Method and system for efficient streaming video dynamic rate adaptation

A method for streaming data to a client, comprising:

• encoding, by one or more processors, the data into a plurality of encodings;
• combining, by the one or more processors, the plurality of encodings into a single concatenated file;
• indexing, by the one or more processors, the single concatenated file, wherein the indexing results in a rate map index file comprising a plurality of rate map indicies for the plurality of encodings, the rate map indicies identify respective locations for respective encodings among the plurality of encodings in the single concatenated file;
• and
• sending, by the one or more processors, the rate map index to a client device to enable the client to select an encoding to be retrieved and rendered at the client.

An apparatus, comprising:

• one or more processors;
• a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising computer-executable instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, are configured to:
• encode the data into a plurality of encodings,
• combine the plurality of encodings into a single concatenated file,
• index, the single concatenated file, by generating a rate map index file comprising a plurality of rate map indicies for the plurality of encodings, the rate map indicies identify respective locations for respective locations for respective encodings among the plurality of encodings in the single concatenated file, and
• send the rate map index to a client device to enable the client to select an encoding to be retrieved and rendered at the client.