Systems and methods for quick start-up of playback

• US 10,721,285 B2
• Filed: 08/10/2018
• Issued: 07/21/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DivX, LLC (f/k/a DivX CF Holdings LLC) (SoftBank Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: DivX, LLC (f/k/a DivX CF Holdings LLC) (SoftBank Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Braness, Jason, Amidei, William David, Dobrin, Cristina
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoffman, Brandon S
• Application Number:
  US16/101,339
• Publication Number:
  US 20190044995A1
• Time in Patent Office: 711 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/60 Digital content management, e.g. content distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/062 for key distribution, e.g. centrally by trusted party cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving a central third party H04L9/0819
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/613 for the control of the source by the destination control signals issued by the client directed to the server or network components specially adapted for selective content distribution H04N21/637
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/70 Media network packetisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/75 Media network packet handling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/752 adapting media to network capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/756 adapting media to device capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/762 at the source reformatting of additional data in video distribution servers H04N21/2355
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23439 for generating different versions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2347 involving video stream encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2541 Rights Management protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10; security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44029 for generating different versions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4621 Controlling the complexity of the content stream or additional data, e.g. lowering the resolution or bit-rate of the video stream for a mobile client with a small screen arrangements for using the results of monitoring on user's side in broadcast systems H04H60/65; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/63345 by transmitting keys key distribution for secret or secure communication H04L9/08; network support of key management H04L63/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8456 by decomposing the content in the time domain, e.g. in time segments

Abstract

Systems and methods for quick start-up of playback in accordance with embodiments of the invention are disclosed. Media content may be encoded in a plurality of alternative streams and a quick start-up stream. The quick start-up stream may include media content that is encoded at a lower quality that the alternative streams and may be encrypted with a different, less secure encryption process than that of the alternative streams. During a start-up of playback, the playback device streams the media content from a quick start-up stream until a metric, such as a decryption key for the alternative streams is met. The device then streams the media content from the alternative streams in response to the metric being met.

Claims

1. A method for encoding for fast startup of video playback of encoded media content using at least two video streams, where the media is encoded as at least a first video stream and a second video stream, the method comprising:

encoding media content as a plurality of alternative streams, where the plurality of alternative media streams are encoded at various bitrates, resolutions, and frame rates, and the media content in each particular stream of the plurality of encrypted alternative streams has a particular quality based upon at least one of the bitrate, resolution of, and frame rate of the particular stream;

encrypting each alternative stream of the plurality of alternative streams with a common set of cryptographic information;

storing each alternative stream of the plurality of alternative streams in a set of one or more alternative stream containers;

generating a quick start-up stream of the media content, wherein the quality of media content in the quick start-up stream has a lesser quality than the video content of each of the plurality of encrypted alternative streams;

storing the quick start-up stream in a quick start-up container; and

providing the common set of cryptographic information to an authentication system over the network.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising encrypting the quick start-up stream of the media content using a second encryption process, wherein at least one stream of the plurality of encrypted alternative streams is encrypted using a first encryption process and the quick start-up stream is encrypted using a second encryption process that is less secure than the first encryption process.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the second encryption process uses a second set of cryptographic information, wherein the second set of cryptographic information is stored in the quick start-up container.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the quick start-up stream is unencrypted.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the common set of cryptographic information comprises a set of one or more keys.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising storing a top level index pointing to each alternative stream container of the set of alternative stream containers.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the top level index further comprises information about the quick start-up stream.

8. An encoder device comprising:

a memory;

a network interface; and

a processor that reads instructions stored in the memory that direct the processor to;

encode media content as a plurality of alternative streams, where the plurality of alternative media streams are encoded at various bitrates, resolutions, and frame rates, and the media content in each particular stream of the plurality of encrypted alternative streams has a particular quality based upon at least one of the bitrate, resolution of, and frame rate of the particular stream;

encrypt each alternative stream of the plurality of alternative streams with a common set of cryptographic information;

store each alternative stream of the plurality of alternative streams in a set of one or more alternative stream containers;

generate a quick start-up stream of the media content, wherein the quality of media content in the quick start-up stream has a lesser quality than the video content of each of the plurality of encrypted alternative streams;

store the quick start-up stream in a quick start-up container; and

provide the common set of cryptographic information to an authentication system over the network.

9. The encoder device of claim 8, wherein the processor is further directed to encrypt the quick start-up stream of the media content using a second encryption process, wherein at least one stream of the plurality of encrypted alternative streams is encrypted using a first encryption process and the quick start-up stream is encrypted using a second encryption process that is less secure than the first encryption process.

10. The encoder device of claim 9, wherein the second encryption process uses a second set of cryptographic information, wherein the second set of cryptographic information is stored in the quick start-up container.

11. The encoder device of claim 8, wherein the quick start-up stream is unencrypted.

12. The encoder device of claim 8, wherein the common set of cryptographic information comprises a set of one or more keys.

13. The encoder device of claim 8, wherein the processor is further directed to store a top level index pointing to each alternative stream container of the set of alternative stream containers.

14. The encoder device of claim 13, wherein the top level index further comprises information about the quick start-up stream.

15. 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:

encoding media content as a plurality of alternative streams, where the plurality of alternative media streams are encoded at various bitrates, resolutions, and frame rates, and the media content in each particular stream of the plurality of encrypted alternative streams has a particular quality based upon at least one of the bitrate, resolution of, and frame rate of the particular stream;

encrypting each alternative stream of the plurality of alternative streams with a common set of cryptographic information;

storing each alternative stream of the plurality of alternative streams in a set of one or more alternative stream containers;

generating a quick start-up stream of the media content, wherein the quality of media content in the quick start-up stream has a lesser quality than the video content of each of the plurality of encrypted alternative streams;

storing the quick start-up stream in a quick start-up container; and

providing the common set of cryptographic information to an authentication system over the network.

16. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 15 further comprising encrypting the quick start-up stream of the media content using a second encryption process, wherein at least one stream of the plurality of encrypted alternative streams is encrypted using a first encryption process and the quick start-up stream is encrypted using a second encryption process that is less secure than the first encryption process.

17. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 16, wherein the second encryption process uses a second set of cryptographic information, wherein the second set of cryptographic information is stored in the quick start-up container.

18. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 15, wherein the quick start-up stream is unencrypted.

19. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 15, wherein the common set of cryptographic information comprises a set of one or more keys.

20. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 15, wherein the process further comprises storing a top level index pointing to each alternative stream container of the set of alternative stream containers, wherein the top level index further comprises information about the quick start-up stream.