Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.

Verizon and Redbox Digital Entertainment Services, LLC

Xuefeng Yao

Jack Jianxiu Hao

Yuhui Qian

Zhiying Jin

Jian Huang

Jianxiu Hao

Diego Sebastian Rozensztejn

John F Gallagher

Wei Xia

Haiyan Zhou

Dahai Ren

Anthony Marco Lemus

Guillermo Ortiz

Michael R Oliver

Okeno R Palmer

Christopher L Helbling

Shuai Wu

Aravind Perumandla

Fred Scheer

Fang Zhu

Robert C Baruch

Gerald Honma

Sandeep G Rathi

Gaurav A Tanna

Velmurugan Krishnaswamy

Chukuemeka Okonkwo

Shaygan Kheradpir

Jyothikumar Jagannathan

Yuhiu Qian

A server device may determine content prediction parameters associated with multiple items of content; generate respective content prediction aggregate scores for each of the multiple items of content based on the content prediction parameters. A particular content prediction aggregate score, associated with a particular content, may be generated based on content prediction parameters associated with the particular content. The server device may generate a content prediction instruction; and may provide the content prediction instruction to cause the user device to receive and store a portion of the particular item of content.

Predictive storage of broadcast content

A method, a device, and a non-transitory storage medium provide for receiving data that indicates programs available to users, wherein the programs include linear television programs, video-on-demand programs, and pay-per-view programs; determining, by the network device, a popularity value for each program; comparing, by the network device, each popularity value with a threshold popularity value; determining, by the network device, whether each popularity value satisfies the threshold popularity value; assigning, by the network device, each program associated with each popularity value that satisfies the threshold popularity value to multicast delivery based on the determining, wherein one or more programs assigned to multicast delivery include one or more of a video-on-demand program or a pay-per-view program; and multicasting each program assigned to multicast delivery.

Program distribution service

A method may include receiving a primary resource in a user device, wherein the resource includes a plurality of addresses and each of the plurality of addresses identifying one of a plurality of additional resources. The method may further include aggregating the plurality of addresses and sending the aggregated addresses to a network device. The method may further include receiving the additional resources in the user device.

Network architecture and method for reducing the number of resource requests

Methods and devices provide channel assignments of programs delivered in a mobile setting. The channel assignments include unicast channels, multicast channels, and broadcast channels. The channel assignments are based on one or more of the type of program, user viewership information, or user voting information. Additionally, methods and devices provide for handover between mobile service areas at the application layer. Programs are buffered based on a handover time. During the handover, the buffered portion of the program is played.

Delivery channel selection and application layer handover of programs for a mobile service

A user device receives, from an application server, a catalog of available content. The catalog of available content includes content available for delivery via multicast over a broadband wireless spectrum. The user device provides, to the application server, an indication of a user's selection of particular content available for delivery via multicast over the broadband wireless spectrum. The user device receives, from a content server, the particular content via a multicast transmission over the broadband wireless spectrum. The particular content includes multiple individual segment files. The user device detects a corrupted or missing segment file from the multiple individual segment files and requests, from the content server, a replacement segment file corresponding to the corrupt or missing segment file. The user device receives, from the content server, the replacement segment file via a unicast transmission to provide a complete set of segment files for the particular content.

File downloads using broadband wireless multicast

An exemplary method includes a stream management system that detects a request for any device included in a media processing system to receive a media stream provided by a television service. In response, the stream management system determines that a digital video recording ('DVR') device included in the media processing system is already receiving and recording a maximum number of media streams that the DVR device is allowed to concurrently record. In response to this determination, the stream management system performs a status check with respect to the media streams being received and recorded by the DVR device in order to determine whether one of the media streams may be dropped by the DVR device so that the DVR device can instead receive and record the media stream identified in the request. Corresponding systems and methods are also described.

