公开(公告)号：US09736202B2

公开(公告)日：2017-08-15

申请号：US14629348

申请日：2015-02-23

Applicant: NETFLIX, Inc.

Inventor： Anthony N. Park ,  Neil D. Hunt ,  Wei Wei

IPC: G06F15/16 ,  H04L29/06 ,  H04L29/08

CPC classification number: H04L65/4069 ,  H04L65/4084 ,  H04L65/60 ,  H04L65/607 ,  H04L65/80 ,  H04L67/10 ,  H04L69/14

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention set forth techniques for a content player to stream a media file using multiple network connections. To stream the media file, the content player downloads metadata associated with a requested media file, establishes a network connection with multiple content servers (or multiple network connections with a single content server or both) and begins requesting portions of the media file. In response, the requested portions are transmitted to the content player. The content player may employ a predictive multi-connection scheduling approach to determine which network connection to use in downloading a given chunk.

公开(公告)号：US09699519B2

公开(公告)日：2017-07-04

申请号：US13654301

申请日：2012-10-17

Applicant: NETFLIX, Inc.

Inventor： Mark Watson ,  Neil D. Hunt ,  John Funge ,  Anthony N. Park

IPC: G06F15/16 ,  G06F15/173 ,  G06F13/00 ,  H04N21/658 ,  H04L29/06 ,  H04N21/231 ,  H04N21/442 ,  H04N21/262 ,  H04L29/08

CPC classification number: H04N21/6581 ,  H04L65/4084 ,  H04L67/10 ,  H04L67/322 ,  H04N21/23106 ,  H04N21/23116 ,  H04N21/26258 ,  H04N21/44209

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for generating preference rankings in response to requests for streaming media content received from client devices. The preference rankings are used to indirectly partition streaming media content across different content distribution networks (CDNs). Such partitions may be referred to as a “soft” partition, as all of the streaming media content remains available from each CDN. That is, the partitioning of content across CDNs is not absolute, and any content item may be requested from any CDN. Doing so ensures that content remains available even where the preferred CDN for a given content item fails, while at the same time increasing the probability of a cache hit at the CDNs, without increasing the cost or the actual cache sizes of the content caches of different CDNs.

公开(公告)号：US09674274B2

公开(公告)日：2017-06-06

申请号：US14612204

申请日：2015-02-02

Applicant: NETFLIX, INC.

Inventor： Neil D. Hunt ,  Stephan G. Betz

IPC: G06F15/16 ,  H04L29/08 ,  G06F9/44 ,  G06F9/455

CPC classification number: H04L67/10 ,  G06F9/448 ,  G06F9/454 ,  G06F9/45533 ,  G06F17/289 ,  H04N21/25808 ,  H04N21/25891

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for providing a variation of digital content that is based on a client-specified context token. Localized digital assets, e.g., graphics resources, video resource, audio resources, and text string resources, are stored as a collection of records and are dynamically linked to a assemble a software system based on the client-specified context token to generate the variation of digital content. The client receives the assembled variation of the digital content including the localized digital assets specified by the client-provided context.

公开(公告)号：US10972772B2

公开(公告)日：2021-04-06

申请号：US15936378

申请日：2018-03-26

Applicant: NETFLIX, INC.

Inventor： Neil D. Hunt

IPC: H04N21/2365 ,  H04N21/238 ,  H04N21/442 ,  H04N21/2385 ,  H04N21/6373 ,  H04N21/6377 ,  H04N21/2343 ,  H04N21/845 ,  H04N21/24 ,  H04N21/2383 ,  H04N21/239 ,  H04N21/2662 ,  H04N21/647 ,  H04N5/76

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for adapting playback bit rate in a content delivery system based on scene complexity of the video content as well as network conditions and other performance factors. A scene complexity map of the video content indicates the complexity levels of different scenes within the video content. Using the scene complexity map, a content player may download scenes of lower scene complexity levels from video streams encoded to lower bit rates to manage the bandwidth consumed to download the video content and allow for the downloading of scenes of higher complexity levels from video streams encoded to higher bit rates.

