Patent ID: 9693110
Date: 2017-06-27
CPC Classifications: H04N

Claim:
1. A method of providing content stream management, the method comprising: receiving a request from a client for a content element; selecting a version of the content element, wherein selecting the version of the content element comprises selecting an encoding scheme and encoding the content element according to the encoding scheme prior to the content element being transmitted to the requesting client, wherein the encoding scheme specifies a first group of pictures interval comprising a number of Intra-coded frames and Predictive-coded frames in a first ratio for providing the content element; transmitting the content element in the selected version to the client; periodically determining whether a second version of the content element, encoded according to a new encoding scheme, should be transmitted to the client, wherein the selected version of the content element and the second version of the content element each includes metadata that stores a plurality of associated alignment points, each of the alignment points being at a time location within the content element at which the selected version of the content element and the second version of the content element are synchronized, wherein the new encoding scheme specifies a second group of pictures interval comprising a different ratio of Intra-coded frames and Predictive-coded frames for providing the content element; and in response to determining that the second version of the content element should be transmitted, transmitting the second version of the content element to the client.