Abstract: Systems and methods for accessing digital content using electronic tickets and ticket tokens are disclosed. A system can include a user device includes a processor, a network interface, and memory configured to store an electronic ticket, and a ticket token. A processor can be configured by an application to send a request for digital content and receive a ticket token from a merchant server. A ticket token can be generated by a DRM server and associated with an electronic ticket that enables playback of the requested digital content. A ticket token can be sent to a DRM server. An electronic ticket that enables playback of requested digital content can be received. Digital content associated with the electronic ticket can be requested. Requested digital content can be played back in association with an electronic ticket.

Abstract: System and methods for selecting one of the alternative streams of encoded media from a group of alternative streams of encoded media for use during start-up of playback of the encoded media in accordance with embodiments of this invention are disclosed. The systems and methods begin by determining an estimated stability period for a current bandwidth of a communicative connection between the playback device and a remote system providing the alternative streams of encoded. A test process is then performed on the streams of encoded media to select one of streams of encoded media that provides portions of said encoded media such that an underflow condition does not occur during the estimated stability period. The streaming of encoded media is then commenced by requesting the portions of encoded media be transmitted from the remote server using the selected stream.

Abstract: A multimedia file and methods of generating, distributing and using the multimedia file are described. Multimedia files in accordance with embodiments of the present invention can contain multiple video tracks, multiple audio tracks, multiple subtitle tracks, data that can be used to generate a menu interface to access the contents of the file and ‘meta data’ concerning the contents of the file. Multimedia files in accordance with several embodiments of the present invention also include references to video tracks, audio tracks, subtitle tracks and ‘meta data’ external to the file. One embodiment of a multimedia file in accordance with the present invention includes a series of encoded video frames and encoded menu information.

Abstract: Systems and methods for sharing content between devices are disclosed. To request a shared piece of media content, a playback device generates and sends a request to content server. The playback device includes information in the request that indicates the playback capabilities of the device. The content server receives the request and determines the playback capabilities of the playback device from the information in the request. The content server then determines the assets that may be used by the playback device to obtain the media content and generates a top level index file for the playback device that includes information about the determined assets. The top level index file is then sent to the playback device that may then use the top level index file to obtain the media content using the indicated assets.

Abstract: Playback and distribution systems and methods for multimedia files are provided. The multimedia files are encoded with flags associated with the content data of the multimedia files. Through the use of the flags, playback of the content is enhanced without significantly increasing the file size of the multimedia file.

Abstract: Playback and distribution systems and methods for multimedia files are provided. The multimedia files are encoded with indexes associated with the content data of the multimedia files. Through the use of the indexes, playback of the content is enhanced without significantly increasing the file size of the multimedia file.

Abstract: A multimedia file and methods of generating, distributing and using the multimedia file are described. Multimedia files in accordance with embodiments of the present invention can contain multiple video tracks, multiple audio tracks, multiple subtitle tracks, data that can be used to generate a menu interface to access the contents of the file and ‘meta data’ concerning the contents of the file. Multimedia files in accordance with several embodiments of the present invention also include references to video tracks, audio tracks, subtitle tracks and ‘meta data’ external to the file. One embodiment of a multimedia file in accordance with the present invention includes a series of encoded video frames and encoded menu information.

Abstract: Systems and methods for encoding a plurality of alternative streams of video content using multiple encoders in accordance with embodiments of the invention are disclosed. An encoding system includes multiple encoders. Each of the encoders receives a source stream of video content that is divided into portions. Each of the encoders generates portions of the plurality of alternative streams from the portions of the source stream. The portions of the alternative streams generated by a particular encoder are stored in a container for the particular encoder. Each encoder also generates index information for the portion of the alternative stream generated by the encoder that is stored in a manifest for the encoder.

Abstract: Network services encode multimedia content, such as video, into multiple adaptive bitrate streams of encoded video and a separate trick play stream of encoded video to support trick play features. The trick play stream is encoded at a lower encoding bitrate and frame rate than each of the adaptive bitrate streams. The adaptive bitrate streams and the trick play stream are stored in the network services. During normal content streaming and playback, a client device downloads a selected one of the adaptive bitrate streams from network serviced for playback at the client device. To implement a trick play feature, the client device downloads the trick play stream from the network services for trick play playback.

Abstract: Systems and methods for the selection of resolutions for seamless resolution switching of multimedia content in accordance with embodiments of the invention are disclosed. In one embodiment of the invention, a source encoder includes a processor configured by a source encoder application to receive multimedia content, where the multimedia content comprises video data having a primary resolution and a primary sample aspect ratio and encode the video data as a set of alternative streams, where a plurality of the streams in the set of alternative streams have different maximum bitrates and resolutions, the resolution of each of the plurality of streams comprises a width and height that are both an integer number of pixels, and both the width and height of each of the plurality of streams is a common fraction of the width and height of the corresponding primary resolution.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer readable media for controlling delivery of content are provided. In some embodiments, a system for controlling delivery of content is provided. The system includes processing circuitry configured to: transmit, to a server, a plurality of requests for blocks of the content; while at least some of the plurality of requests are still outstanding: detect a change of a service characteristic of a connection between the system and the server; determine a preferred number of outstanding requests; and cancel at least some of the requests from the plurality that are still outstanding based on the preferred number and a count of the requests from the plurality that are still outstanding.

