System and method for detecting active streams using a heartbeat and secure stop mechanism
AssigneeNetflix, Inc.
InventorsJames Mitch Zollinger, Julie Amundson Pitt
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for identifying active streaming connections associated with a particular user account. Each active streaming connection transmits heartbeat packets periodically to a server that tracks the receipt of the heartbeat packets. If, for a particular streaming connection, the server stops receiving heartbeat packets, then the server is able to infer that the streaming connection has been terminated.
Claims18
A computer-implemented method, comprising:
- receiving a request from an endpoint device to establish a first streaming connection associated with a user account;
- determining a number of active streaming connections associated with the user account;
- determining that the number of active streaming connections is less than a predetermined threshold;
- permitting the endpoint device to establish the first streaming connection;
- receiving one or more heartbeat packets associated with the first streaming connection from the endpoint device at a pre-determined time interval;
- marking the first streaming connection as inactive based on a last heartbeat packet received from the endpoint device;
- receiving a secure stop event from the endpoint device;
- determining an amount of time elapsed between receiving the last heartbeat packet and receiving the secure stop event;
- and
- determining whether the first streaming connection is legitimately marked as inactive based on the amount of time elapsed.
A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the steps of:
- determining a number of active streaming connections established with an endpoint device;
- determining that the number of active streaming connections is less than a predetermined threshold;
- permitting the endpoint device to establish an additional streaming connection;
- receiving one or more heartbeat packets associated with the first streaming connection from the endpoint device at a pre-determined time interval;
- marking the first streaming connection as inactive based on a last heartbeat packet received from the endpoint device;
- receiving a secure stop event from the endpoint device;
- determining an amount of time elapsed between receiving the last heartbeat packet and receiving the secure stop event;
- and
- determining whether the first streaming connection is legitimately marked as inactive based on the amount of time elapsed.
A computing device, comprising:
- a memory that includes instructions associated with a secure stop and heartbeat tracking engine and a request processing engine;
- and
- a processor that is coupled to the memory and, when executing the instructions is configured to:
- receive a request from an endpoint device to establish a first streaming connection associated with a user account;
- determine a number of active streaming connections associated with the user account;
- determine that the number of active streaming connections is less than a predetermined threshold;
- permit the endpoint device to establish the first streaming connection;
- receive one or more heartbeat packets associated with the first streaming connection from the endpoint device at a pre-determined time interval;
- mark the first streaming connection as inactive based on a last heartbeat packet received from the endpoint device;
- receive a secure stop event from the endpoint device;
- determine an amount of time elapsed between receiving the last heartbeat packet and receiving the secure stop event;
- and
- determine whether the first streaming connection is legitimately marked as inactive based on the amount of time elapsed.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.