IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,563,962
Granted Patent B2
US 11,563,962 · App. 17/223,748 · Granted Jan 24, 2023

Seamless content encoding and transmission

Inventors: Srinath V. Ramaswamy (East Windsor, NJ); Weidong Mao (West Windsor, NJ); Jason Press (Philadelphia, PA)
Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications, LLC
H04N19/44H04N19/172H04N21/2401H04N21/44004H04N21/64792
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,563,962
App. No.
17/223,748
Granted
Jan 24, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems, apparatuses, and methods are described for encoding media content based on an ending delay of first media content and a startup delay of second media content. Second media content may be configured for transmission after first media content in a media content stream. The first media content may be associated with an ending delay corresponding to transmission and/or decoding of frames of the first media content. The second media content may be associated with a starting delay corresponding to transmission and/or decoding of frames of the second media content. The first media content and the second media content may be encoded using different encoding formats. Based on comparing the ending delay and starting delay to a threshold, encoding parameters may be selected, one or more frames may be removed from the first media content and/or the second media content, and/or buffers of one or more devices may be adjusted.

Claims (42)

1. A method comprising:

determining, based on comparing a first time period, associated with an end of a first portion of first content, encoded at a variable bit rate, and a second time period associated with second content, encoded at a constant bit rate, a transition in the first content comprising a first portion of frames and a second portion of frames;

encoding, at the constant bit rate, the first portion of frames and the second portion of frames of the first content; and

outputting for display the first portion of frames before the second content, and the second portion of frames after the second content.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the encoding the first portion of frames and the second portion of frames of the first content comprises:

removing one or more last frames of the first portion of the first content.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the outputting for display the first portion of frames before the second content comprises:

causing repeating of at least one of the first portion of frames.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the comparing the first time period and the second time period comprises determining that the end of the first portion of the first content will occur before transmission, to a second computing device, of the second content is complete.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

based on the comparing, modifying a size of a video buffer associated with the second content.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the comparing the first time period and the second time period comprises determining that the end of the first portion of the first content will occur before a second computing device is ready to display the second content.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the encoding comprises:

selecting, based on the comparing, a quantization parameter for encoding the first portion of frames.

8. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions that, when executed, cause:

determining, based on comparing a first time period, associated with an end of a first portion of first content, encoded at a variable bit rate, and a second time period associated with second content, encoded at a constant bit rate, a transition in the first content comprising a first portion of frames and a second portion of frames;

encoding, at the constant bit rate, the first portion of frames and the second portion of frames of the first content; and

outputting for display the first portion of frames before the second content, and the second portion of frames after the second content.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 8 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the encoding the first portion of frames and the second portion of frames of the first content by causing:

removing one or more last frames of the first portion of the first content.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 8 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the outputting for display the first portion of frames before the second content by causing:

causing repeating of at least one of the first portion of frames.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 8 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the comparing the first time period and the second time period by causing determining that the end of the first portion of the first content will occur before transmission, to a second computing device, of the second content is complete.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 8 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause:

based on the comparing, modifying a size of a video buffer associated with the second content.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 8 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the comparing the first time period and the second time period by causing determining that the end of the first portion of the first content will occur before a second computing device is ready to display the second content.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 8 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the encoding by causing:

selecting, based on the comparing, a quantization parameter for encoding the first portion of frames.

15. An apparatus comprising:

one or more processors; and

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

determine, based on comparing a first time period, associated with an end of a first portion of first content, encoded at a variable bit rate, and a second time period associated with second content, encoded at a constant bit rate, a transition in the first content comprising a first portion of frames and a second portion of frames;

encode, at the constant bit rate, the first portion of frames and the second portion of frames of the first content; and

output for display the first portion of frames before the second content, and the second portion of frames after the second content.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to encode the first portion of frames and the second portion of frames of the first content by causing the apparatus to:

remove one or more last frames of the first portion of the first content.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to output for display the first portion of frames before the second content by causing the apparatus to:

cause repeating of at least one of the first portion of frames.

18. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to compare the first time period and the second time period by causing the apparatus to determine that the end of the first portion of the first content will occur before transmission, to a second computing device, of the second content is complete.

19. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the apparatus to:

based on the comparing, modify a size of a video buffer associated with the second content.

20. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to compare the first time period and the second time period by causing the apparatus to determine that the end of the first portion of the first content will occur before a second computing device is ready to display the second content.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 25, 2021
From: RAMASWAMY, SRINATH V.; MAO, WEIDONG; PRESS, JASON
To: COMCAST CABLE COMMUNICATIONS, LLC
Reel/Frame 057279/0502 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 16244783 · Jan 10, 2019
Related Publication 20210400287A1 · Dec 23, 2021