Patents Assigned to Netflix, Inc.
  • Patent number: 11238888
    Abstract: The disclosed computer-implemented method may include obtaining an audio sample from a content source, inputting the obtained audio sample into a trained machine learning model, obtaining the output of the trained machine learning model, wherein the output is a profile of an environment in which the input audio sample was recorded, obtaining an acoustic impulse response corresponding to the profile of the environment in which the input audio sample was recorded, obtaining a second audio sample, processing the obtained acoustic impulse response with the second audio sample, and inserting a result of processing the obtained acoustic impulse response and the second audio sample into an audio track. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: Netflix, Inc.
    Inventors: Yadong Wang, Shilpa Jois Rao, Murthy Parthasarathi, Kyle Tacke
  • Patent number: 11240156
    Abstract: In various embodiments, domain name system (DNS) servers are implemented on a content distribution network (CDN) infrastructure in order to facilitate centralized control of traffic steering. Each server appliance in the CDN infrastructure acts as both an authoritative DNS nameserver and a dynamic request proxy, and each such server appliance is assigned to one of multiple cloud computing system regions. The assignment of server appliances to cloud regions is based on latency measurements collected via client application probes and an optimization that minimizes an overall latency experienced by the client applications subject to constraints that the maximum traffic to each cloud region is less than a capacity constraint for that region, the maximum deviation of traffic to each cloud regions at any point in time is less than a given percentage, and the maximum deviation of traffic between direct and indirect paths is less than a given percentage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: NETFLIX, INC.
    Inventors: Sergey Fedorov, Phelps Watson Williams, Niosha Behnam
  • Patent number: 11234034
    Abstract: In various embodiments, a subsequence-based encoding application generates subsequences based on a source sequence associated with a media title. The subsequence-based encoding application then encodes both a first subsequence and a second subsequence across each of multiple configured encoders and at least one rate control value to generate, respectively, a first set of encoded subsequences and a second set of encoded subsequences. Notably, each configured encoder is associated with a combination of an encoder and a configuration, and at least two configured encoders are different from one another. Subsequently, the subsequence-based encoding application generates encoded media sequences based on the first set of encoded subsequences and the second set of encoded subsequences. Finally, the application selects a first encoded media sequence from the encoded media sequences based on a first target value for a media metric to subsequently stream to a first endpoint device during playback of the media title.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: NETFLIX, INC.
    Inventor: Ioannis Katsavounidis
  • Patent number: 11223884
    Abstract: A playback application is configured to dynamically generate topology for an interactive media title. The playback application obtains an initial topology and also collects various data associated with a user interacting with the feature. The playback application then modifies the initial topology, based on the collected data, to generate a dynamic topology tailored to the user. The dynamic topology describes the set of choices available to the user during playback as well as which options can be selected by the user when making a given choice. In addition, the playback application also selectively buffers different portions of the interactive media title, based on the collected data, in anticipation of the user selecting particular options for available choices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: NETFLIX, INC.
    Inventors: Maxine Cheung, Mark Watson, Carla Christine Fisher, Kevin Pei-Wen Lee, Yves Raimond
  • Patent number: 11223675
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for generating one or more hash data structures. The technique includes generating a hash data structure having entries that correspond to a plurality of content servers, and, for each file included in a first plurality of files, allocating the file to one or more content servers included in the plurality of content servers by comparing a hash value associated with the file to one or more entries included in the entries. The technique further includes comparing a network bandwidth utilization of a first content server to a network bandwidth utilization associated with one or more other content servers included in the plurality of content servers to generate a result, and modifying a first number of entries associated with the first content server and included in the entries based on the result to generate a biased hash data structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: NETFLIX, INC.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Davis, Andrew Berglund, David Pfitzner
  • Patent number: 11223599
    Abstract: In various embodiments, a templated Domain Name System (DNS) nameserver respond to DNS to DNS requests, and a templated HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) server respond to HTTP and Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS) requests. The templated DNS nameserver responds to a DNS request with a predefined response specifying an Internet Protocol (IP) address associated with the templated HTTP server, based on a type of the DNS request. The tem plated HTTP server responds to an HTTP or HTTPS request with a redirection response specifying a default redirection Universal Resource Locator (URL), or a different URL if the default has been overridden. Domain management is simplified relative to conventional approaches using the templated DNS nameserver and the tem plated HTTP server. A new domain can simply be registered at a domain name registrar, and the templated DNS nameserver configured as an authoritative DNS nameserver at the domain name registrar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: NETFLIX, INC.