公开(公告)号：US09930385B2

公开(公告)日：2018-03-27

申请号：US14670194

申请日：2015-03-26

Applicant: NETFLIX, INC

Inventor： Neil D. Hunt

IPC: H04N21/238 ,  H04N21/2365 ,  H04N21/2385 ,  H04N21/2343 ,  H04N21/24 ,  H04N21/845 ,  H04N21/442 ,  H04N21/6373 ,  H04N21/6377 ,  H04N21/2383 ,  H04N21/239 ,  H04N21/2662 ,  H04N21/647 ,  H04N5/76

CPC classification number: H04N21/23655 ,  H04N5/76 ,  H04N21/23439 ,  H04N21/238 ,  H04N21/2383 ,  H04N21/2385 ,  H04N21/2393 ,  H04N21/2402 ,  H04N21/2662 ,  H04N21/44209 ,  H04N21/6373 ,  H04N21/6377 ,  H04N21/64769 ,  H04N21/8456

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for adapting playback bit rate in a content delivery system based on scene complexity of the video content as well as network conditions and other performance factors. A scene complexity map of the video content indicates the complexity levels of different scenes within the video content. Using the scene complexity map, a content player may download scenes of lower scene complexity levels from video streams encoded to lower bit rates to manage the bandwidth consumed to download the video content and allow for the downloading of scenes of higher complexity levels from video streams encoded to higher bit rates.

公开(公告)号：US09762936B2

公开(公告)日：2017-09-12

申请号：US14986923

申请日：2016-01-04

Applicant: Netflix, Inc.

Inventor： Neil D. Hunt ,  Christian Kaiser

IPC: H04N5/93 ,  H04N21/234 ,  H04N21/472 ,  H04N21/81 ,  H04N21/233 ,  H04N21/2387 ,  H04N21/43 ,  H04N21/439 ,  H04N21/6587

CPC classification number: H04N21/23424 ,  H04N21/233 ,  H04N21/23418 ,  H04N21/2387 ,  H04N21/4307 ,  H04N21/4394 ,  H04N21/47202 ,  H04N21/6587 ,  H04N21/8106

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for streaming digital media content with transition effects. Audio data may be modulated and received by the streaming device for an audio fade-in effect. Similarly, video data may be modulated to perform various visual effects. Such a technique allows for fading-in of audio and/or video, fading-out of audio and/or video, and effects that blend audio from different content and video from different content during a transition from one digital media content to a different digital media content or within the same digital media content. The modulated audio and video data to generate the audio or video effect during a transition may be precomputed or computed in real-time and transmitted to the streaming device. The streaming device switches between original unmodulated content streams and effect content streams when transitions are detected.

公开(公告)号：US10123059B2

公开(公告)日：2018-11-06

申请号：US15589328

申请日：2017-05-08

Applicant: NETFLIX, INC.

Inventor： Neil D. Hunt

IPC: H04N21/2343 ,  G06F21/10 ,  H04N21/254 ,  H04N21/438 ,  H04N21/472 ,  H04N21/8355 ,  H04N21/4627 ,  H04N21/6334

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for deferring license retrieval when streaming digital media content. The perceived delay between the time a user selects the protected digital media content to when playback of the protected digital media content begins is reduced because retrieval and playback of an unprotected version of a portion of the digital media content starts before the license and protected version of the digital media content is received. The unprotected version includes fast start streams of audio and video data that may encoded at a lower bit rate than the protected version in order to quickly transfer the fast start streams from the content server to the playback device.

公开(公告)号：US20160119659A1

公开(公告)日：2016-04-28

申请号：US14986923

申请日：2016-01-04

Applicant: Netflix, Inc.

