Constrained optimization techniques for generating encoding ladders for video streaming

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 generate encoding ladders that are used to stream media titles by performing the steps of:

• generating a first quality of experience term for a candidate encoding ladder based on a combination of a plurality of quality of experience levels for a plurality of encoded videos associated with the candidate encoding ladder;
• generating a first cost term for the candidate encoding ladder based on a combination of a plurality of cost levels for the plurality of encoded videos;
• generating a first objective function based on a first ladder configuration and a parameterized objective function that approximates a tradeoff between a weighted quality of experience for the candidate encoding ladder and a weighted cost term for the candidate encoding ladder, wherein the weighted quality of experience is determined by weighting the first quality of experience term for the candidate encoding ladder using a quality term weight, and the weighted cost term is determined by weighting the first cost term for the candidate encoding ladder using a cost term weight that is different from the quality term weight;
• generating a first plurality of constraints based on the first ladder configuration and a plurality of parameterized constraints;
• and
• executing a constrained optimization algorithm on the first objective function, the first plurality of constraints, and encoding point metadata associated with a set of encoded videos to generate a first candidate encoding ladder for a media title.

A system comprising:

• one or more memories storing instructions;
• and
• one or more processors coupled to the one or more memories that, when executing the instructions, perform the steps of:
• generating a first quality of experience term for a candidate encoding ladder based on a combination of a plurality of quality of experience levels for a plurality of encoded videos associated with the candidate encoding ladder;
• generating a first cost term for the candidate encoding ladder based on a combination of a plurality of cost levels for the plurality of encoded videos;
• generating a first objective function based on a first ladder configuration and a parameterized objective function that approximates a tradeoff between a weighted quality of experience for the candidate encoding ladder and a weighted cost term for the candidate encoding ladder, wherein the weighted quality of experience is determined by weighting the first quality of experience term for the candidate encoding ladder using a quality term weight, and the weighted cost term is determined by weighting the first cost term for the candidate encoding ladder using a cost term weight that is different from the quality term weight;
• generating a first plurality of constraints based on the first ladder configuration and a plurality of parameterized constraints;
• and
• executing a constrained optimization algorithm on the first objective function, the first plurality of constraints, and encoding point metadata associated with a set of encoded videos to generate a first candidate encoding ladder for a media title.