Methods and systems for stream management for a digital video recording device

A device receives information associated with over-the-top (OTT) content associated with a user of the device. The device retrieves, from an OTT content delivery system, an address a playback position, and a manifest file associated with the OTT content, where the manifest file identifies chunks of content associated with the OTT content. The device retrieves, from the OTT content delivery system, one or more chunks, of the chunks of content associated with the OTT content, based on the address, the playback position, and the manifest file, where the one or more chunks are fewer than all of the chunks. The device stores the one or more chunks in the memory, receives an instruction to play the OTT content after the one or more chunks are stored, and plays the one or more chunks, based on the instruction, while simultaneously obtaining remaining chunks of the OTT content.

Processing over-the-top content for improved initial delivery

A method includes receiving, by a client device associated with a particular user, product details for video content including a purchase option identifier (ID) for the video content from a video service provider. The method includes requesting, by the client device based on a single sign on (SSO) protected call, a playback uniform resource locator (URL) for the video content from an orchestration layer associated with the video service provider. The method also includes receiving the playback URL, an entitlement ID associated with the particular user for the video content, and the encrypted content. The method includes obtaining a digital rights management (DRM) license for the encrypted content based on the entitlement ID, and decrypting and playing the video content based on DRM rules associated with the video content.

Video content protection

A user device provides, to a content delivery system, a content request for selected media and receives, in response to the content request, a unicast link for receiving the selected media via a unicast stream and a multicast link for receiving the selected media via a multicast stream. The user device presents a first portion of the selected media via the unicast stream and buffers, in a local memory, a second portion of the selected media from the multicast stream. The second portion is later in linear sequence of the selected media than the first portion. The user device discontinues presenting the first portion of the selected media when the first portion would overlap the second portion and present the second portion of the selected media from the memory.

Efficient on-demand streaming using multicast

A method and devices for obtaining metadata associated with programs from multiple metadata sources. Title metadata is compared to determine if any title metadata match. Transformation rules are applied to the title metadata when title metadata does not match with other title metadata. The transformation rules transform the title metadata into a common format. The title metadata is compared after transformation to determine whether the title metadata matches other title metadata. Title metadata that matches other title metadata, the metadata associated with a program is aggregated.

Rule-based metadata transformation and aggregation for programs

A method and system relate to receiving, by a network device, information associated with a client device; determining, by the network device, that the client device is authorized to access digital content associated with a content provider; and forwarding, by the network device, authentication data to the content provider. The authentication data includes, for example, information identifying the client device, and an indication that the client device is authorized to access the digital content. The content provider enables the client device to access the digital content based on the authentication data.

Automatic content publication and distribution

A client device plays streaming media, and obtains a media playback position of the media at a first time. The client device sends a first message from the client device to a server, wherein the first message includes the media playback position and where the media playback position includes a time reference associated with playback of the media at the first time. The client device receives a first reply message from the server, wherein the first reply message indicates a time period. The client device sends a second message from the first client to the server, based on expiration of the time period, wherein the second message includes a media playback position of the media at a second time during the playing of the streaming media that is different than the first time.

Media session heartbeat messaging

Methods, devices, and storage media for receiving one or more utility preferences that indicate one or more criteria for measuring one or more utilities of programs; calculating utility solutions for the programs based on the one or more utility preferences; selecting one or more programs to store for at least one of downloading or streaming based on the utility solutions; and storing the one or more programs for downloading or streaming to users.

Utility-based model for caching programs in a content delivery network

A method includes receiving a request for a video program from a user device. A user account associated with the user device is identified. The method may also include identifying a latest viewing point for the video program based on the user account. A video segment playlist may be generated based on the latest viewing point. The video segment playlist identifies one or more video segments of the video program. The video segment playlist may be provided to the user device. The user device is operable to request the one or more video segments.

Video session shifting using a provider network

A system may include a server device. The server device may receive, from a device, a media item in a first format associated with the device, and determine a transcoding priority to be associated with transcoding of the media item based on information regarding a transcoding job request for one or more other media items received from the user and at least one of information associated with the media item or information associated with a user of the device. The server device may also select, based on the transcoding priority and at least one of the information associated with the media item or the information associated with the user, the media item, from among a number of media items, associated with one or more users, to be transcoded, and transcode the media item to a transcoded media item in a second format that is different than the first format.

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Weston, MA, United States of America

Xuefeng Yao