Media playlists with selective media expiration
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A system, comprising:
- a media server having a processor and a memory, the media server being configured to;
receive a request for a playlist from a client computing device, the playlist referencing a plurality of alternate streams each associated with its own expiration information indicative of when the respective stream becomes obsolete, the playlist becoming obsolete after all the alternate streams are obsolete, wherein the alternate streams are versions of a same media segment encoded at different bandwidths;
provide the requested playlist to the client computing device;
revise the playlist to generate a refreshed version of the playlist before the playlist becomes obsolete; and
receive from the client computing device a request for the refreshed version of the requested playlist according to the expiration information after the refreshed version is generated;
wherein the expiration information specifies at least one of;
(i) a unit of time to wait after receipt of the playlist before refreshing the playlist;
(ii) an amount of time after a date stamp or other time associated with the playlist to wait before refreshing the playlist;
(iii) a particular day or time of day after which to refresh the playlist; and
(iv) a period for repeated refresh of the playlist.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A media server may receive a request for a playlist from a client computing device, the playlist being associated with expiration information indicative of when the playlist becomes obsolete. The media server may provide the requested playlist to the client computing device. The media server may revise the playlist to generate a refreshed version of the playlist and the client computing device may request the refreshed version of the playlist according to the expiration information.
20 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A system, comprising:
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a media server having a processor and a memory, the media server being configured to; receive a request for a playlist from a client computing device, the playlist referencing a plurality of alternate streams each associated with its own expiration information indicative of when the respective stream becomes obsolete, the playlist becoming obsolete after all the alternate streams are obsolete, wherein the alternate streams are versions of a same media segment encoded at different bandwidths; provide the requested playlist to the client computing device; revise the playlist to generate a refreshed version of the playlist before the playlist becomes obsolete; and receive from the client computing device a request for the refreshed version of the requested playlist according to the expiration information after the refreshed version is generated; wherein the expiration information specifies at least one of;
(i) a unit of time to wait after receipt of the playlist before refreshing the playlist;
(ii) an amount of time after a date stamp or other time associated with the playlist to wait before refreshing the playlist;
(iii) a particular day or time of day after which to refresh the playlist; and
(iv) a period for repeated refresh of the playlist. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method, comprising:
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receiving a request for a playlist from a client by a media server, the requested playlist referencing a plurality of alternate streams each associated with its own expiration information, the expiration information indicating when the respective stream becomes obsolete, the requested playlist becoming obsolete after all the alternate streams become obsolete, wherein the alternate streams are versions of a same media segment encoded at different bandwidths; providing the requested playlist to the client; and revising the playlist by the media server to generate a refreshed version of the playlist before the playlist becomes obsolete; and receiving a request for the refreshed version of the requested playlist according to the expiration information after the refreshed version is generated; wherein the expiration information specifies at least one of;
(i) a unit of time to wait after receipt of the playlist before refreshing the playlist;
(ii) an amount of time after a date stamp or other time associated with the playlist to wait before refreshing the playlist;
(iii) a particular day or time of day after which to refresh the playlist; and
(iv) a period for repeated refresh of the playlist. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method, comprising:
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sending, to a server by a client computing device over a communications network, a request for a playlist, the requested playlist referencing a plurality of alternate streams each associated with its own expiration information, the expiration information indicating when the respective stream becomes obsolete, the requested playlist becoming obsolete after all the alternate streams become obsolete, wherein the alternate streams are versions of a same media segment encoded at different bandwidths; receiving the requested playlist from the server by the client computing device; streaming one of the alternate streams having a bandwidth best suited to the client computing device based at least on a connection to the communications network; determining according to the expiration information when the requested playlist will expire; and when the playlist is determined to expire, sending to the server by the client computing device, a request for a refreshed version of the playlist; wherein the expiration information specifies at least one of;
(i) a unit of time to wait after receipt of the playlist before refreshing the playlist;
(ii) an amount of time after a date stamp or other time associated with the playlist to wait before refreshing the playlist;
(iii) a particular day or time of day after which to refresh the playlist; and
(iv) a period for repeated refresh of the playlist. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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18. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a media application software program, the media application being executable to provide operations comprising:
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sending, to a server over a communications network, a request for a playlist, the requested playlist referencing a plurality of alternate streams each associated with its own expiration information, the expiration information indicating when the respective stream becomes obsolete, the playlist becoming obsolete after all the alternate streams are obsolete, wherein the alternate streams are versions of a same media segment encoded at different bandwidths; receiving the requested playlist from the server; streaming one of the alternate streams based at least on a connection to the communications network; determining according to the expiration information when the requested playlist will expire; and when the playlist is determined to expire, sending to the server a request for a refreshed version of the playlist; wherein the expiration information specifies at least one of;
(i) a unit of time to wait after receipt of the playlist before refreshing the playlist;
(ii) an amount of time after a date stamp or other time associated with the playlist to wait before refreshing the playlist;
(iii) a particular day or time of day after which to refresh the playlist; and
(iv) a period for repeated refresh of the playlist.
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Specification