# US 12,003,794 B2 · Scheduling multiple-layer video segments > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,003,794 B2 - Document ID: US12003794B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/142,626 - Filed: 2023-05-03 - Published: 2023-08-24 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2015-12-11 - Assignees: InterDigital Madison Patent Holdings, SAS - Applicants: InterDigital Madison Patent Holdings, SAS - Inventors: Yong He; Ahmed Hamza; Srinivas Gudumasu; Yan Ye; Eduardo Asbun - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12003794B2 ## CPC - H04N 21/234327: {by decomposing into layers, e.g. base layer and one or more enhancement layers} - H04N 21/23439: {for generating different versions} - H04N 21/26216: {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)} - H04N 21/8456: {by decomposing the content in the time domain, e.g. in time segments} - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract A streaming device may request and download multi-layer video segments based on a number of factors including the artistic interest associated with the video segments and/or the status of a buffer area managed by the streaming device. The multi-layer segments may be coded using scalable coding techniques or a combination of scalable coding and simulcast coding techniques by which each of the video segments may be coded into one or more representations of different qualities and/or bitrates. When requesting the multi-layer segments, the streaming device may ensure that the fullness of the buffer area falls between a buffer underflow threshold and a backfilling threshold under various network conditions. The streaming device may estimate the available network bandwidth in order to facilitate the scheduling decisions. The streaming device may consider the artistic interest associated with the video segments during scheduling and may give priority to those segments with higher artistic interest. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for streaming video content, the method comprising: determining that a first set of future video segments of the video content is closer than a second set of future video segments of the video content relative to a current playback position of the video content; determining that the second set of future video segments is associated with higher artistic interest values than the first set of future video segments, and that a playback time of at least one of the second set of future video segments is inside a time window from the current playback position; and responsive to the determination that the second set of future video segments is associated with higher artistic interest values than the first set of future video segments and that the playback time of the at least one of the second set of future video segments is inside the time window: requesting one or more video segments among the second set of future video segments ahead of at least one of the first set of future video segments. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a description of the video content, wherein the description indicates that the second set of future video segments is associated with higher artistic interest values than the first set of future video segments. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the description further indicates a size of the time window. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more video segments among the second set of future video segments are a number of video segments among the second set of future video segments that are determined based on the higher artistic interest values associated with the second set of future video segments. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising requesting the second set of future video segments so as to maintain a buffer level above a threshold. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein the first set of future video segments is requested at a lower quality level than the second set of future video segments. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first set of future video segments and the second set of future video segments each includes a base layer and an enhancement layer, the enhancement layer being dependent on the base layer for decoding. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7 wherein the request for each of the first set of future video segments is for the base layer, and wherein the request for each of the second set of future video segments is for both the base layer and the enhancement layer. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein each of the first set of future video segments includes a base layer and an enhancement layer that depends on the base layer for decoding, and wherein each of the second set of future video segments includes a single layer. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the request for each of the first set of future video segments is for at least the base layer, and wherein the request for each of the second set of future video segments is for the single layer. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more video segments among the second set of future video segments are a number of video segments among the second set of future video segments that are determined based on at least one of a network bandwidth, a layer dependency, a segment size, or a segment display time. ### Claim 12 A device configured to stream video content, the device comprising a processor configured to: determine that a first set of future video segments of the video content is closer than a second set of future video segments of the video content relative to a current playback position of the video content; determine that the second set of future video segments is associated with higher artistic interest values than the first set of future video segments, and that a playback time of at least one of the second set of future video segments is inside a time window from the current playback position; and responsive to the determination that the second set of future video segments is associated with higher artistic interest values than the first set of future video segments that the playback time of the at least one of the second set of future video segments is inside the time window: request one or more video segments among the second set of future video segments ahead of at least one of the first set of future video segments. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The device of claim 12, wherein the processor is further configured to receive a description of the video content, wherein the description indicates that the second set of future video segments is associated with higher artistic interest values than the first set of future video segments. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The device of claim 13, wherein the description further indicates a size of the time window. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The device of claim 12, wherein the one or more video segments among the second set of future video segments are a number of video segments among the second set of future video segments that are determined based on the higher artistic interest values associated with the second set of future video segments. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The device of claim 12, wherein the processor is further configured to request the second set of future video segments so as to maintain a buffer level above a threshold. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The device of claim 16, wherein the processor is configured to request the first set of future video segments at a lower quality level than the second set of future video segments. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The device of claim 12, wherein the first set of future video segments and the second set of future video segments each includes a base layer and an enhancement layer, the enhancement layer being dependent on the base layer for decoding. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The device of claim 18, wherein the request for each of the first set of future video segments is for the base layer, and wherein the request for each of the second set of future video segments is for both the base layer and the enhancement layer. ### Claim 20 (depends on 12) The device of claim 12, wherein each of the first set of future video segments includes a base layer and an enhancement layer that depends on the base layer for decoding, and wherein each of the second set of future video segments includes a single layer. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The device of claim 20, wherein the request for each of the first set of future video segments is for at least the base layer, and wherein the request for each of the second set of future video segments is for the single layer. ### Claim 22 (depends on 12) The device of claim 12, wherein the one or more video segments among the second set of future video segments are a number of video segments among the second set of future video segments that are determined based on at least one of a network bandwidth, a layer dependency, a segment size, or a segment display time.