Systems and methods for estimating available bandwidth and performing initial stream selection when streaming content

A method of selecting an initial stream of encoded media from a plurality of streams of encoded media that are encoded at different maximum bitrates rates, the method comprising:

• retrieving historical network performance data comprising a plurality of network bandwidth measurements from a memory of a playback device;
• determining, using the playback device and prior to commencing streaming of encoded media, an initial network bandwidth estimate using the network bandwidth measurements, wherein the initial network bandwidth estimate is determined by performing statistical analysis using the network bandwidth measurements;
• selecting an initial stream from said plurality of streams of encoded media that are encoded at different maximum bitrates rates using the playback device for commencing streaming of encoded media based upon the maximum bitrates of the plurality of streams and the initial network bandwidth estimate, wherein the initial stream is selected by initially allocating available bandwidth to streams which have no alternative and allocating the remaining bandwidth to the selection from the plurality of streams of encoded media that are encoded at different maximum bitrates;
• and
• commencing streaming of encoded media by requesting portions of the encoded media from the initial streams using the playback device.

A non-transitory machine readable medium containing processor instructions, where execution of the instructions by a processor causes the processor to perform a process comprising:

• retrieving historical network performance data comprising a plurality of network bandwidth measurements;
• determining, prior to commencing streaming of encoded media, an initial network bandwidth estimate using the network bandwidth measurements, wherein the initial network bandwidth estimate is determined by performing statistical analysis using the network bandwidth measurements;
• generating an estimate of the accuracy of the initial network bandwidth estimate by (i) determining a ratio of previous bandwidth estimates to actual bandwidth or (ii) computing a standard deviation of the network bandwidth measurements utilized to generate the initial bandwidth estimate
• selecting an initial stream from said plurality of streams of encoded media that are encoded at different maximum bitrates rates for commencing streaming of encoded media based upon the maximum bitrates of the plurality of streams, the initial network bandwidth estimate and the estimate of the accuracy of the initial network bandwidth estimate;
• and
• commencing streaming of encoded media by requesting portions of the encoded media from the initial streams.