Variability in available levels of quality of encoded content
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- via computer processor hardware, performing operations of;
storing content as multiple streams of data, each of the multiple streams of data encoded in accordance with a different bit rate to play back a rendition of the content according to a different level of quality;
providing notification to subscribers in a network environment, the notification indicating that a particular bit rate of multiple bit rates for playing back the content is available for a limited time duration;
distributing portions of the multiple streams of data in the network environment during the limited time duration; and
preventing distribution of the content at the particular bit rate in the network environment subsequent to expiration of the limited time duration;
wherein providing the notification further comprises;
initiating display of the notification on a display screen, the notification indicating that a version of the content encoded at the particular bit rate is temporarily available for retrieval and inclusion in an adaptive bit rate data stream during the limited time duration, the notification further indicating that a version of the content encoded at a lower bit rate than the particular bit rate is available for retrieval after the limited time duration.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A server resource provides notification to subscribers in a respective network environment that the content is available for retrieval at a particular bit rate (e.g., a promotional bit rate) or particular level of quality (e.g., promotional level of quality) amongst multiple levels of quality for a limited duration of time. For example, an especially high level of quality (or bit rate) of the content may be available only for the limited duration of time. After making the especially high level of quality of content available for retrieval during a promotional period, the content may be subsequently available for retrieval only at lower levels of quality. Accordingly, one or more configurations as discussed herein include changing the ability to access content encoded at different levels of quality over time.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
via computer processor hardware, performing operations of; storing content as multiple streams of data, each of the multiple streams of data encoded in accordance with a different bit rate to play back a rendition of the content according to a different level of quality; providing notification to subscribers in a network environment, the notification indicating that a particular bit rate of multiple bit rates for playing back the content is available for a limited time duration; distributing portions of the multiple streams of data in the network environment during the limited time duration; and preventing distribution of the content at the particular bit rate in the network environment subsequent to expiration of the limited time duration; wherein providing the notification further comprises;
initiating display of the notification on a display screen, the notification indicating that a version of the content encoded at the particular bit rate is temporarily available for retrieval and inclusion in an adaptive bit rate data stream during the limited time duration, the notification further indicating that a version of the content encoded at a lower bit rate than the particular bit rate is available for retrieval after the limited time duration.- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method comprising:
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via computer processor hardware, performing operations of; adaptively transmitting portions of encoded content at multiple different levels of playback quality in a network environment; and subsequent to detecting occurrence of a trigger event indicating termination of availability of the encoded content at a particular level of playback quality; preventing transmission of the content at the particular level of playback quality; and adaptively transmitting the content at the multiple levels of playback quality other than at the particular level of playback quality; wherein detecting occurrence of the trigger event includes detecting expiration of a time limit during which the content at the particular level of playback quality is available for retrieval; and wherein adaptively transmitting portions of the content at the multiple levels of playback quality other than at the particular level of playback quality includes preventing inclusion of portions of the content encoded at the particular level of playback quality in an adaptive bit rate data stream transmitted in the network environment. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method comprising:
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via computer processor hardware, performing operations of; adaptively transmitting portions of encoded content at multiple different levels of playback quality in a network environment; and subsequent to detecting occurrence of a trigger event indicating termination of availability of the encoded content at a particular level of playback quality; preventing transmission of the content at the particular level of playback quality; and adaptively transmitting the content at the multiple levels of playback quality other than at the particular level of playback quality; wherein adaptively transmitting portions of encoded content at multiple different levels of playback quality in the network environment includes producing a first adaptive bit rate data stream including at least portions of the content at the particular level of playback quality; and wherein adaptively transmitting portions of the content at the multiple levels of playback quality other than the particular level of playback quality includes preventing inclusion of portions of the content encoded at the particular level of playback quality in a second adaptive bit rate data stream transmitted in the network environment.
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23. A method comprising:
via computer processor hardware, performing operations of; producing first content access information, the first content access information indicating portions of content that are available for retrieval at a particular bit rate and other bit rates during a limited time duration; producing second content access information, the second content access information indicating portions of the content that are available for retrieval at the other bit rates and not the particular bit rate after the limited time duration; distributing the first content access information and the second content access information to subscribers in a network environment; and the method further comprising;
distributing the first content access information and the second content access information for simultaneous display of a first notification and a second notification on a display screen, the first notification indicating the portions of the content that are available for retrieval at the particular bit rate and other bit rates during the limited time duration, the second notification indicating the portions of content that are available for retrieval at the other bit rates and not the particular bit rate after the limited time duration.- View Dependent Claims (24, 25)
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26. A method comprising:
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via computer processor hardware, performing operations of; storing content as multiple streams of data, each of the multiple streams of data encoded in accordance with a different bit rate to play back a rendition of the content according to a different level of quality; providing notification to subscribers in a network environment, the notification indicating that a particular bit rate of multiple bit rates for playing back the content is available for a limited time duration; distributing portions of the multiple streams of data in the network environment during the limited time duration; and preventing distribution of the content at the particular bit rate in the network environment subsequent to expiration of the limited time duration;
the method further comprising;providing the notification in a displayed content schedule guide prior to the distributing, the content schedule guide indicating that the content encoded at the particular bit rate is a temporarily available promotional bit rate not available outside a time slot as specified by content schedule guide. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28)
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29. A method comprising:
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via computer processor hardware, performing operations of; storing content as multiple streams of data, each of the multiple streams of data encoded in accordance with a different bit rate to play back a rendition of the content according to a different level of quality; providing notification to subscribers in a network environment, the notification indicating that a particular bit rate of multiple bit rates for playing back the content is available for a limited time duration; distributing portions of the multiple streams of data in the network environment during the limited time duration; and preventing distribution of the content at the particular bit rate in the network environment subsequent to expiration of the limited time duration; the method further comprising; distributing first content access information to the subscribers in the network environment, first content access information indicating portions of the content that are available for retrieval at the particular bit rate and other bit rates during the limited time duration; distributing second content access information to the subscribers in the network environment, the second content access information indicating portions of the content that are available for retrieval at the bit rates other than the particular bit rate after the limited time duration.
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30. A method comprising:
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via computer processor hardware, performing operations of; storing content as multiple streams of data, each of the multiple streams of data encoded in accordance with a different bit rate to play back a rendition of the content according to a different level of quality; providing notification to subscribers in a network environment, the notification indicating that a particular bit rate of multiple bit rates for playing back the content is available for a limited time duration; distributing portions of the multiple streams of data in the network environment during the limited time duration; and preventing distribution of the content at the particular bit rate in the network environment subsequent to expiration of the limited time duration; wherein the multiple streams of data includes a first stream of data and a second stream of data, the first stream of data encoded in accordance with the particular bit rate, the second stream of data encoded in accordance with a bit rate lower than the particular bit rate; and wherein distributing the multiple streams of data includes; during the limited time duration, providing subscribers in the network environment access to segments in the first stream of data and segments in the second stream of data; and subsequent to the limited time duration;
i) preventing distribution of the segments of the first stream of data to the subscribers, and ii) providing the subscribers in the network environment access to segments in the second stream of data. - View Dependent Claims (31)
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Specification