Dynamically changing stream quality when user is unlikely to notice to conserve resources

• US 9,326,012 B1
• Filed: 06/29/2012
• Issued: 04/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Dorwin, David Kimbal
• Primary Examiner(s): Ibrahim, Mohamed
• Application Number:
  US13/538,908
• Time in Patent Office: 1,397 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3003 Monitoring arrangements specially adapted to the computing system or computing system component being monitored
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/105 Arrangements for software license management or administration, e.g. for managing licenses at corporate level
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/1062 Editing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/1073 Conversion
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/50 Monitoring users, programs or devices to maintain the integrity of platforms, e.g. of processors, firmware or operating systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/60 Protecting data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/602 Providing cryptographic facilities or services
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/62 Protecting access to data via a platform, e.g. using keys or access control rules
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6209 to a single file or object, e.g. in a secure envelope, encrypted and accessed using a key, or with access control rules appended to the object itself
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/143 Markup, e.g. Standard Generalized Markup Language [SGML] or Document Type Definition [DTD]
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/00 2D [Two Dimensional] image generation
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00086 Circuits for prevention of unauthorised reproduction or copying, e.g. piracy indicating unauthorised use of record carriers in general G11B23/28; scrambling for television signal recording H04N5/913; network architectures or network protocols for network security H04L63/00; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communication H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/603 Digital right managament [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/101 applying security measures for digital rights management data processing systems or methods, specially adapted for commerce, e.g. marketing, shopping, billing, auctions or e-commerce G06Q30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/103 applying security measure for protecting copy right protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment, e.g. protection the software providers copyright G06F21/10; data processing systems or methods, specially adapted for payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; secrecy systems or subscription systems H04N7/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/801 Real time traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/805 QOS or priority aware
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/00 Network architectures or network communication protocols for network security cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communication H04L9/00; network architectures or network communication protocols for wireless network security H04W12/00; security arrangements for protecting computers or computer systems against unauthorised activity G06F21/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/06 for supporting key management in a packet data network cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key management H04L9/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0876 : based on the identity of the terminal or configuration, e.g. MAC address, hardware or software configuration or device fingerprint
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 : Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 : Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1108 : Web based protocols, e.g. webRTC
• 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 65/762 : at the source reformatting of additional data in video distribution servers H04N21/2355
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 : Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0631 : Substitution permutation network [SPN], i.e. cipher composed of a number of stages or rounds each involving linear and nonlinear transformations, e.g. AES algorithms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0861 : Generation of secret information including derivation or calculation of cryptographic keys or passwords
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/32 : including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system or for message authentication, e.g. authorization, entity authentication, data integrity or data verification, non-repudiation, key authentication or verification of credentials
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2347 : involving video stream encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/24 : Monitoring of processes or resources, e.g. monitoring of server load, available bandwidth, upstream requests monitoring of server performance or load G06F11/34; arrangements for observation, testing or troubleshooting for broadcast or for distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25825 : involving client display capabilities, e.g. screen resolution of a mobile phone optimising the visualisation of content during browsing in the Internet G06F16/9577; processing of terminal status or physical abilities in wireless networks H04W8/22; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25833 : involving client hardware characteristics, e.g. manufacturer, processing or storage capabilities allocation of resources considering hardware capabilities in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/5044; allocation of resources considering software capabilities in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/5055
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 : embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4405 : involving video stream decryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4516 : involving client characteristics, e.g. Set-Top-Box type, software version or amount of memory available

Abstract

A computing device may be configured to automatically change at least a quality, display, video, and/or audio features for a content stream when a user is unlikely to notice such changes. When the user requests play of a stream of content, a determination may be made regarding a level of presence of the user and a configuration of the computing device. A level of quality is selected based on the determined level of presence/device configuration. At least one content stream is prepared and played using the selected level of quality. When a change in the level of presence of the user/or device configuration is detected, the at least one content stream can selectively be changed automatically.

Claims

1. A computer-based method operating on a computer device, comprising:

receiving, from a plurality of sensors associated with the computer device, a plurality of user-configured sensor inputs corresponding to at least a first user and a second user;

detecting an initial level of presence of a user of the computer device based on the plurality of user-configured sensor inputs, wherein a first level of user presence is determined for the first user and a second level of user presence is determined for the second user;

selecting a level of quality of content based on the first level of user presence and the second level of user presence; and

while playing at least one stream of content at the selected level of quality, when at least one of the first level of user presence and the second level of user presence is detected to change from the initial level of user presence, automatically switching play of the at least one stream to another level of quality of content based on the change in the level of user presence.

2. The computer-based method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting an initial configuration of the computer device;

detecting the level of quality of content based further on the detected initial configuration; and

while playing the at least one stream of content at the selected level of quality, when at least one of the first level of user presence and the second level of user presence is detected to change or the configuration of the computer device is detected to change, automatically switching play of the at least one stream to another available level of quality of content based on the change in the level of user presence or the change in the configuration.

