Systems and methods are described for performing adaptive bitrate (ABR) streaming. A user device may request a segment of a first version of a plurality of versions of a content asset from a content provider, and may receive the segment. An estimated time to receive a second segment of a second version of the content may be determined based on metrics associated with receipt of the segment of the first version and in a manner that takes into account latency with the network, such that a determination whether to switch to a higher or lower bitrate version of a content asset during ABR streaming may be more accurately made.

An information processing apparatus includes circuitry configured to receive a manifest file for a content stream, the manifest file including a manifest file update mechanism indicating one or more ways of receiving an update to the received manifest file. The circuitry is also configured to receive a manifest file update through the manifest file update mechanism indicated by the received manifest file. The manifest file update indicates that early termination of content during a period in the content stream is possible. The circuitry is also configured to send a request for the content associated with the period to a server based on the manifest file update, and receive the content from the server. The circuitry is also configured to output the content for display during the period and terminate the content early based on the manifest file update.

A method and system for using steganographically-encoded time information as a basis to control when a client carries out a content-related action. The client processes for presentation one or more linear media streams, each defining a respective time sequence of frames of media content, and at least one of the streams being steganographically encoded with at least one watermark at a respective time-point within the linear media stream, the watermark encoding a timestamp of the respective time-point within the linear media stream according to a server clock. The client extracts the timestamp from the watermark and computes a time offset based on a difference between the extracted timestamp and a current time according to a client clock. And the client uses the computed time offset as a basis to determine when the client should carry out a content-related action in a given one of the one or more linear media streams.

In one example, a method for providing content-aware progress bar includes receiving a command from a user via an input device to present a visual media on a display device, retrieving a progress bar associated with the visual media, wherein the progress bar includes a plurality of sections, and where each section of the plurality of sections corresponds to one scene of a plurality of scenes of the visual media, and wherein the each section visually indicates a type of content contained in the one scene, a location of the one scene in the visual media, and a duration of the one scene, presenting the visual media on the display device, and displaying the progress bar on the display device in a manner that is time-synchronized to the visual media.

Methods and systems of providing alternative targeted advertising (TAD) content are shown and disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes outputting a first TAD content during a TAD window, and receiving at least one user input requesting different TAD content during the TAD window. The method additionally includes outputting the different TAD content instead of the first TAD content during the TAD window after at least one predetermined amount of time from start of the TAD window in response to the at least one user input. In some embodiments, the method may further include re-outputting the first TAD content instead of the different TAD content during the TAD window in response to receiving user input requesting different TAD content when the predetermined amount of time associated with each of the different TAD content already has elapsed before receiving the user input.

One embodiment sets forth a technique that includes receiving a request for a range of data included in an encoded version of the media title that is stored across a set of files. The technique also includes determining, based on a file extent index, one or more files included in the set of files, wherein the file extent index maps an identifier for each file in the set to a given range of data that is stored in the file and included in the encoded version. The technique further includes retrieving the range of data from the file(s), wherein at least a portion of the retrieved range of data falls within the given range of data that is stored in each of the one or more files, and transmitting the range of data in a response to the request.

The present disclosure is related to systems and methods for storing data. The method includes obtaining a streaming data file including a first set of data frames. The method includes, in response to determining that the streaming data file satisfies one or more conditions, generating a hole frame storing an offset address of the streaming data file, and establishing a target streaming data file by adding a second set of data frames into the streaming data file based on the hole frame.

Methods, apparatus, systems, storage media, etc., to perform media monitoring for mobile platforms using messaging associated with adaptive bitrate streaming are disclosed. An example media platform disclosed herein is to detect an adaptive bitrate streaming uniform resource locator (URL) in an outgoing message to be sent by the mobile platform to stream media in accordance with an adaptive bitrate streaming protocol, and associate the adaptive bitrate streaming URL with a time value. The disclosed example media platform is also to transmit the outgoing message to a first server to cause the media to be streamed to the mobile platform, and transmit the adaptive bitrate streaming URL and the time value to a second server different from the first server to cause a media impression associated with the mobile platform to be monitored.

Methods and system for providing content are disclosed. One method can comprise receiving a request for data at a first time, wherein the data comprises a first time duration, determining a buffer size based upon the first time duration, and determining a playback window based upon the determined buffer size and the first time. The method can also comprise synchronizing presentation of content on a plurality of devices.

A media guidance application may determine a length of a portion of a media asset that the user has missed and compare the length with a threshold length. If the length is greater than the threshold length, the media guidance application may generate a first summary of the missed portion of the media asset based on segments of the missed portion of the media asset that are of a first importance. If the length is not greater than the threshold length, the media guidance application may generate a second summary of the missed portion of the media asset based on segments of the missed portion of the media asset that are of the first importance and the second importance. The media guidance application may generate for display the summary.