IP Library Granted Patent US 12,641,305
Granted Patent B2
US 12,641,305 · App. 18/741,605 · Granted May 26, 2026

Techniques for performing live captioning

Inventor: Cyril Concolato (Palo Alto, CA)
Assignee: NETFLIX, INC.
H04N21/23614H04N21/2187H04N21/232H04N21/4884
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,641,305
App. No.
18/741,605
Granted
May 26, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

In various embodiments, a caption encoding application performs captioning while streaming live events. The caption encoding application determines a segment index in response to a triggering event associated with a live event. The caption encoding application computes a caption time interval based on the first triggering event and a caption delay. The caption encoding application retrieves from a database a portion of caption data based on the caption time interval and a language. The caption encoding application generates a caption segment based on the portion of the caption data. The caption encoding application causes the caption segment to be inserted into a caption stream at the segment index, where the caption stream is to be transmitted as part of the live event.

Claims (37)

1 . A computer-implemented method for performing captioning while streaming live events, the method comprising:

determining a first segment index in response to a first triggering event associated with a first live event, the first triggering event being received from a distribution encoder encoding audio/video data associated with the first segment index;

computing a first caption time interval based on the first triggering event and a first caption delay;

retrieving from a database a first portion of caption data based on the first caption time interval and a first language;

generating a first caption segment based on the first portion of the caption data; and

causing the first caption segment to be inserted into a first caption stream at the first segment index, wherein the first caption stream is to be transmitted as part of the first live event.

2 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the first triggering event comprises receiving a first caption notification or an indication that a first elapsed time is equal to a first target time.

3 . The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein the first caption notification comprises an empty caption segment that indicates both the first segment index and the first language.

4 . The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein a name of the first caption notification indicates both the first segment index and the first language.

5 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein generating the first caption segment comprises naming the first caption segment based on the first segment index.

6 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein causing the first caption to be inserted into the first caption stream comprises transmitting the first caption segment to a server that prepares the first caption segment for distribution to one or more client devices.

7 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising storing the first portion of the caption data in the database prior to the first triggering event.

8 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the first caption delay is set equal to a difference between an overall audio/video encoding delay and an overall captioning delay.

9 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein computing the first caption time interval comprises determining a start time of the first caption time interval based on a time at which the first triggering event occurred and the first caption delay.

10 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the first language comprises a non-Latin language.

11 . One or more non-transitory computer readable media including instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform captioning while streaming live events by performing the steps of:

determining a first segment index in response to a first triggering event associated with a first live event, the first triggering event being received from a distribution encoder encoding audio/video data associated with the first segment index;

computing a first caption time interval based on the first triggering event and a first caption delay;

retrieving from a database a first portion of caption data based on the first caption time interval and a first language;

generating a first caption segment based on the first portion of the caption data; and

causing the first caption segment to be inserted into a first caption stream at the first segment index, wherein the first caption stream is to be transmitted as part of the first live event.

12 . The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 11 , wherein the first triggering event comprises receiving a first caption notification or an indication that a first elapsed time is equal to a first target time.

13 . The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 12 , further comprising computing the first target time based on a segment duration.

14 . The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , further comprising determining both the first segment index and the first language based on the first caption notification.

15 . The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 11 , wherein generating the first caption segment comprises naming the first caption segment based on the first segment index.

16 . The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 11 , wherein causing the first caption to be inserted into the first caption stream comprises transmitting the first caption segment to a server that prepares the first caption segment for distribution to one or more client devices.

17 . The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 11 , further comprising storing the first portion of the caption data in the database prior to the first triggering event.

18 . The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 11 , wherein the first caption delay is computed based on one or more delays associated with encoding a portion of video data and one or more delays associated with generating a second portion of second caption data that corresponds to the portion of the video data.

19 . The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 11 , wherein computing the first caption time interval comprises determining a start time of the first caption time interval based on a time at which the first triggering event occurred and the first caption delay.

20 . A system comprising:

one or more memories storing instructions; and

one or more processors coupled to the one or more memories that, when executing the instructions, cause the one or more processors to perform captioning while streaming live events, by performing the steps of:

determining a first segment index in response to a first triggering event associated with a first live event, the first triggering event being received from a distribution encoder encoding audio/video data associated with the first segment index;

computing a first caption time interval based on the first triggering event and a first caption delay;

retrieving from a database a first portion of caption data based on the first caption time interval and a first language;

generating a first caption segment based on the first portion of the caption data; and

causing the first caption segment to be inserted into a first caption stream at the first segment index, wherein the first caption stream is to be transmitted as part of the first live event.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 29, 2024
From: CONCOLATO, CYRIL
To: NETFLIX, INC.
Reel/Frame 068439/0588 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63633338 · Apr 12, 2024
Related Publication 20250324117A1 · Oct 16, 2025
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