Patent ID: 8787570

Claim:
A method of generating a top level index file, comprising: receiving a request from a playback device at a playback server, where the request includes an electronic token that identifies a piece of content; retrieving a list of assets associated with the electronic token that identifies the piece of content using the playback server wherein each asset is a different alternative stream associated with the piece of content and each alternative stream encodes the piece of content at a different maximum bitrate; filtering the list of assets using at least one predetermined criterion using the playback server wherein the at least one predetermined criterion is associated with capabilities of the playback device; generating, using the playback server, a top level index file describing that (i) describes at least a bitrate of each asset in the filtered list of assets and (ii) identifies locations of the assets in the filtered list of assets; and sending the top level index file to the playback device using the playback server.