IP Library › Granted Patent US 12689802

Granted Patent B2

US 12689802 · App. 18/178,932 · Granted Jul 21, 2026

Methods and systems for low latency streaming

Inventors: Alexander Giladi (Princeton, NJ); Ali Cengiz Begen (Meram, TR)

Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications, LLC

H04N21/4621 H04L65/612 H04L65/613 H04L65/70 H04N21/2187 H04N21/2402 H04N21/2662 H04N21/64322

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 12689802
App. No.: 18/178,932
Granted: Jul 21, 2026
Kind: B2

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Abstract

Methods and systems are described for low latency streaming. A computing device may receive a chunk of content. The computing device may determine whether a transmission duration of the chunk of the content satisfies a threshold. The computing device may determine a bitrate based on the transmission duration satisfying a threshold.

Claims (65)

1 . A method comprising:

determining, based on a first chunk of content at a first bitrate and based on a clock associated with a source of the first chunk of the content, a clock reference;

determining, based on the clock reference and a first time associated with a destination of the first chunk of the content, a transmission duration for the first chunk of the content; and

causing, based on the transmission duration for the first chunk satisfying a threshold, generation of a second chunk of the content at a second bitrate different from the first bitrate.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining, based on the clock reference and the first time, a second time, wherein the transmission duration is further based on the second time.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the transmission duration satisfying the threshold indicates a transmission of the first chunk of the content is network limited.

4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining, based on a size of the first chunk of the content and the transmission duration of the first chunk of the content, a bandwidth of a network; and

determining, based on the bandwidth of the network, the second bitrate.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the transmission duration satisfies the threshold comprises:

determining, based on one or more media time stamps associated with the first chunk, a media time duration of the first chunk of the content; and

comparing the transmission duration of the first chunk of the content to the media time duration of the first chunk of the content, wherein the comparison indicates that the transmission duration satisfies the threshold.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the source of the first chunk of the content comprises an encoder and wherein the encoder associates the clock reference with the first chunk of the content.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first chunk of content comprises an access unit and wherein the transmission duration is further based on the access unit.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the clock reference comprises determining the clock reference from metadata associated with the first chunk of the content.

9 . An apparatus comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory storing processor-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to:

determine, based on a first chunk of content at a first bitrate and based on a clock associated with a source of the first chunk of the content, a clock reference;

determine, based on the clock reference and a first time associated with the apparatus, a transmission duration for the first chunk of the content; and

cause, based on the transmission duration for the first chunk satisfying a threshold, generation of a second chunk of the content at a second bitrate different from the first bitrate.

10 . The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the processor-executable instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the apparatus to determine, based on the clock reference and the first time, a second time, wherein the transmission duration is further based on the second time.

11 . The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the transmission duration satisfying the threshold indicates a transmission of the first chunk of the content is network limited.

12 . The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the processor-executable instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the apparatus to:

determine, based on a size of the first chunk of the content and the transmission duration of the first chunk of the content, a bandwidth of a network; and

determine, based on the bandwidth of the network, the second bitrate.

13 . The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the processor-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to determine that the transmission duration satisfies the threshold, cause the apparatus to:

determine, based on one or more media time stamps associated with the first chunk, a media time duration of the first chunk of the content; and

compare the transmission duration of the first chunk of the content to the media time duration of the first chunk of the content, wherein the comparison indicates that the transmission duration satisfies the threshold.

14 . The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the source of the first chunk of the content comprises an encoder and wherein the encoder associates the clock reference with the first chunk of the content.

15 . The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the first chunk of content comprises an access unit and wherein the transmission duration is further based on the access unit.

16 . The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the processor-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to determine the clock reference, cause the apparatus to determine the clock reference from metadata associated with the first chunk of the content.

17 . One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing processor-executable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

determine, based on a first chunk of content at a first bitrate and based on a clock associated with a source of the first chunk of the content, a clock reference;

determine, based on the clock reference and a first time associated with the at least one processor, a transmission duration for the first chunk of the content; and

cause, based on the transmission duration of the first chunk satisfying a threshold, generation of a second chunk of the content at a second bitrate different from the first bitrate.

18 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 17 , wherein the processor-executable instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the at least one processor to determine, based on the clock reference and the first time, a second time, wherein the transmission duration is further based on the second time.

19 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 17 , wherein the transmission duration satisfying the threshold indicates a transmission of the first chunk of the content is network limited.

20 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 17 , wherein the processor-executable instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the at least one processor to:

determine, based on a size of the first chunk of the content and the transmission duration of the first chunk of the content, a bandwidth of a network; and

determine, based on the bandwidth of the network, the second bitrate.

21 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 17 , wherein the processor-executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to determine that the transmission duration satisfies the threshold, cause the at least one processor to:

determine, based on one or more media time stamps associated with the first chunk, a media time duration of the first chunk of the content; and

22 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 17 , wherein the source of the first chunk of the content comprises an encoder and wherein the encoder associates the clock reference with the first chunk of the content.

23 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 17 , wherein the first chunk of content comprises an access unit and wherein the transmission duration is further based on the access unit.

24 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 17 , wherein the processor-executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to determine the clock reference, cause the at least one processor to determine the clock reference from metadata associated with the first chunk of the content.

25 . A system comprising:

a computing device configured to:

determine, based on a first chunk of content at a first bitrate and based on a clock associated with a source computing device, a clock reference;

determine, based on the clock reference and a first time associated with the computing device, a transmission duration for the first chunk of the content; and

cause, based on the transmission duration for the first chunk satisfying a threshold, generation of a second chunk of the content at a second bitrate different from the first bitrate; and

the source computing device configured to:

send, to the computing device, the first chunk of the content.

26 . The system of claim 25 , wherein the computing device is further configured to determine, based on the clock reference and the first time, a second time, wherein the transmission duration is further based on the second time.

27 . The system of claim 25 , wherein the transmission duration satisfying the threshold indicates a transmission of the first chunk of the content being network limited.

28 . The system of claim 25 , wherein the computing device is further configured to:

determine, based on a size of the first chunk of the content and the transmission duration of the first chunk of the content, a bandwidth of a network; and

determine, based on the bandwidth of the network, the second bitrate.

29 . The system of claim 25 , wherein to determine the transmission duration satisfies the threshold, the computing device is further configured to:

determine, based on one or more media time stamps associated with the first chunk, a media time duration of the first chunk of the content; and

30 . The system of claim 25 , wherein the source computing device comprises an encoder and wherein the encoder associates the clock reference with the first chunk of the content.

31 . The system of claim 25 , wherein the first chunk of content comprises an access unit, wherein the transmission duration is further based on the access unit.

32 . The system of claim 25 , wherein to determine the clock reference, the computing device is configured to determine the clock reference from metadata associated with the first chunk of the content.