    Inventors: Adam Mielke, Donavan Fritz, Phelps Williams
  • Patent number: 11218439
    Abstract: Techniques are provided for increasing the efficiency and efficacy of DNS clients. In one technique, DNS clients log information about performance of one or more DNS servers that the DNS clients use to resolve DNS resolution requests. The DNS clients send, to a control server, performance data regarding the DNS resolution requests and/or subsequent connections to servers associated with resolved domain names. Based on the performance data, the control server sends, to one or more DNS clients, configuration data that adjusts the configuration of the DNS clients. For example, if a particular DNS server is taking a considerable amount of time to resolve DNS resolution requests from one or more DNS clients, then the control server may send, to a plurality of DNS clients, configuration data that indicates a different set of one or more DNS servers for the plurality of DNS clients to contact for subsequent DNS resolution requests.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: NETFLIX, INC.
    Inventors: Jean-Marie White, Benbuck Nason
  • Patent number: 11217280
    Abstract: The disclosed computer-implemented method may include accessing a pre-rendered multimedia item. The pre-rendered multimedia item may have branching logic associated with it, where the branching logic includes branching points that direct non-sequential playback of the pre-rendered multimedia item. The method may also include initializing playback of the pre-rendered multimedia item and accessing, at the branching points, various trigger conditions that direct playback order of different segments of the pre-rendered multimedia item. The method may then include updating, based on the trigger conditions, at least some portion of custom state data. The method may further include playing back the segments of the pre-rendered multimedia item according to the updated state data. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: Netflix, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin Pei-Wen Lee, Lawrence E. Jones, Jr., Joseph Peyton Lea, IV
  • Patent number: 11210476
    Abstract: A technique for translating text strings includes receiving a source language text string from an application, determining that a translated text string that includes a translation in a target language of the source language text string is not available for use by the application, transmitting the source language text string to a translation service for translation, receiving the translated text string from the translation service, and causing the translated text string to be available for use by the application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: NETFLIX, INC.
    Inventors: Shashidhara Mathada, Jose Moreno, Ballav Bihani, Pragya Pherwani, Bharath Sampath, Vidyalakshmi Vilathur Sundaram, Kunal Bisla, Prosenjit Bhattacharyya
  • Patent number: 11212208
    Abstract: Techniques for adaptive metric collection, metric storage, and alert thresholds are described. In an approach, a metric collector computer processes metrics as a collection of key/value pairs. The key/value pairs represent the dimensionality of the metrics and allows for semantic queries on the metrics based on keys. In an approach, a storage controller computer maintains a storage system with multiple storage tiers ranked by speed of access. The storage computer stores policy data that specifies the rules by which metric records are stored across the multiple storage tiers. Periodically, the storage computer moves database records to higher or lower tiers based on the policy data. In an approach, a metric collector in response to receiving a new metric, generates a predicted metric value based on previously recorded metric values and measures the deviation from the new metric value to determine whether an alert is appropriate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: NETFLIX, INC.
    Inventors: Roy Rapoport, Brent Pitman, Brian Harrington, Daniel Muino
  • Patent number: 11212368
    Abstract: In various embodiments, a proxy application processes requests associated with a network-based service. In operation, the proxy application determines that a first request received from a client application indicates that a response to the first request can be offloaded from a server machine. Prior to transmitting the first request to the server machine, the proxy application transmits a response to the first request to the client application. The response indicates that the server machine has successfully processed the first request. Advantageously, upon receiving the response, the client application is able to initiate a second request irrespective of the server machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: NETFLIX, INC.
    Inventor: Antoine Jean Girbal
  • Patent number: 11202103
    Abstract: In various embodiments, a tunable VMAF application reduces an amount of influence that image enhancement operations have on perceptual video quality estimates. In operation, the tunable VMAF application computes a first value for a first visual quality metric based on reconstructed video content and a first enhancement gain limit. The tunable VMAF application computes a second value for a second visual quality metric based on the reconstructed video content and a second enhancement gain limit. Subsequently, the tunable VMAF application generates a feature value vector based on the first value for the first visual quality metric and the second value for the second visual quality metric. The tunable VMAF application executes a VMAF model based on the feature value vector to generate a tuned VMAF score that accounts, at least in part, for at least one image enhancement operation used to generate the reconstructed video content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: NETFLIX, INC.
