Hulu, LLC

Deliang Fu

Wenhao Zhang

Chen Liu

Juncheng Ma

Lan Xie

Tongyu Dai

Qiang She

Yuting Gui

Chao Li

Xiaobo Liu

Yicheng Liu

Min Gao

Yanping Zhou

Xizhi Xu

Zhibing Wang

Xuchang Huangfu

Chao Zhang

Xin Jin

Rui Zhang

Baptiste Coudurier

Shenglan Huang

Si Chen

Lemei Huang

Shuai Lou

Haisheng Wu

Binbin Yu

Shun Ni

Shucheng Zhong

Aleksandar Zambelli

In some embodiments, a method maintains a list that is configured to store motion vectors from one or more blocks that have been previously processed in a frame. When a current block is in a first set of positions in the frame, the method resets the list by storing a motion vector with a horizontal component and a vertical component equal to zero in the list. The motion vector with the horizontal component and the vertical component equal to zero from the list is used to transcode the current block. When the current block is not in the first set of positions, the method uses a motion vector from the list to transcode the current block.

Reset of historical motion vector prediction

In some embodiments, a method sends a set of first requests for a set of first segments of a video in a playback session. A first protocol from a plurality of protocols is specified in at least one of the set of first requests. The set of first segments is received. The method determines whether to switch from using the first protocol to a second protocol in the playback session based on receiving the set of first segments. When switching to the second protocol, the method sends a second request in the playback session, wherein the second request indicates the second protocol is to be used to send a second segment of the video.

Multiple protocol prediction and in-session adaptation in video streaming

In some embodiments, a method receives a request for an instance of media content in a current session. A state is retrieved for content delivery networks that is determined for a session in a set of sessions. The state includes a first set of values for a performance metric, and the first set of values is associated with the content delivery networks. The method determines a second set of values for the performance metric for the current session. The second set of values is associated with the content delivery networks. A content delivery network is selected for the request in the current session based on treating the current session as a session in the set of sessions. The session for the current session is after the session for the state in the set of sessions.

Content delivery network (CDN) selection using performance metric

In some embodiments, after receiving a first set of video segments of a video, a method starts a first computing instance and receives a video segment of the video using the first computing instance. A measurement is calculated based on receiving the video segment. The method uses the measurement to determine whether the first computing instance should continue to be used to receive video segments in the video or should be terminated to not receive video segments in the video.

Concurrent downloading of video

In some embodiments, a method selects a first template of pixels that is outside of a first block and a second template of pixels that is outside of the first block. Then, the method selects a first region of pixels that are inside the first block and a second region of pixels that are inside the first block. A first weight is calculated based on the first template of pixels and the first region of pixels and a second weight is calculated based on the second template of pixels and the second region of pixels. The first weight and the second weight are used in a motion prediction search for a second block.

Selective template matching in video coding

In some embodiments, a method analyzes content of a video to generate a representation for a video that represents a relationship of a bitrate to a quality measurement for the video. A plurality of candidate points on the representation are selected. Then, the method selects a profile ladder from at least a portion of the plurality of candidate points. Each profile in the profile ladder is associated with a candidate point and the profile includes a corresponding bitrate and a quality measurement for the respective candidate point. The profile ladder is used for the video.

Adaptive transcoding of profile ladder for videos

A method includes transcoding a first block from a spatial region. The first block is associated with a first block tree pattern defining a structure of splitting a block into smaller blocks. A bit string of bits for the first block tree pattern is included in an encoded bitstream. The method determines a location of the first block in the spatial region when the first block tree pattern of the first block can be reused for a second block tree pattern of a second block. The spatial region includes blocks and the location is based on the first block being in the spatial region. Information for the second block is included in the encoded bitstream that indicates the location of the first block in the spatial region. The location allows the bit string for the first block tree pattern to be retrieved for use to decode the second block.

Reuse of block tree pattern in video compression

In some embodiments, a method sends a set of requests for a video using a first protocol. The first protocol is selected from a plurality of protocols available for use in a playback session for the video. The method compares a first performance of the first protocol and a second performance of a second protocol and determines whether to switch from using the first protocol to the second protocol in the playback session based on the comparing.

In some embodiments, a method receives a request for a video and receives a ranking of content delivery networks for the request. Also, global constraints are received for the content delivery networks. The global constraints define an allocation for respective content delivery networks. The method selects a content delivery network using the global constraints and the ranking. A score for the content delivery network is altered from a first score to a second score in the ranking and used in the selecting of the content delivery network. The content delivery network that is selected for the request is outputted.

Global constraint-based content delivery network (CDN) selection in a video streaming system

In some embodiments, a method receives session features for a session associated with a request for a video from a client and predicts network conditions for the session using the session features. A subset of available profiles is selected based on the network conditions. The available profiles are associated with a different playback characteristic. The method provides a profile ladder that includes the subset of available profiles for the playback of the video to the client. The profile ladder restricts the client to using the subset of available profiles to request segments of the video during the session.

Session based adaptive playback profile decision for video streaming

In some embodiments, a method performs a first calculation to select an anchor point based on a first reference block in a first reference frame and a second reference block in a second reference frame. The first reference frame is selected as the anchor point. A third reference block in the second reference frame is selected based on the first reference frame being selected as the anchor point. The method performs a second calculation to select the anchor point based on the first reference block in the first reference frame and the third reference block in the second reference frame and determines whether to use the first reference block and the third reference block as a prediction for a current block based on the second calculation.

Template refined bi-prediction for video coding using anchor point

In some embodiments, a method maintains a first list that stores motion vectors from one or more blocks that have been previously processed in a frame. When a current block is in the first set of positions in the frame, the method resets and uses a motion vector from a second list to transcode the current block due to the resetting of the first list. When the current block is not in the first set of positions, the method uses a motion vector from the first list to transcode the current block.

In some embodiments, a method receives a current encoding stream of a video. A first measurement for a reference encoding stream is selected to measure a quality of the reference encoding stream. The method compares a second measurement of the current encoding stream to the first measurement of the reference encoding stream and outputs whether the current encoding stream is validated based on the comparing.

Cross-validation of video encoding

In some embodiments, during playback of a video, using a parameter value of an adaptive bitrate algorithm to analyze playback of the video. The adaptive bitrate algorithm uses the parameter value to select a profile from a plurality of profiles to use to request segments of the video. A method selects a scenario in a plurality of scenarios when a playback condition meets a characteristic value of the scenario. The plurality of scenarios are associated with a different characteristic value. The method adjusts the parameter value of the adaptive bitrate algorithm based on the scenario to generate an adjusted parameter value. The plurality of scenarios have at least one different parameter value. The adjusted parameter value of the adaptive bitrate algorithm is used to analyze the playback of the video.

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Beijing, China

Deliang Fu