Progressive playback

A computer readable medium comprising executable instructions encoded thereon operable on a computerized device to perform processing comprising:

• instructions for subscribing to media content, the media content comprising segments organized according to a media orchestration descriptor, the media orchestration descriptor identifying each segment of the media content and indicating one or more relationships among the segments to define a presentation of the segments during playback of the media content;
• instructions for initiating playback of a plurality of segments of the media content in conjunction with downloading the plurality of segments of the media content to a buffer in response to subscribing;
• and
• instructions for determining a total playback time of the plurality of segments of the media content downloaded to the buffer that has not been played back, wherein the total playback time is determined by:
• identifying a first playback duration of a first segment of the plurality of segments and a second playback duration of a second segment of the plurality of segments, and selecting the first duration as the total playback time based on the first duration exceeding the second duration and the first segment and the second segment being organized for parallel execution according to the media descriptor;
• instructions for halting the playback upon determining that the total playback time is less than a predetermined necessary amount of playback time;
• instructions for downloading additional segments to the buffer;
• and
• instructions for resuming the playback upon detecting that the total playback time of the plurality of segments and the additional segments downloaded to the buffer is at least equal to a predetermined sufficient amount of playback time, wherein the predetermined sufficient amount of playback time is defined to be greater than the necessary amount of playback time.

A computer system comprising:

• a processor;
• a memory unit that stores instructions associated with an application executed by the processor;
• and
• an interconnect coupling the processor and the memory unit, enabling the computer system to execute the application and perform operations of:
• subscribing to media content comprising segments, the media content organized according to a media orchestration descriptor, the media orchestration descriptor identifying each segment of the media content and indicating one or more relationships among the segments to define a presentation of the segments during playback of the media content;
• in response to subscribing, initiating playback of the media content in conjunction with downloading a plurality of segments of the media content to a buffer;
• and
• determining a total playback time of the plurality of segments of the media content downloaded to the buffer that has not been played back, wherein the total playback time is determined by:
• identifying a first playback duration of a first segment of the plurality of segments and a second playback duration of a second segment of the plurality of segments, and
• selecting the first duration as the total playback time based on the first duration exceeding the second duration and the first segment and the second segment being organized for parallel execution according to the media descriptor;
• halting the playback upon determining that the total playback time is less than a predetermined necessary amount of playback time;
• downloading additional segments to the buffer;
• and
• resuming the playback upon detecting that the total playback time of the plurality of segments and the additional segments downloaded to the buffer is at least equal to a predetermined sufficient amount of playback time, wherein the predetermined sufficient amount of playback time is defined to be greater than the necessary amount of playback time.