Netflix Patent Grants

Techniques for encoding a media title while constraining quality variations

Granted: December 7, 2021
Patent Number: 11196790
In various embodiments, a subsequence-based encoding application generates a convex hull of subsequence encode points based on multiple encoding points and a first subsequence included in a set of subsequences that are associated with a media title. The subsequence-based encoding application then generates a first encode list that includes multiple subsequence encode points based on the first convex hull. Notably, each subsequence encode point included in the first encode list is…

Techniques for selecting resolutions for encoding different shot sequences

Granted: November 23, 2021
Patent Number: 11184621
In various embodiments, an encoding optimization application encodes a source video sequence. The encoding optimization application partitions a source video sequence associated with a media title into multiple subsequences that include a first subsequence and a second subsequence. The encoding optimization application then generates a first encoded subsequence based on the first subsequence and a first resolution. The encoding optimization application generates a second encoded…

Display screen with animated graphical user interface

Granted: November 23, 2021
Patent Number: D936667

Dynamically adjusting video merchandising to reflect user preferences

Granted: November 2, 2021
Patent Number: 11166073
One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for displaying scenes included in media assets. The technique includes selecting a first scene included in a first video asset based on one or more preferences and metadata associated with multiple scenes. The first video asset is one of multiple video assets, and each scene included in the multiple scenes is included in one of the video assets included in the multiple video assets. The technique further includes displaying…

Comparing video encoders/decoders using shot-based encoding and a perceptual visual quality metric

Granted: November 2, 2021
Patent Number: 11166034
In various embodiments, an encoder comparison application compares the performance of different configured encoders. In operation, the encoder comparison application generates a first global convex hull of video encode points based on a first configured encoder and a set of subsequences included in a source video sequence. Each video encode point is associated with a different encoded version of the source video sequence. The encoder comparison application also generates a second global…

Optimizing encoding operations when generating encoded versions of a media title

Granted: October 19, 2021
Patent Number: 11153585
In various embodiments, a sequence-based encoding application partitions a set of shot sequences associated with a media title into multiple clusters based on at least one feature that characterizes media content and/or encoded media content associated with the media title. The clusters include at least a first cluster and a second cluster. The sequence-based encoding application encodes a first shot sequence using a first operating point to generate a first encoded shot sequence. The…

Techniques for text rendering using font patching

Granted: October 12, 2021
Patent Number: 11144707
Various embodiments disclose a computer-implemented method that includes receiving, subsequent to a first font file being stored in read-only memory, a first font patch file for storage in read-write memory, where each of the first font file and the first font patch file is associated with a first font and includes a different set of glyphs used to render characters for display, and a first set of glyphs included in the first font file is static, determining that a first text string…

Scene and shot detection and characterization

Granted: October 5, 2021
Patent Number: 11138462
A method includes receiving, with a computing system, a video item. The method further includes identifying a first set of features within a first frame of the video item. The method further includes identifying, with the computing system, a second set of features within a second frame of the video item, the second frame being subsequent to the first frame. The method further includes determining, with the computing system, differences between the first set of features and the second set…

Dynamically adjusting text strings based on machine translation feedback

Granted: September 21, 2021
Patent Number: 11126799
The disclosed computer-implemented method may include accessing a string of text that includes characters written in a first language. The method may next include translating the text string into different languages using machine translation. The method may next include identifying, among the translated text strings, a shortest string and a longest string. The method may also include calculating a customized string length adjustment ratio for adjusting the length of the accessed text…

Attack mitigation in a packet-switched network

Granted: September 14, 2021
Patent Number: 11122075
The disclosed computer-implemented method includes applying transport protocol heuristics to selective acknowledgement (SACK) messages received at a network adapter from a network node. The transport protocol heuristics identify threshold values for operational functions that are performed when processing the SACK messages. The method further includes determining, by applying the transport protocol heuristics to the SACK messages received from the network node, that the threshold values…

Techniques for scheduled anti-entropy repair design

Granted: September 14, 2021
Patent Number: 11119845
Various embodiments of the invention disclosed herein provide techniques for performing distributed anti-entropy repair procedures across a plurality of nodes in a distributed database network. A node included in a plurality of nodes within the distributed database network determines, before all other nodes included in the plurality of nodes, that a first anti-entropy repair procedure has ended. The node determines that a second anti-entropy repair procedure is ready to begin. The node…

Global approach to buffering media content

Granted: September 7, 2021
Patent Number: 11115688
In various embodiments, a graph streaming application computes a first distance along a first potential playback path between a first playback position and a first media content block. The graph streaming application then computes a first score for the first media content block based on the first distance and a first probability associated with the first potential playback path. Similarly, the graph streaming application computes a second score for a second media content block based on a…

Techniques for efficiently accessing values spanning slabs of memory

Granted: September 7, 2021
Patent Number: 11113000
In various embodiments, a memory pool application implements composite arrays via a memory pool that includes a first slab and a second slab. First, the memory pool application assigns the first slab and the second slab to a composite array. The memory pool application then modifies a final data word included in the first slab to store a first portion of a specified value and a leading data word included in the second slab to store a second portion of the specified value. The memory pool…

Techniques for detecting spatial anomalies in video content

Granted: August 31, 2021
Patent Number: 11107206
In various embodiments, a defective pixel detection application automatically detects defective pixels in video content. In operation, the defective pixel detection application computes a first set of pixel intensity gradients based on a first frame of video content and a first neighborhood of pixels associated with a first pixel. The defective pixel detection application also computes a second set of pixel intensity gradients based on the first frame and a second neighborhood of pixels…

Techniques for transparently emulating network conditions

Granted: August 31, 2021
Patent Number: 11106566
In various embodiments, a network emulation application emulates network conditions when testing a software application. In response to a request to emulate a first set of network conditions for a first client device that is executing the software application, causing a kernel to implement a first pipeline and to automatically input network traffic associated with the first client device to the first pipeline instead of a default bridge. In response to a request to emulate a second set…

Systems and methods for adaptive streaming of multimedia content

Granted: August 17, 2021
Patent Number: 11094346
The disclosed computer-implemented method includes determining that audio quality is to be adjusted for a multimedia streaming connection over which audio data and video data are being streamed to a content player. The audio data is streamed at a specified audio quality level and the video data is streamed at a specified video quality level. The method also includes determining that a specified minimum video quality level is to be maintained while adjusting the audio quality level. Still…

Identifying similar items based on global interaction history

Granted: August 10, 2021
Patent Number: 11087338
One embodiment sets forth technique for computing a similarity score between two digital items is computed based on interaction histories associated with global users and interaction histories associated with local users. Global counts indicating the number of interactions associated with each unique pair of digital items are weighted based on a mixing rate. The weighted global counts are then combined with local counts to compute total counts. An effective interaction probability…

Extension for targeted invalidation of cached assets

Granted: August 10, 2021
Patent Number: 11086960
Various embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a computer-implemented method of receiving an invalidation command that includes a first asset identifier, and a set of extension value fields, identifying a first file that is stored in a first cache device and is associated with an identifier matching the first asset identifier, comparing attributes of the first file to the set of extension value fields, and upon determining that, for each extension value field, at least one…

Shot-based view files for trick play mode in a network-based video delivery system

Granted: August 3, 2021
Patent Number: 11082752
A computer-implemented method includes receiving a request from a client computing device for a first shot included in a media title being streamed to the client computing device for playback; in response to the request, sending the first shot to the client computing device for playback; and sending a representative image for at least one of the first shot and a second shot included in the media title, wherein the first shot comprises a first sequence of video frames that is included in…