first bit rate associated with the first version of the content segment and a quantity of data associated with the second bit rate. ### Claim 11 A method comprising: storing a first quality version of a content segment for output; based on a change in a condition of a network, sending a request for a quantity of data associated with the content segment; determining a second quality version of the content segment, wherein the second quality version comprises an addition of the quantity of data to the first quality version of the content segment, and wherein the second quality version is associated with a different quality than the first quality version; and causing, at an output time associated with the content segment, output of the second quality version of the content segment. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the first quality version and the second quality version are associated with at least one of an encoding bit rate or a resolution. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein at least one of an encoding bit rate or a resolution associated with the second quality version is higher than an encoding bit rate or a resolution associated with the first quality version. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the sending is further based on determining that a difference between a current output time and the output time associated with the content segment satisfies a threshold. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the storing the first quality version of the content segment for output comprises storing the first quality version of the content segment in a memory, and wherein the addition of the quantity of data to the first quality version of the content segment is performed in the memory. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the memory comprises a content buffer. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the change in the condition of the network comprises at least one of: a change in bandwidth associated with the network; a change in throughput associated with the network; or a change in data rate associated with the network. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the quantity of data comprises a difference between a quantity of data corresponding to a first bit rate associated with the first quality version of the content segment and a quantity of data associated with a second bit rate higher than the first bit rate.