Upstream fault detection
Granted: January 13, 2015
Patent Number:
8935581
Techniques are described for detecting faults in media content based on the behavior of users viewing the media content. Embodiments stream a first instance of media content to one or more users. The behavior of the one or more users is monitored while the users are viewing the streaming first instance of media content. Embodiments then determine whether the first instance of media content is faulty, based on the monitored behavior of the one or more users.
Recommending groups of items based on item ranks
Granted: December 2, 2014
Patent Number:
8903834
One embodiment of the invention sets forth a mechanism for recommending digital items to a user. Each digital item in a set of digital items is scored based on user preferences and other metrics. The digital items are ordered based on scores. The digital items are then evaluated in order of respective rank to determine a subset of digital items that re recommended to the user. The evaluation process is based on different evaluation criteria as well as the presentation style of the…
Accelerated playback of streaming media
Granted: November 18, 2014
Patent Number:
8891946
One embodiment of the present invention provides a technique for dynamically adjusting streaming media bit rates in response to user requests for accelerated playback. When user may selects to accelerate playback of streaming media content, a content player may begin decoding data from a content buffer at the accelerated rate. At the same time, the content player may estimate a bit rate that can be supported by both the accelerated playback rate and prevailing network bandwidth and…
Recommending digital content based on implicit user identification
Granted: November 11, 2014
Patent Number:
8887095
One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for recommending digital content to a user of a digital content application based on continually learned patterns of behavior. Based on metrics collected from a current session of the digital content application, properties associated with one or more users interacting with the application are inferred. The inferred properties are matched against previously defined patterns of behavior to identify digital content that could…
Security credential deployment in cloud environment
Granted: October 14, 2014
Patent Number:
8863255
Techniques are described for deploying a security credential for an application deployed in a cloud. An encrypted security credential is received from a remote system and is inserted into a virtual machine image associated with the application. Upon deploying the virtual machine image as a virtual machine instance, embodiments transmit a request to a cryptex server for a decrypted security credential, the request including the encrypted security credential and a virtual machine…
Audio and video streaming for media effects
Granted: October 14, 2014
Patent Number:
8861926
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…
Security credential deployment in cloud environment
Granted: September 16, 2014
Patent Number:
8838961
Techniques are described for deploying a security credential for an application deployed in a cloud. An encrypted security credential is received from a remote system and is inserted into a virtual machine instance associated with the application. Upon deploying the virtual machine instance, embodiments transmit a request to a cryptex server for a decrypted security credential, the request including the encrypted security credential and a virtual machine identifier for the deployed…
Parallel video encoding based on complexity analysis
Granted: September 16, 2014
Patent Number:
8837601
Embodiments of the invention provide techniques for encoding chunks of a video file in parallel. Embodiments may divide a source video file into a plurality of chunks, and may encode each chunk at a rate based upon complexity data associated with the chunk. The encoded chunks may then be reassembled to produce an encoded video file.
System and method for obfuscation initiation values of a cryptography protocol
Granted: July 15, 2014
Patent Number:
8782420
A computer-implemented technique for determining whether a first computing device has the correct version of a software program may be used to provide a secure approach to verifying that a client computing device has a secure and approved version of content player software implemented for consuming downloaded copyright media content. With this technique, copyright media content providers are able to ensure that only secure and approved content players are implemented to access the…
System and method for detecting active streams using a heartbeat and secure stop mechanism
Granted: June 17, 2014
Patent Number:
8756708
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.
User interface and pointing device for a consumer electronics device
Granted: June 10, 2014
Patent Number:
8749426
A remote control comprises a touch-sensitive device configured to detect touching and convert the touching into one or more first data signals; a wireless data transmitter; and logic coupled to the touch-sensitive device and to the wireless data transmitter. The logic is configured to receive the first data signals, transform the first data signals into one or more second data signals that are compatible with a remotely controllable apparatus, and communicate the second data signals to…
Insertion points for streaming video autoplay
Granted: April 1, 2014
Patent Number:
8689269
Techniques are described for presenting streaming media content to users in an engaging manner. A streaming media player may provide an interface that allows users to browse though a collection of available titles sorted into different categories (e.g., science fiction titles, television shows, westerns, etc.). The interface may be configured to automatically begin playback of one of the media titles at a designated insertion point, providing a user with a preview of the title. The…
Variable bit video streams for adaptive streaming
Granted: April 1, 2014
Patent Number:
8689267
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…
L-cut stream startup
Granted: March 25, 2014
Patent Number:
8682139
One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for starting playback of an audio portion of digital media content before a video portion of the digital media content is received. An advantage of the disclosed technique is that the perceived delay from the time when a user selects the digital media content to when playback of the digital media content begins is reduced. The audio may be faded-in and one or more still frames of video data may be displayed while the video…
Adaptive streaming for digital content distribution
Granted: January 14, 2014
Patent Number:
8631455
One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for adapting playback bit rate to available delivery bandwidth in a content delivery system comprising a content server and a content player. A content player periodically estimates whether a given playback bit rate can feasibly provide complete playback for a given title assuming currently available bandwidth. If playback becomes unfeasible at a current bit rate assuming currently available bandwidth, then the content player…
Verifying authenticity of playback device
Granted: December 17, 2013
Patent Number:
8612771
One embodiment of the invention sets forth a mechanism for verifying the authenticity of a device before transmitting digital content to the device. In operation, the device stores a device key that is generated at manufacture-time using a pre-determined cryptographic key and the device identifier. In operation, the device generates a proof of possession from the application data and the stored device key. When verifying the device authenticity, a device key is derived from the master…
Interest based row selection
Granted: November 5, 2013
Patent Number:
8577896
Genres and associated digital items are recommended to a user based on the interests of the user. Genres that are of interest to the user are determined based on user preferences gathered implicitly or explicitly. The genres are then scored and sorted based on different scoring and sorting techniques. A subset of the scored and sorted genres is then selected for recommending to the user.
Test environment for audio/video playback
Granted: October 22, 2013
Patent Number:
8566442
One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for testing a client for audio/video/subtitle playback capabilities. A computing device is configured to receive a virtual machine data file that includes an operating system, a web server, a content playback application, and a test program. The virtual machine data file is executed to cause the operating system and web server to initialize. The web server detects a communications connection to the client, transmits the…
Content playback APIS using encrypted streams
Granted: September 10, 2013
Patent Number:
8532290
One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for decrypting digital content in a secure environment. The technique includes the steps of receiving a digital rights management (DRM) license associated with a first frame of encrypted data from a DRM server, where the DRM license includes a decryption key for decrypting the first frame of encrypted data, transmitting the DRM license to a secure content playback pipeline for storage, and transmitting the first frame of…
Client-server signaling in content distribution networks
Granted: May 14, 2013
Patent Number:
8443056
One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for transmitting and processing download requests specifying download instructions and additional optional intent hints. A client computer signals intent information to an edge server resident within a content delivery network via download requests. The intent information indicates contextual information regarding the download of a digital content file, such as the reason for the download or the amount of the digital content…
