Patents by Inventor Weidong Mao

Weidong Mao has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11671636
    Abstract: Per-segment parameters for content delivery are described herein. A manifest file for a segment and a parameter file for the segment may be sent to a user device. The parameter file may indicate one or more time ranges each corresponding to a parameter value. Requests for content segments based on the manifest file and the parameter file may be received. The user device may access the parameter file to determine a time range of the one or more time ranges into which a start time of a particular segment falls. The user device may determine a parameter value as corresponding to the determined time range. The user device may then generate a request to include the determined parameter value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications, LLC
    Inventors: Alexander Giladi, Weidong Mao, Jiang Xu
  • Patent number: 11652861
    Abstract: Methods and systems for providing content are disclosed. One method can comprise receiving a request for content comprising at least a first segment. The method can also comprise determining an expiration condition of the first segment, and replacing the first segment with a second segment based on the expiration condition. The method can also comprise providing the second segment to a user or a device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications, LLC
    Inventors: David A. O'Hare, Weidong Mao, Elad Nafshi, Mark Vickers, Gregory Allen Broome, Sree Kotay
  • Patent number: 11627184
    Abstract: Methods and systems for managing data are disclosed. One method can comprise storing first data locally relative to a user device and storing second data remotely relative to the user device. The first data and the second data can relate to the same content. The method can also comprise generating a manifest comprising location information relating to the first data and the second data and receiving a request for transmission of one or more of the first data and the second data based upon the manifest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications, LLC
    Inventors: Weidong Mao, Elad Nafshi, Mark Andrew Vickers, Gregory Allen Broome, Sree Kotay, Bruce Bradley
  • Patent number: 11595454
    Abstract: Methods and systems for providing content are disclosed. One method can comprise receiving a request for content comprising at least a first segment. The method can also comprise determining an expiration condition of the first segment, and replacing the first segment with a second segment based on the expiration condition. The method can also comprise providing the second segment to a user or a device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: COMCAST CABLE COMMUNICATIONS, LLC
    Inventors: David Andrew O'Hare, Weidong Mao, Elad Nafshi, Mark Andrew Vickers, Gregory Allen Broome, Sree Kotay
  • Patent number: 11563962
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications, LLC
    Inventors: Srinath V. Ramaswamy, Weidong Mao, Jason Press
  • Patent number: 11553018
    Abstract: According to some aspects, methods and systems may include receiving, by computing device from one or more client devices, a plurality of requests for one or more content items formatted in a first format and determining whether to multicast the one or more content items based on a data structure configured with one or more conditions associated with multicasting content. The methods and systems may also include transmitting, to the one or more client devices, the one more content items via one or more multicast streams if the requests meet a first condition of the one or more conditions. The methods and systems may also include formatting the one or more content items in a second format prior to the transmitting if network resources fail to meet a second condition of the one or more conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications, LLC
    Inventors: Weidong Mao, John G. Bevilacqua
  • Publication number: 20220417309
    Abstract: Systems and methods for delivering content to user equipment are described. The content may be delivered using Internet Protocol (IP) delivery, Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM) delivery, or another delivery format. For example, the system may receive content including a plurality of segments. The system may use manifest data to identify each of the plurality of segments. The system may also use the manifest data to generate index data for the plurality of segments, and the index data may be delivered to user devices with the plurality of segments. In some aspects, the system may use location information (e.g., timestamps, such as program clock references) for one or more data packet of the one of the plurality of segments to generate location information for other data packets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2022
    Publication date: December 29, 2022
    Inventors: James Barkley, Weidong Mao
  • Patent number: 11539989
    Abstract: A content delivery server may allow users to redirect browsed content from one system to another. A user may install or activate a plug-in to a browser, such as an Internet browser, and the plug-in may be linked to the user's account on another service. As the user browses content from the browser, the user may select a command to cause the browsed content to be delivered to the other service, ingested by the other service, and made available to the user from the other service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications, LLC
    Inventors: Mark Swan, Weidong Mao, Sree Kotay, Mark Vickers, Mohsin Roowalla, Chris Kennedy
  • Publication number: 20220400314
    Abstract: A method and system for delivering content is provided. In one example, responsive to a request by a client device identifying a video program, the system is configured to determine different first and second network paths for delivery of the video program from a content source; deliver the video program via the first network path to the client device; and responsive to a change in status of the video program being delivered via the first network path, deliver the video program via the second network path to the client device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2022
    Publication date: December 15, 2022
    Inventors: Weidong Mao, Phillip Gabler
  • Patent number: 11503095
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to control of consumption of content in an appliance. The content can include linear programming and non-linear assets. Such control can permit (i) changing a channel in the appliance (e.g., a CPE without upstream functionality) and thus selecting a linear-programming asset, a non-linear asset, and so forth, and (ii) controlling consumption of such assets. In one aspect, a device with upstream network connectivity can control the consumption of media in the appliance. The device can leverage data management and control functionality of a service provider network to acquire information related to assets available for consumption and to transmit asset requests to the service provider network, which can transmit content and signaling to the appliance in accordance at least in part with the asset request, thus controlling media consumption in the appliance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications, LLC
    Inventors: Danial Holden, Michael D. McMahon, Gregory Allen Broome, Weidong Mao, Ross Gilson
  • Publication number: 20220321893
