Patent ID: 8396983
Filing Date: 2013-03-12
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method for controlling streaming of media content from a server to a client, wherein the server has access to a plurality of variable bit rate (VBR) versions of the media content, the method comprising carrying out the following functions for each of a plurality of sequentially occurring portions of the media content while the media content is being streamed from the server to the client: identifying, in advance of the portion of the media content being received by the client, one or more of the VBR versions of the media content, the identifying being based at least in part on determining that the portion of media content in each of the one or more VBR versions has a bit rate lower than a bandwidth threshold; selecting, from the determined one or more VBR versions of the media content, a highest bit-rate VBR version of the media content; and causing the selected VBR version of the media content to be streamed from the server to the client, the method further comprising storing an index of the media content, the index containing data representing bit rates of the VBR versions over time, wherein selecting, from the determined one or more VBR versions of the media content, a highest bit-rate VBR version of the media content comprises using the stored index as a basis for determining a bit rate of each VBR version of the media content over the next sequential portion of the media content.