Abstract: Systems and methods for synchronizing the playback of OTT or other time sensitive content on multiple playback devices is disclosed. The systems and methods include receiving time information based on a network time source in the playback devices. The playback clock in each playback device is set based upon the time information. Stream initiation information derived using the time information from the network time source is received by each of the playback device from the media provider. The playback devices use the stream initiation information to adjust the presentation time stamps of the frames of the media content in the stream.

Abstract: Systems and methods for application identification in accordance with embodiments of the invention are disclosed. In one embodiment, a user device includes a processor and memory configured to store an application, a session manager, an application identifier, and at least one shared library, and the processor is configured by the session manager to communicate the application identifier and the application identifier data to an authentication server and permit the execution of the application in response to authentication of the application by the authentication server.

Abstract: A multimedia file and methods of generating, distributing and using the multimedia file are described. Multimedia files in accordance with embodiments of the present invention can contain multiple video tracks, multiple audio tracks, multiple subtitle tracks, data that can be used to generate a menu interface to access the contents of the file and ‘meta data’ concerning the contents of the file. Multimedia files in accordance with several embodiments of the present invention also include references to video tracks, audio tracks, subtitle tracks and ‘meta data’ external to the file. One embodiment of a multimedia file in accordance with the present invention includes a series of encoded video frames and encoded menu information.

Abstract: Systems and methods for automatically generating top level index files for use in adaptive bitrate streaming in accordance with embodiments of the invention are disclosed. One embodiment of the method of the invention includes receiving a request from a playback device at a playback server, where the request identifies a piece of content, retrieving a list of assets associated with the identified piece of content using the playback server, filtering the list of assets using at least one predetermined criterion using the playback server, generating a top level index file describing each asset in the filtered list of assets using the playback server, and sending the top level index file to the playback device using the playback server.

Abstract: A multimedia file and methods of generating, distributing and using the multimedia file are described. Multimedia files in accordance with embodiments of the present invention can contain multiple video tracks, multiple audio tracks, multiple subtitle tracks, a complete index that can be used to locate each data chunk in each of these tracks and an abridged index that can enable the location of a subset of the data chunks in each track, data that can be used to generate a menu interface to access the contents of the file and ‘meta data’ concerning the contents of the file. Multimedia files in accordance with several embodiments of the present invention also include references to video tracks, audio tracks, subtitle tracks and ‘meta data’ external to the file.

Abstract: Systems and methods for sharing content between devices are disclosed. To request a shared piece of media content, a playback device generates and sends a request to content server. The playback device includes information in the request that indicates the playback capabilities of the device. The content server receives the request and determines the playback capabilities of the playback device from the information in the request. The content server then determines the assets that may be used by the playback device to obtain the media content and generates a top level index file for the playback device that includes information about the determined assets. The top level index file is then sent to the playback device that may then use the top level index file to obtain the media content using the indicated assets.

Abstract: Systems and methods for adaptive switching between multiple content delivery networks during adaptive bitrate streaming. In one embodiment, an adaptive content delivery network switching device includes a processor, a network interface, and a memory connected to the processor, where the memory contains a content delivery network switching application and, the content delivery network switching application directs the processor to receive content from a first content delivery network, determine a minimum performance threshold based on playback variables from the received content, receive new content from a second content delivery network if the minimum performance threshold is not satisfied.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide for live encoding systems that can replicate a current encoded frame instead of re-encoding said current frame, and then adjust the replicated frame to different bitrates, resolutions, and/or contexts as necessary for the several different adaptive bitrate streams. In addition, various embodiments of the invention can extend a duration of a current frame being repackaged and/or re-encoded. Utilizing these and other techniques, live encoding systems in accordance with embodiments of the invention can more efficiently handle gaps in received data, slower feeding of data, and/or heavy loads on server hardware.

Abstract: A multimedia file and methods of generating, distributing and using the multimedia file are described. Multimedia files in accordance with embodiments of the present invention can contain multiple video tracks, multiple audio tracks, multiple subtitle tracks, data that can be used to generate a menu interface to access the contents of the file and ‘meta data’ concerning the contents of the file. Multimedia files in accordance with several embodiments of the present invention also include references to video tracks, audio tracks, subtitle tracks and ‘meta data’ external to the file. One embodiment of a multimedia file in accordance with the present invention includes a series of encoded video frames and encoded menu information.