3. The computer-based method of claim 2, wherein detecting a configuration further comprises monitoring a configuration of an operating system, a display device, a speaker output, a device connection, or a network interface.

4. The computer-based method of claim 1, wherein detecting a level of presence of the user further comprises employing at least one of a camera or sensor to receive at least one signal useable to determine whether the user is at least one of facing a display for the computer device or is talking.

5. The computer-based method of claim 1, wherein changing a level of quality of the content further comprises decreasing a quality of the content by at least one of dimming a display of the content, putting to sleep the display, putting into standby the display, reducing a number of output devices in use, or decreasing a volume of the content.

6. The computer-based method of claim 1, wherein when the first level of user presence and the second level of user presence is detected to decrease, switching play of the at least one stream using a decreased level of defined quality of content further comprises using a detent or delay timer prior to switching play, to minimize dithering between levels of quality of content.

7. The computer-based method of claim 1, wherein at least one stream of content comprises a scalable video coding stream that comprises a plurality of subset bitstreams, each bitstream having a different level of defined quality of content than another bitstream in the plurality of subset bitstreams.

8. An apparatus comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium, having computer-executable instructions stored thereon, that in response to execution by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations, comprising:

receiving at least one stream of content, the at least one stream of content having a plurality of different levels of defined quality of content;

receiving, from a plurality of sensors associated with the computing device, a plurality of user-configured sensor inputs corresponding to at least a first user and a second user;

detecting a level of presence of a user of the computing device based on the plurality of user-configured sensor inputs, wherein a first level of user presence is determined for the first user and a second level of user presence is determined for the second user;

selecting a level of defined quality of content based on the first level of user presence and the second level of user presence; and

while playing the at least one stream of content at the selected level of defined quality;

when the first level of user presence and the second level of user presence is detected to decrease for the computing device, switching play of the at least one stream using an available decreased level of defined quality of content; and

when at least one of the first level of user presence and the second level of user presence is detected to increase for the computing device, switching play of the at least one stream using an available increased level of defined quality of content.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein performing operations further include:

detecting a configuration of the computing device; and

employing a detected change in the configuration, while playing of the at least one stream of content, to change the level of defined quality of content.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein detecting a change in the configuration of the computing device further comprises detecting a change in at least one of a display device, a speaker, or a network connection for the computing device.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein when the first level of user presence and the second level of user presence is detected to decrease, switching play of the at least one stream using a decreased level of defined quality of content further comprises using a detent or delay timer prior to switching play, to minimize dithering between levels of quality of content.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the at least one stream of content comprises a plurality of different streams of the content, wherein at least one stream in the plurality has a different level of defined quality of content than at least one other stream in the plurality.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein detecting a level of presence of the user further comprises employing at least one of a camera or sensor to receive at least one signal useable to determine whether the user is at least one of facing a screen display for the computing device or is talking.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein decreasing a quality of the content further includes at least one of dimming a display of the content, putting to sleep the display, putting the display into standby, reducing a number of output devices in use, or decreasing a volume of the content.

15. A client device, comprising:

a network interface to receive content over a network; and

one or more hardware processors, coupled to a memory that stores computer executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more hardware processors, perform actions including;

receiving, from a plurality of sensors associated with the client device, a plurality of user-configured sensor inputs corresponding to at least a first user and a second user;

detecting a level of user presence at the client device based on the plurality of user-configured sensor inputs, wherein a first level of user presence is determined for the first user and a second level of user presence is determined for the second user;

selecting a level of defined quality of content based on the first level of user presence and the second level of user presence; and

while playing at least one stream of content at the selected level of defined quality;

when the first level of user presence and the second level of user presence is detected to decrease, switching play of the at least one stream to a decreased level of defined quality of content; and

when at least one of the first level of user presence and the second level of user presence is detected to increase, switching play of the at least one stream to an available increased level of defined quality of content.

16. The client device of claim 15, wherein the at least one stream of content comprises a plurality of different streams of the content, wherein at least one stream in the plurality has a different level of defined quality of content than at least one other stream in the plurality.

17. The client device of claim 15, wherein performing actions further including:

detecting a configuration of the client device; and

employing a detected change in the configuration, while playing of the at least one stream of content, to change the level of defined quality of content.

18. The client device of claim 15, wherein detecting a level of presence of the user further comprises employing at least one of a camera or sensor to receive at least one signal useable to determine whether the user is at least one of facing a screen display for the client device or is talking.

19. The client device of claim 15, wherein when the first level of user presence and the second level of user presence is detected to decrease, switching play of the at least one stream using a decreased level of defined quality of content further comprises using a detent or delay timer prior to switching play, to minimize dithering between levels of quality of content.

20. The client device of claim 15, wherein decreasing a quality of the content further includes at least one of dimming, putting to sleep, or putting in stand-by a display of the content or decreasing a volume of the content.