Inventor： Neil D. Hunt ,  Christian Kaiser

IPC: H04N21/234 ,  H04N21/6587 ,  H04N21/43 ,  H04N21/81 ,  H04N21/233 ,  H04N21/439 ,  H04N21/2387 ,  H04N21/472

CPC classification number: H04N21/23424 ,  H04N21/233 ,  H04N21/23418 ,  H04N21/2387 ,  H04N21/4307 ,  H04N21/4394 ,  H04N21/47202 ,  H04N21/6587 ,  H04N21/8106

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for streaming digital media content with transition effects. Audio data may be modulated and received by the streaming device for an audio fade-in effect. Similarly, video data may be modulated to perform various visual effects. Such a technique allows for fading-in of audio and/or video, fading-out of audio and/or video, and effects that blend audio from different content and video from different content during a transition from one digital media content to a different digital media content or within the same digital media content. The modulated audio and video data to generate the audio or video effect during a transition may be precomputed or computed in real-time and transmitted to the streaming device. The streaming device switches between original unmodulated content streams and effect content streams when transitions are detected.

Abstract translation: 本发明的一个实施例提出了一种用于流式传输具有过渡效果的数字媒体内容的技术。 音频数据可以被流式传输设备调制和接收，以实现音频淡入淡出。 类似地，可以调制视频数据以执行各种视觉效果。 这种技术允许在从一个数字媒体内容到另一个数字媒体内容的转换期间，音频和/或视频的淡入淡出，音频和/或视频的淡入淡出以及混合来自不同内容的不同内容和视频的音频 媒体内容或同一数字媒体内容内。 用于在转换期间产生音频或视频效果的调制音频和视频数据可以被预先计算或实时计算并被发送到流传输设备。 当检测到转换时，流设备在原始未调制内容流之间切换并影响内容流。

公开(公告)号：US09232243B2

公开(公告)日：2016-01-05

申请号：US14498778

申请日：2014-09-26

Applicant: NETFLIX, INC.

Inventor： Neil D. Hunt ,  Christian Kaiser

IPC: H04N5/93 ,  H04N21/234 ,  H04N21/472 ,  H04N21/81 ,  H04N21/233 ,  H04N21/2387 ,  H04N21/43 ,  H04N21/439 ,  H04N21/6587

CPC classification number: H04N21/23424 ,  H04N21/233 ,  H04N21/23418 ,  H04N21/2387 ,  H04N21/4307 ,  H04N21/4394 ,  H04N21/47202 ,  H04N21/6587 ,  H04N21/8106

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for streaming digital media content with transition effects. Audio data may be modulated and received by the streaming device for an audio fade-in effect. Similarly, video data may be modulated to perform various visual effects. Such a technique allows for fading-in of audio and/or video, fading-out of audio and/or video, and effects that blend audio from different content and video from different content during a transition from one digital media content to a different digital media content or within the same digital media content. The modulated audio and video data to generate the audio or video effect during a transition may be precomputed or computed in real-time and transmitted to the streaming device. The streaming device switches between original unmodulated content streams and effect content streams when transitions are detected.

Abstract translation: 本发明的一个实施例提出了一种用于流式传输具有过渡效果的数字媒体内容的技术。 音频数据可以被流式传输设备调制和接收，以实现音频淡入淡出。 类似地，可以调制视频数据以执行各种视觉效果。 这种技术允许在从一个数字媒体内容到另一个数字媒体内容的转换期间，音频和/或视频的淡入淡出，音频和/或视频的淡入淡出以及混合来自不同内容的不同内容和视频的音频 媒体内容或同一数字媒体内容内。 用于在转换期间产生音频或视频效果的调制音频和视频数据可以被预先计算或实时计算并被发送到流传输设备。 当检测到转换时，流设备在原始未调制内容流之间切换并影响内容流。

公开(公告)号：US10326810B2

公开(公告)日：2019-06-18

申请号：US15677982

申请日：2017-08-15

Applicant: NETFLIX Inc.

Inventor： Anthony N. Park ,  Neil D. Hunt ,  Wei Wei

IPC: H04L29/02 ,  H04L29/06 ,  H04L29/08

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention set forth techniques for a content player to stream a media file using multiple network connections. To stream the media file, the content player downloads metadata associated with a requested media file, establishes a network connection with multiple content servers (or multiple network connections with a single content server or both) and begins requesting portions of the media file. In response, the requested portions are transmitted to the content player. The content player may employ a predictive multi-connection scheduling approach to determine which network connection to use in downloading a given chunk.