    Inventor: Zhi Li
  • Patent number: 11196791
    Abstract: In various embodiments, a subsequence-based encoding application generates a convex hull of subsequence encode points based on multiple encoding points and a first subsequence included in a set of subsequences that are associated with a media title. The subsequence-based encoding application then generates a first encode list that includes multiple subsequence encode points based on the first convex hull. Notably, each subsequence encode point included in the first encode list is associated with a different subsequence. The subsequence-based encoding application selects a first subsequence encode point included in the first encode list based on a first variability constraint that is associated with a media metric. The subsequence-based encoding application then replaces the first subsequence encode point included in the first encode list with a second subsequence encode point to generate a second encode list.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: NETFLIX, INC.
    Inventor: Ioannis Katsavounidis
  • Patent number: 11196790
    Abstract: In various embodiments, a subsequence-based encoding application generates a convex hull of subsequence encode points based on multiple encoding points and a first subsequence included in a set of subsequences that are associated with a media title. The subsequence-based encoding application then generates a first encode list that includes multiple subsequence encode points based on the first convex hull. Notably, each subsequence encode point included in the first encode list is associated with a different subsequence. The subsequence-based encoding application selects a first subsequence encode point included in the first encode list based on a first variability constraint that is associated with a media metric. The subsequence-based encoding application then replaces the first subsequence encode point included in the first encode list with a second subsequence encode point to generate a second encode list.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: NETFLIX, INC.
    Inventor: Ioannis Katsavounidis
  • Patent number: 11184621
    Abstract: In various embodiments, an encoding optimization application encodes a source video sequence. The encoding optimization application partitions a source video sequence associated with a media title into multiple subsequences that include a first subsequence and a second subsequence. The encoding optimization application then generates a first encoded subsequence based on the first subsequence and a first resolution. The encoding optimization application generates a second encoded subsequence based on the second subsequence and a second resolution. Notably, the second resolution is higher than the first resolution. The encoding optimization application then aggregates the first encoded subsequence and the second encoded subsequence to generate an encoded video sequence. At least a portion of the encoded video sequence is subsequently streamed to an endpoint device during a playback of the media title.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: NETFLIX, INC.
    Inventor: Ioannis Katsavounidis
  • Patent number: 11166073
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for displaying scenes included in media assets. The technique includes selecting a first scene included in a first video asset based on one or more preferences and metadata associated with multiple scenes. The first video asset is one of multiple video assets, and each scene included in the multiple scenes is included in one of the video assets included in the multiple video assets. The technique further includes displaying the first scene within a first portion of a display area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: NETFLIX, INC.
    Inventors: Christopher Stewart Jaffe, Rico Nasol, Michael Bell, John McLord, Joubert Nel
  • Patent number: 11166034
    Abstract: In various embodiments, an encoder comparison application compares the performance of different configured encoders. In operation, the encoder comparison application generates a first global convex hull of video encode points based on a first configured encoder and a set of subsequences included in a source video sequence. Each video encode point is associated with a different encoded version of the source video sequence. The encoder comparison application also generates a second global convex hull of video encode points based on a second configured encoder and the subsequences. Subsequently, the encoder configuration application computes a performance value for an encoding comparison metric based on the first global convex hull and the second global convex hull. Notably, the first performance value estimates a difference in performance between the first configured encoder and the second configured encoder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: NETFLIX, INC.
    Inventors: Ioannis Katsavounidis, Liwei Guo
  • Patent number: 11153585
    Abstract: In various embodiments, a sequence-based encoding application partitions a set of shot sequences associated with a media title into multiple clusters based on at least one feature that characterizes media content and/or encoded media content associated with the media title. The clusters include at least a first cluster and a second cluster. The sequence-based encoding application encodes a first shot sequence using a first operating point to generate a first encoded shot sequence. The first shot sequence and the first operating point are associated with the first cluster. By contrast, the sequence-based encoding application encodes a second shot sequence using a second operating point to generate a second encoded shot sequence. The second shot sequence and the second operating point are associated with the second cluster. Subsequently, the sequence-based encoding application generates an encoded media sequence based on the first encoded shot sequence and the second encoded shot sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: NETFLIX, INC.
    Inventors: Ioannis Katsavounidis, Anne Aaron, Jan De Cock
  • Patent number: D934909
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: Netflix, Inc.
    Inventors: Cameron Johnson, Glen Davis
  • Patent number: D936667
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: Netflix, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Anastasopoulos, Danelle Vermeulen, Matt Bruce