Server-side transcoding of media files
AssigneeDropbox, Inc.
InventorPierpaolo Baccichet
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The disclosed embodiments relate to a file-communication system that enables a user to stream high-quality media (for example, from their Dropbox™) During operation, the system streams the media at an initial quality level to a client via a channel. For example, the quality level may be one of a set of quality levels associated with different transcoding operations. Then, the system determines or obtains an indicator of performance for the channel. Based on the indicator, the system spawns an additional transcoding operation at a different quality level than is available in the set of quality levels. The resulting media at the different quality level is then streamed from the system to the client via the channel.
Claims20
A computer-implemented method for streaming media, the method comprising:
- using a computer, streaming the media at a quality level from a server to a client via a channel, wherein the quality level is part of a set of quality levels associated with different transcoding operations;
- obtaining an indicator of performance for the channel;
- spawning an additional transcoding operation at a different quality level than is available in the set of quality levels based on the indicator;
- and
- streaming the media at the different quality level from the server to the client via the channel.
A computer-program product for use in conjunction with a computer system, the computer-program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium and a computer-program mechanism embedded therein to stream media, the computer-program mechanism including:
- instructions for streaming the media at a quality level from the computer system to a client via a channel, wherein the quality level is part of a set of quality levels associated with different transcoding operations;
- instructions for obtaining an indicator of performance for the channel;
- instructions for spawning an additional transcoding operation at a different quality level than is available in the set of quality levels based on the indicator;
- and
- instructions for streaming the media at the different quality level from the computer system to the client via the channel.
A computer system, comprising:
- a processor;
- memory;
- and
- a program module, wherein the program module is stored in the memory and configurable to be executed by the processor to stream media, the program module including:
- instructions for streaming the media at a quality level from the computer system to a client via a channel, wherein the quality level is part of a set of quality levels associated with different transcoding operations;
- instructions for obtaining an indicator of performance for the channel;
- instructions for spawning an additional transcoding operation at a different quality level than is available in the set of quality levels based on the indicator;
- and
- instructions for streaming the media at the different quality level from the computer system to the client via the channel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.