Startup times of streaming digital media playback

• US 10,694,258 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2011
• Issued: 06/23/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Netflix, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Netflix, Inc.
• Inventors: Kaiser, Christian, White, Jean-Marie, Lai, Yung-Hsiao
• Primary Examiner(s): Agwumezie, Chinedu C
• Application Number:
  US13/326,122
• Publication Number:
  US 20130160146A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,114 Days
• Field of Search: 705 59
• 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: 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 21/4405 involving video stream decryption
• 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 21/835 Generation of protective data, e.g. certificates protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73

Abstract

Techniques are provided for streaming digital media content. In one embodiment, metadata associated with a digital media content title is retrieved prior to receiving any user request to play the digital media content title. Upon receiving a user request to play the digital media content title, a license is requested based on the retrieved metadata. Upon receiving the license, streaming playback of digital media content title begins.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method to reduce streaming playback delay, the computer-implemented method comprising:

defining, by an endpoint device, a first trigger condition comprising displaying of a display element in a user interface for a predetermined time period;

displaying, by the endpoint device, a first display element in the user interface, the first display element being associated with a first media title of a plurality of media titles available for streaming playback;

determining, by the endpoint device, that the first display element is displayed in the user interface for the predetermined time period;

in response to determining that the first display element is displayed in the user interface for the predetermined time period, by the endpoint device, retrieving digital rights management (DRM) data associated with the first media title from a control server;

subsequent to retrieving the DRM data, by the endpoint device, receiving a request to begin streaming playback of the first media title; and

in response to receiving the request to begin streaming playback of the first media title, by the endpoint device, performing the steps of;

requesting a license for the first media title from a DRM server using the DRM data;

requesting the first media title from a content distribution network; and

streaming playback of the first media title from the content distribution network using the license for the first media title.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein DRM data is retrieved for a second media title of the plurality of media titles upon detecting that a second trigger condition is satisfied.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the second trigger condition comprises a user-controlled cursor hovering over a second display element associated with the second media title, for a predefined period of time.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the second trigger condition comprises a second display element being visible in the user interface, wherein the second display element is associated with the second media title.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein retrieving the DRM data reduces a delay between receiving the request to begin streaming playback and streaming playback, wherein the delay is reduced by at least a duration of retrieving the DRM data.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of media titles are provided by the content distribution network, wherein the content distribution network, the endpoint device, the control server, and the DRM server are distinct entities each operatively connected to a communications network.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein the plurality of media titles comprise a plurality of distinct media titles, wherein in respective instances:

(i) only the DRM data associated with the first one of the plurality of media titles is retrieved;

(ii) DRM data associated with greater than one, but less than all, of the plurality of media titles is retrieved; and

(iii) DRM data associated with all of the plurality of media titles is retrieved.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the second trigger condition comprises a cursor being within a predefined vicinity of a second display element visible in the user interface, wherein the second display element is associated with the second media title.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein the predefined vicinity of the second display element is based on a number of pixels from the cursor.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein the second display element comprises text or a graphical icon associated with the second media title.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the DRM data comprises a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) that indicates a location of content for the first media title on the content distribution network.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the DRM data comprises a resolution of the first media title, a bit rate of the first media title, a number of audio channels associated with the first media title, subtitle information associated with the first media title, audio tracks associated with the first media title, an aspect ratio of the first media title, or a codec associated with the first media title.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the DRM data is retrieved regardless of a position of a user-controlled cursor within the user interface.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a scroll input for displaying a second display element in the user interface, the second display element being associated with a second media title of the plurality of media titles available for streaming playback; and

in response to receiving the scroll input, retrieving DRM data associated with the second media title.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to receiving the license for the first media title, beginning downloading of the first media title without decrypting the first media title.

16. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media containing a program which, when executed by one or more processors, performs an operation to reduce streaming playback delay, the operation comprising:

defining, by an endpoint device, a first trigger condition comprising displaying of a display element in a user interface for a predetermined time period;

displaying, by the endpoint device, a first display element in the user interface, the first display element being associated with a first media title of a plurality of media titles available for streaming playback;

determining, by the endpoint device, that the first display element is displayed in the user interface for the predetermined time period;

in response to determining that the first display element is displayed in the user interface for the predetermined time period, by the endpoint device, retrieving digital rights management (DRM) data associated with the first media title from a control server;

subsequent to retrieving the DRM data, by the endpoint device, receiving a request to begin streaming playback of the first media title; and

in response to receiving the request to begin streaming playback of the first media title, by the endpoint device, performing the steps of;

requesting a license for the first media title from a DRM server using the DRM data;

requesting the first media title from a content distribution network; and

streaming playback of the first media title from the content distribution network using the license for the first media title.

17. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 16, wherein DRM data is retrieved for a second media title of the plurality of media titles upon detecting that a second trigger condition is satisfied.

18. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 17, wherein the second trigger condition comprises a user-controlled cursor hovering over a second display element associated with the second media title, for a predefined period of time.

19. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 17, wherein the second trigger condition comprises a second display element being visible in the user interface, wherein the second display element is associated with the second media title.

20. A system to reduce streaming playback delay, the system comprising:

one or more computer processors;

a memory containing a program, which when executed by the one or more computer processors is configured to perform an operation comprising;

defining a first trigger condition comprising displaying of a display element in a user interface for a predetermined time period;

displaying a first display element in the user interface, the first display element being associated with a first media title of a plurality of media titles available for streaming playback;

determining that the first display element is displayed in the user interface for the predetermined time period;

in response to determining that the first display element is displayed in the user interface for the predetermined time period, retrieving digital rights management (DRM) data associated with the first media title from a control server;

subsequent to retrieving the DRM data, receiving a request to begin streaming playback of the first media title; and

in response to receiving the request to begin streaming playback of the first media title, performing the steps of;

requesting a license for the first media title from a DRM server using the DRM data;

requesting the first media title from a content distribution network; and

streaming playback of the first media title from the content distribution network using the license for the first media title.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the DRM data is retrieved for a second media title of the plurality of media titles upon detecting that a second trigger condition is satisfied.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the second trigger condition comprises a user-controlled cursor hovering over a second display element associated with the second media title, for a predefined period of time.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the second trigger condition comprises a second display element being visible in the user interface, wherein the second display element is associated with the second media title.