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatuses may encode a media content item based on metadata from previous encoding. The encoding may also generate encoding metadata, which may comprise a qualitative or quantitative characterization of the encoded media content item. A prediction engine may, based on this metadata, determine new encoding settings for the same or a different video resolution. The prediction engine may cause an encoded media content item to be stored and may cause encoding of the media content item using the new encoding settings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2022
    Publication date: October 6, 2022
    Inventors: Weidong Mao, Alexander Giladi, Alex Balk
  • Patent number: 11445253
    Abstract: A method and system for delivering content is provided. In one example, responsive to a request by a client device identifying a video program, the system is configured to determine different first and second network paths for delivery of the video program from a content source; deliver the video program via the first network path to the client device; and responsive to a change in status of the video program being delivered via the first network path, deliver the video program via the second network path to the client device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications, LLC
    Inventors: Weidong Mao, Phillip Gabler
  • Patent number: 11438396
    Abstract: Systems and methods for delivering content to user equipment are described. The content may be delivered using Internet Protocol (IP) delivery, Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM) delivery, or another delivery format. For example, the system may receive content including a plurality of segments. The system may use manifest data to identify each of the plurality of segments. The system may also use the manifest data to generate index data for the plurality of segments, and the index data may be delivered to user devices with the plurality of segments. In some aspects, the system may use location information (e.g., timestamps, such as program clock references) for one or more data packet of the one of the plurality of segments to generate location information for other data packets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications, LLC
    Inventors: James Barkley, Weidong Mao
  • Publication number: 20220278968
    Abstract: Techniques for encrypting content in a content distribution network are disclosed. The content distribution network may comprise a number of national and local sites, and a number of hubs at each local sites. A content segment encrypting device may be operative at a local site to encrypt and cache segments of content. The segment encrypting device may provide the segments to streaming devices that encode content for delivery downstream to network or user devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2022
    Publication date: September 1, 2022
    Inventors: Robert Gaydos, Weidong Mao, James Barkley
  • Publication number: 20220272395
    Abstract: Per-segment parameters for content delivery are described herein. A manifest file for a segment and a parameter file for the segment may be sent to a user device. The parameter file may indicate one or more time ranges each corresponding to a parameter value. Requests for content segments based on the manifest file and the parameter file may be received. The user device may access the parameter file to determine a time range of the one or more time ranges into which a start time of a particular segment falls. The user device may determine a parameter value as corresponding to the determined time range. The user device may then generate a request to include the determined parameter value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2022
    Publication date: August 25, 2022
    Inventors: Alexander Giladi, Weidong Mao, Jiang Xu
  • Publication number: 20220264117
    Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods are described for encoding a scene of media content based on visual elements of the scene. A scene of media content may comprise one or more visual elements, such as individual objects in the scene. Each visual element may be classified based on, for example, the motion and/or identity of the visual element. Based on the visual element classifications, scene encoder parameters and/or visual element encoder parameters for different visual elements may be determined. The scene may be encoded using the scene encoder parameters and/or the visual element encoder parameters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2022
    Publication date: August 18, 2022
    Inventors: Weidong Mao, Alexander Giladi
  • Publication number: 20220263881
    Abstract: Methods and systems for managing data are disclosed. One method can comprise storing first data locally relative to a user device and storing second data remotely relative to the user device. The first data and the second data can relate to the same content. The method can also comprise generating a manifest comprising location information relating to the first data and the second data and receiving a request for transmission of one or more of the first data and the second data based upon the manifest.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2021
    Publication date: August 18, 2022
    Inventors: Weidong Mao, Elad Nafshi, Mark Andrew Vickers, Gregory Allen Broome, Sree Kotay, Bruce Bradley
  • Patent number: 11418823
    Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed for delivery of one or more channels of programming in an IP network. An edge gateway device may retrieve segments of programming, based on information in a manifest file, and output the segments via multicast to one or more edge devices. Advertising content may be inserted, or replaced if already present, before the segments are multicast. Segments encoded at various bit rates may be available for retrieval. Segments may be selected for retrieval based in part on a quality indicator associated with each segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications, LLC
    Inventors: Weidong Mao, Robert Gaydos
  • Publication number: 20220210498
    Abstract: An archive model can be used for managing networked storage of recorded content, such as network DVR (digital video recorder) content. Content may be initially recorded to an active storage device, with individual duplicate copies recorded for each requesting user, and subsequently archived to an archive storage device. For playback, the content can be reconstituted into the active storage device prior to delivery to the requesting user. Content can be predictively reconstituted in anticipation of user needs, and the reconstitution capacity of the system can be dynamically reallocated for load balancing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2021
    Publication date: June 30, 2022
    Inventors: Todd Walker, Bruce Bradley, Thomas Day, Robert Gaydos, John Leddy, Weidong Mao
  • Publication number: 20220179831
    Abstract: Methods and system for content delivery, access, and storage are disclosed. In one aspect, an example method can comprise receiving a content item. The content item can comprise a plurality of fragments. An example method can comprise determining an identifier for each of the plurality of fragments, and generating an index file comprising the determined identifiers. An example method can comprise associating the index file with the content item. Additionally, an example method can comprise storing the content item and the index file. An example method can also comprise performing a de-duplication operation. For example, the de-duplication operation can be performed on one or more unique files to create a master file.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2021
    Publication date: June 9, 2022
    Inventors: Weidong Mao, Elad Nafshi, Mark A. Vickers, Gregory A. Broome, Sree Kotay, Bruce Bradley