Patent ID: 9571871
Date: 2017-02-14
CPC Classifications: H04L,H04N

Claim:
1. A method for delivering encoded content data over a network, the content data being encoded at one or more quality levels, the method comprising: determining one or more respective data rates required to deliver the encoded content data at the one or more quality levels; and selecting a quality level for delivery in dependence on at least the one or more determined respective data rates; the method being characterised in that the determining of a data rate for a particular quality level comprises: being provided with pre-calculated data defining one or more critical points on a decoding schedule of the encoded data at the particular quality level, the critical points being points at which a piecewise monotonic decreasing-constant bit rate delivery schedule required to deliver the encoded content data so that buffer underflow does not occur is equal to the decoding schedule; and when actual delivery of the encoded content data is ahead of the constant bit rate delivery schedule, calculating the data rate required for delivery of remaining encoded data at the particular quality level in dependence on at least the critical points on the decoding schedule.