Adaptive streaming of multimedia

摘要

In a client-server environment, adaptively streaming programs from a program listing includes using an interaction between a client-side GUI and a server-side storefront to select a primary program for presentation, streaming the primary program at a primary streaming rate, and presenting the streamed primary program at a quality consistent with the primary streaming rate. The adaptive streaming further includes determining a number of secondary programs and a corresponding secondary streaming rate for each, which is less than the primary streaming rate. The adaptive streaming includes negotiating authorization rights for the secondary programs, then streaming the number of secondary programs at their secondary streaming rates, while streaming and presenting the primary program.

主权项

1. A method of adaptively streaming programs selectable from a program listing, comprising:
selecting, at a client device, a primary program for presentation; streaming the primary program at a primary streaming rate; presenting the streamed primary program at a quality consistent with the primary streaming rate; determining, at the client device, a presentation delay including a time delay when buffering a streamed program prior to presentation thereof and when negotiating authorization rights for a program prior to streaming the program; determining a number of secondary programs, based on the presentation delay and one or more historical program-usage statistics, and a corresponding secondary streaming rate for each, wherein each of the secondary streaming rates is less than the primary streaming rate; and streaming the number of secondary programs at their secondary streaming rates, while streaming and presenting the primary program.