Patent ID: 8402160

Claim:
A content delivery network (CDN) for delivering content over the Internet to an end user system where a bitrate to supply a content object to the end user system is variable, the CDN comprising: a processor configured to: pass a first request to deliver the content object toward a first end user system; cause choosing a first algorithm from a plurality of algorithms based at least in part on information characterizing the first end user system, wherein each of the algorithms of the plurality of algorithms includes a different systematic variation across a plurality of bitrates; cause determining a first bitrate using the first algorithm; cause passing at least part of the content object at the first bitrate; pass a second request to deliver the content object toward a second end user system; cause choosing a second algorithm from a plurality of algorithms based at least in part on information characterizing the second end user system; cause determining a second bitrate using the second algorithm; and cause passing at least part of the content object at the second bitrate; and a memory coupled with the processor.